Visiting parents need an interpreter? Plan the call before the appointment

Arranging a service call for a visiting parent can become difficult when the conversation moves beyond everyday English. Before deciding that a son or daughter must translate everything, ask the organisation about professional interpreting.

TIS National provides interpreting for people with limited or no English. Its immediate telephone service operates around the clock on 131 450. A Nepali-speaking caller can request Nepali, then identify the organisation they need to contact.

Have the destination ready

The official interpreting-services guide explains the connection process. Prepare the organisation's name and phone number, plus any appointment or customer reference needed for the conversation. Use the organisation's published contact details.

If it advertises a separate interpreting number, follow that first. Some organisations use another provider, and an interpreter service cannot guarantee that every business will accept a transferred call.

Check the charges before agreeing

Most TIS National interpreting services are free to non-English-speaking clients because the receiving organisation accepts the interpreting charge. That does not mean every call is free or every visitor qualifies for every publicly funded arrangement. Telephone-provider charges may also apply.

If an organisation will not accept the interpreting cost, TIS National says a caller can choose to create a paid personal account. Read the current charges and discuss the options before committing. Do not assume a parent's visitor visa gives them access to Medicare-funded services.

Help the conversation stay clear

A useful family role is to organise the appointment, write down questions with the parent and check that the intended language has been requested. Let the parent speak for themselves where possible. Ask the organisation how it will handle consent if another family member needs to be involved.

The accompanying Home Affairs video is an older introduction to TIS National. Department names and presentation have changed; the current TIS pages linked here are the reference for services and charges.