Assurance of Support for Contributory Parent Visa
Assurances of support (AoS) are administered by Centrelink and not Department of Immigration.
AoS is an undertaking by an Australian resident or organisation (the assurer) and the Australian Government.
Under an AoS, the assurer agrees to support the migrant (the assuree).
The assurer also agrees to repay any recoverable payments paid to the assuree during the AoS period.
Support for any children of the assuree may also be covered by the agreement.
Centrelink decides who can be an assurer by assessing the assurer’s financial capacity to provide support.
Before applying to become an assurer, a person should consider whether they are able to meet the legal and financial obligations of providing an AoS.
Mandatory, or bonded, AoS are required for only Parent, Aged Parent, Contributory Parent, Aged Dependent Relative and Remaining relative visas.
Assurers can be anyone (or organisation) aged over 18, Australian or New Zealand citizens and have the financial capacity to meet the assurance undertakings and is willing to assure against debts to the Commonwealth by assurees.
Assurances can cover two adults and multiple dependent minors.
Dependents over the age of 18 require separate assurances.
Assurances are evidenced with present proof of income for individuals, or financial statements of organisations, as well as evidence of income for the previous two years.
Notice of Assessment issued by the ATO are typically used.
Joint assurances are permissible where the assurer does not have the financial capacity or evidence of proof of income to be eligible to be assurer in one’s own right.