Balance of Family Test for Parent Visas: Do Your Parents Qualify? (2026 Guide)

Watch our video explainer: Balance of Family Test for Parent Visas: Do Your Parents Qualify? (2026 Guide)

In this guide, we'll explain exactly how the Balance of Family Test works, how children are counted (including the complex rules for step-children), common traps that cause families to fail, and strategic alternatives if your parents don't meet the test.

What is the Balance of Family Test?

The Balance of Family Test is codified in Regulation 1.05 of the Migration Regulations 1994 and is a mandatory eligibility criterion for most permanent Parent Visa applications. It assesses whether the parent applicant has sufficient family ties to Australia based on where their children live.

When is the Test Assessed?

The Balance of Family Test is a "time of application" criterion-meaning your parents must meet the test on the day the visa application is lodged. However, circumstances may be reviewed again before the visa is granted, especially for the non-contributory visas which can take 20-30 years to process.

How to Pass the Test

Your parents will meet the Balance of Family Test if at least one of the following conditions is satisfied:

Understanding "Eligible Children"

Not all children count equally in this test. The key concept is "eligible child"-a specific legal definition under migration law.

Who Qualifies as an Eligible Child?

For a child to be counted as an "eligible child," they must be:

1. An Australian citizen who usually resides in Australia, OR
2. An Australian permanent resident who usually resides in Australia, OR
3. An Eligible New Zealand Citizen (ENZC) who usually resides in Australia

The "Usually Resident" Requirement

"Usually resident" is a factual assessment based on:

• Physical presence in Australia (not continuous, but significant)
• Intention to reside in Australia indefinitely
• Evidence such as employment, property ownership, lease agreements, and family ties

The PR Abroad Trap: An Australian permanent resident who moves overseas (e.g., takes a 5-year job in London, rents out their Australian home) may lose their "eligible" status. They are assessed as "usually resident" in their new country, which shifts them from supporting the application to working against it.

Who is NOT Counted as an Eligible Child?

The Step-Child Rules: A Critical Distinction

One of the most complex areas of the Balance of Family Test involves step-children. The rules differ significantly depending on whether the step-child is from your parent's current or former partner.

Step-Children from Current Partner

If your parent has a current spouse or de facto partner, all of that partner's children are counted-regardless of age or where they live.

Example: Your father has 2 children in Australia (passing 2/2). He remarries a woman with 3 children living in the UK.

• New total: 5 children (2 in Australia, 3 in UK)
• Result: 2/5 = 40% → FAIL

Step-Children from Former Partner

Step-children from a former relationship (e.g., ex-spouse's children) have different rules:

Strategic Insight: If your parent has a step-child from a former relationship who is currently 17 and counted against the test, waiting until that child turns 18 may remove them from the calculation.

The Estrangement Misconception

The Balance of Family Test is a biological and legal assessment, not a relational one. An estranged child living overseas counts exactly the same as a supportive child living overseas. Unless the estrangement resulted in:

• Formal removal of legal custody, OR
• Adoption by another party

...the estranged child remains in the calculation and can cause the parent to fail.

How Children Are Counted: Real Examples

Let's look at practical scenarios to understand how the test works.

Example 1: The Half Rule (PASS)

Parent has 4 children:

• Child A: Australian citizen, lives in Melbourne ✅
• Child B: Australian PR, lives in Sydney ✅
• Child C: Lives in China
• Child D: Lives in Singapore

Result: 2 out of 4 = 50% → PASS

Example 2: The Bridging Visa Trap (FAIL)

Parent has 3 children:

• Child A: Australian citizen, lives in Perth ✅
• Child B: In Australia on Bridging Visa A (waiting for Partner Visa 820/801)
• Child C: Lives in USA

Analysis: Child B is physically in Australia but holds a temporary visa. They are counted as an overseas resident.

Result: 1 eligible (Child A) vs 2 ineligible (B + C) → FAIL

Solution: Wait until Child B's Partner Visa is granted before lodging the Parent Visa application.

Example 3: The Plurality Rule (PASS Despite Low Percentage)

Parent has 4 children:

• Child A: Australian citizen, lives in Sydney ✅
• Child B: Lives in UK
• Child C: Lives in Germany
• Child D: Lives in Japan

Result: Only 1/4 = 25% → FAIL under Half Rule

But: 1 (Australia) vs 1 (UK) vs 1 (Germany) vs 1 (Japan). No single country has more than Australia. → PASS under Plurality Rule

Example 4: The Tie-Breaker Failure

Parent has 4 children:

• Child A: Australian PR, lives in Adelaide ✅
• Child B: Australian PR, lives in Brisbane ✅
• Child C: Lives in China
• Child D: Lives in China

Result: 2/4 = 50% → PASS under Half Rule

But if one of the Australian children had moved overseas, making it 1 (Australia) vs 2 (China)? → FAIL (1 is not more than 2)

Which Visas Require the Balance of Family Test?

The temporary subclasses (173, 884) are pathways to permanent residency-the test must be passed at the initial stage.

Common Reasons Families Fail

1. The Bridging Visa Trap

A child waiting for their own visa (e.g., Partner Visa, Skilled Visa) holds a Bridging Visa. Even though they live in Australia, they count as overseas. Wait for the substantive visa grant.

2. NZ Citizens Without Permanent Residency

Your sibling arrived from New Zealand in 2010 and has lived in Australia for 15 years on an SCV 444. Unless they've been granted a Skilled Visa or other permanent visa, they are not an eligible child.

3. New Partner's Children

Your parent remarries, and the new partner has children overseas. These children are automatically added to the count, potentially causing failure.

4. Children Abroad on Temporary Visas

Your sibling is in Australia on a 485 Graduate Visa. They don't count as eligible until they receive permanent residency.

5. PR Children Who Moved Overseas

Your sibling is an Australian PR but took a job in Singapore 3 years ago. Their "usually resident" status is now Singapore, not Australia.

Strategic Timing: When to Lodge

Because the test is assessed at time of application, timing is critical:

What If Your Parents Fail the Test?

The Subclass 870 allows parents to live in Australia for extended periods without meeting the Balance of Family Test. The trade-off: no work rights, no PR pathway, and private health insurance required.

Special Exemption: Retiree Visa Holders

Parents who held a Subclass 405 (Investor Retirement) or Subclass 410 (Retirement) visa on 8 May 2018-and haven't held another substantive visa since-can apply for Parent Visas without meeting the Balance of Family Test.

Preparing Your Parent Visa Application

If your parents meet the test, gather these documents:

For Each Child:

• Birth certificate (proving parent-child relationship)
• Citizenship certificate or permanent visa grant notice
• Australian residence evidence (utility bills, lease, employment records)

For Excluded Children:

• Death certificates (deceased children)
• Court orders (custody removal)
• UNHCR documentation (refugee children)

For Step-Children:

• Marriage/relationship evidence with current partner
• Custody documentation for former partner's children under 18

How First Migration Can Help

The Balance of Family Test involves more complexity than most families anticipate-from NZ citizen eligibility rules to step-children calculations to strategic timing around bridging visas.

At First Migration Service Centre, our registered migration agents specialise in Parent Visa applications and can conduct a comprehensive family assessment before you invest in visa fees.

Ready to check if your parents qualify? We invite you to submit a free visa assessment and let us evaluate your parents' eligibility under the Balance of Family Test.