AOS Glossary
If you're going through the Assurance of Support (AOS) process for a parent or other family visa, you'll quickly encounter a wall of abbreviations and official-sounding terms. This glossary explains each one in plain English so you know exactly what you're dealing with.
What Is AOS?
An Assurance of Support is a legally binding commitment made to the Australian Government. The person giving the assurance (the assurer) promises to repay the Australian Government for certain welfare payments made to the visa holder (the assuree) during a set period after they arrive in Australia.
AOS is required for a number of family visa subclasses, particularly parent visas. It exists to ensure that new migrants do not immediately rely on taxpayer-funded welfare.
Core Terms
AOS — Assurance of Support
The formal undertaking itself. When an AOS is in place, Services Australia tracks whether the assuree claims any recoverable welfare payments. If they do, Services Australia can seek repayment from the assurer.
Assurer
The person who lodges the AOS and takes on the legal obligation. This is typically the Australian citizen or permanent resident sponsoring the visa applicant (e.g., a child sponsoring their parent). There can be more than one assurer — a primary assurer and one or more secondary assurers — but all share joint and several liability.
The assurer must demonstrate sufficient financial capacity. Services Australia assesses income, assets, and liabilities. The assurer cannot be in receipt of certain income-support payments themselves at the time of lodging the AOS.
Assuree
The visa applicant who is covered by the AOS. Once granted a visa, the assuree is the person whose welfare claims (if any) can be recovered from the assurer.
AOS Period
The length of time the assurance is active after the assuree first arrives in Australia on their visa. The duration depends on the visa subclass:
- Subclass 103 (Parent) — 2 years
- Subclass 173 (Contributory Parent – Temporary) — 2 years
- Subclass 143 (Contributory Parent) — 10 years
- Subclass 884 (Contributory Aged Parent – Temporary) — 2 years
- Subclass 864 (Contributory Aged Parent) — 10 years
- Subclass 804 (Aged Parent) — 2 years
The clock starts from the date the assuree enters Australia as a permanent resident (or the grant date for onshore applicants). Once the AOS period expires, the assurer's obligation ends automatically.
Financial Terms
Bank Guarantee (BG)
Also called the AOS bond. For most visa subclasses that require AOS, the assurer must lodge a cash deposit with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) as security. This money is held for the duration of the AOS period and is used to repay the government if the assuree claims recoverable payments.
Bond amounts (approximate, subject to change — check current figures with Services Australia):
| Visa Subclass | Single Applicant | Couple |
|---|---|---|
| 103, 173, 804 | ~$5,000 | ~$7,000 |
| 143, 864 | ~$10,000 | ~$14,000 |
The bank guarantee earns no interest for the assurer. It is refunded in full at the end of the AOS period, minus any amounts recovered. Always confirm current bond amounts with Services Australia before lodging, as figures are updated periodically.
Recoverable Payments
The specific welfare payments that Services Australia can seek to recover from the assurer if the assuree claims them during the AOS period. These include:
- Age Pension
- Disability Support Pension
- Carer Payment
- Jobseeker Payment (formerly Newstart Allowance)
- Youth Allowance
- Austudy
- Special Benefit
- Parenting Payment
Not all Centrelink payments are recoverable. For example, Medicare, Family Tax Benefit, and Child Care Subsidy are generally not subject to AOS recovery.
Debt
If the assuree receives a recoverable payment, Services Australia raises a debt against the assurer for the amount paid. The assurer is legally obligated to repay this debt. Services Australia will first draw on the bank guarantee to cover the debt.
Process Terms
QD — Queue Date
The Queue Date is not the date the AOS application was submitted. It is the date used to determine your position in the processing queue — typically set based on when the sponsorship or visa application was lodged. Understanding the distinction matters because there can be a gap of weeks or months between when you submit and when your QD is set.
CO — Case Officer
The Services Australia officer assigned to assess and process your AOS application. When people say "I've been allocated a CO," it generally means the application is actively being worked on and is close to finalisation. Being assigned a CO is a positive sign that things are moving.
PI — Phone Interview
Once your AOS application is assessed and appears ready to be approved, Services Australia will schedule a Phone Interview with the assurer. The purpose of the interview is to:
- Confirm the assurer's identity
- Ensure the assurer understands their legal obligations
- Formally record the assurer's agreement to the terms
The interview is largely procedural. The assurer will be asked to confirm key details and acknowledge their responsibilities. It is not a test — just a formal confirmation step.
AL — Approval Letter
The Approval Letter is the formal written notification from Services Australia confirming that the AOS has been accepted. The assurer should keep this document safely. The Approval Letter is typically required by the Department of Home Affairs before the visa can be finalised or granted.
Eligibility Terms
Balance of Family Test
The Balance of Family Test is an eligibility requirement for parent visas (subclasses 103, 143, 173, 864, 804, 884). It determines whether the parent visa applicant has more children living in Australia than in any other single country.
Specifically, at least half of the applicant's children who are Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens must be residing in Australia — and the number in Australia must be at least as large as the number in any other single country.
If a parent does not pass the Balance of Family Test, they cannot be sponsored for most parent visa subclasses (though the Contributory Parent stream is more flexible in some circumstances).
Financially Responsible Relative
In some AOS contexts, a financially responsible relative is a secondary assurer who shares financial liability with the primary assurer. All assurers are jointly and severally liable, meaning Services Australia can pursue any one of them for the full debt.
Other Abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| AOS | Assurance of Support |
| BG | Bank Guarantee |
| QD | Queue Date |
| CO | Case Officer |
| PI | Phone Interview |
| AL | Approval Letter |
| SA | Services Australia (formerly Department of Human Services / Centrelink) |
| DoHA | Department of Home Affairs (handles visa grants) |
| CBA | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (where the bank guarantee is lodged) |
Key Things to Remember
- The AOS is a legal contract — not just paperwork. Once lodged and accepted, the assurer is bound by its terms for the full AOS period.
- The bank guarantee is refunded at the end of the AOS period if no recoverable payments were made (or the remainder after deductions if some were).
- If the assuree never arrives in Australia or the visa is not granted, the AOS lapses and the bank guarantee is returned.
- The assurer's obligation is to the Australian Government, not to the visa holder. Even if the relationship between assurer and assuree breaks down, the legal obligation remains.
- Services Australia handles AOS processing. The Department of Home Affairs handles the visa itself. They are separate agencies with different roles.
For current bond amounts and the latest eligibility requirements, always refer to the official Services Australia website or consult a registered migration agent.