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Parent visas, with realistic advice on timing and cost.
Bringing a parent to Australia permanently is possible, but the queue for non-contributory visas is measured in decades and the contributory visas carry a substantial charge. We explain every option, including the Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa for long visits, so your family can make an informed choice.
Three ways to bring a parent to Australia
The right choice depends on your parent's age, your family's budget and how long you can wait.
Permanent residence within a few years
The subclass 143 Contributory Parent visa (or 864 if your parent is in Australia and of Age Pension age) is the only realistic route to permanent residence in the foreseeable future. The charge is high and paid in two instalments, the second just before grant.
Permanent residence and cost matters more than time
The subclass 103 Parent visa (or 804 Aged Parent onshore) has a small charge but a queue currently estimated at around 30 years. It suits families who want a place in the queue while using other visas to spend time together.
Long stays without permanent residence
The subclass 870 Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa allows a parent to stay for three or five years at a time, up to ten years in total, with a sponsor approved first. No work rights and no Medicare, so health insurance is essential.
Contributory, non-contributory and temporary
Each pathway has its own charge, waiting time and conditions. The balance of family test and a sponsor apply to all of the permanent visas.
Contributory Parent (permanent)
Permanent residence for parents whose child is a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.
- Two instalments; the second is the large contribution paid before grant
- Assurance of Support: a bond and a ten-year undertaking by the assurer
- Subclass 173 temporary version allows the contribution to be split over two visas
- 864 for parents already in Australia who are of Age Pension age
Parent (non-contributory)
Permanent residence with a much smaller charge but a waiting period currently measured in decades.
- Capped and queued: applications are released for processing in order
- 804 lets an aged parent wait in Australia on a bridging visa
- Often lodged to secure a queue date while other options are used
Sponsored Parent (Temporary)
A long-stay visitor visa for parents, with the child approved as a Parent Sponsor first.
- Sponsor approval, then the visa application within six months
- Three or five years per visa, ten years in total
- No work rights; adequate health insurance required; sponsor liable for public health costs
Visitor and other options
For shorter or more flexible visits, a subclass 600 Visitor visa in the Sponsored Family stream can allow stays of up to 12 months at a time.
- Longer validity visitor visas for parents of Australians in some cases
- Condition 8503 (no further stay) may be imposed
- We advise on the sequence that keeps your parent lawful throughout
What the parent visas cost
The contributory visas carry a second instalment that is paid just before the visa is granted, and it is the largest single cost in the programme. These are the Department of Home Affairs charges effective 1 July 2026 for a main applicant, with the charge for additional applicants shown separately.
| Visa | At lodgement | Additional adult | Additional child | Second instalment, before grant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contributory Parent (subclass 143) | AUD 6,300 | AUD 2,125 | AUD 1,065 | AUD 43,600 per adult; AUD 2,095 per child under 18 |
| Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) | AUD 4,245 | AUD 2,125 | AUD 1,065 | AUD 29,130 per adult; AUD 2,095 per child under 18 |
| Subclass 143 after holding a subclass 173 | AUD 555 | AUD 280 | AUD 135 | AUD 19,420 per adult |
| Contributory Aged Parent (subclass 864) | AUD 6,300 | AUD 3,145 | AUD 1,580 | AUD 43,600 per adult; AUD 2,095 per child under 18 |
| Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) (subclass 884) | AUD 6,300 | AUD 3,145 | AUD 1,580 | AUD 29,130 per adult; AUD 2,095 per child under 18 |
| Subclass 864 after holding a subclass 884 | AUD 6,300 | AUD 3,145 | AUD 1,580 | AUD 19,420 per adult |
| Parent (subclass 103) | AUD 6,600 | AUD 3,300 | AUD 1,655 | AUD 2,065 per person |
| Aged Parent (subclass 804) | AUD 6,600 | AUD 3,300 | AUD 1,655 | AUD 2,065 per person |
| Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) | AUD 1,515 | Not available | Not available | AUD 4,855 for 3 years, or AUD 10,925 for 5 years |
Taking the two instalments together, a single adult applying for the subclass 143 Contributory Parent visa pays AUD 49,900 in Department charges, and a couple applying together pays AUD 51,425 at lodgement and grant combined, before the Assurance of Support bank guarantee, health examinations, police clearances and our professional fees. A person who has already held the temporary subclass 173 pays the balance of the contribution rather than the full amount. Charges are the Department of Home Affairs visa application charges effective 1 July 2026, from the current visa pricing table checked 1 September 2026, and are confirmed for your matter before lodgement.
Common requirements for the permanent parent visas
These apply to subclasses 103, 143, 173, 804 and 864. The 870 visa has its own sponsor-based criteria.
- A child who is a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, usually resident for at least two years
- The balance of family test: at least half of your children live permanently in Australia, or more live in Australia than in any other single country
- A sponsor (usually the child) who meets the sponsorship requirements
- An Assurance of Support, with a bank guarantee, for the contributory visas
- Health and character requirements, which can be demanding for older applicants
- For the aged parent visas, being of Australian Age Pension age at lodgement
- From 22 April 2026, lodgement online through ImmiAccount for subclasses 103, 804, 143 and 864
The law we apply
Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth), regulation 1.05 (balance of family test), Schedule 2 subclasses 103, 143, 173, 804, 864 and 870, and the Assurance of Support provisions in the Social Security Act 1991 (Cth).
Migration (Arrangements for Parent Visa Applications) Instrument 2026 (F2026L00441), commenced 22 April 2026: online lodgement for subclasses 103, 804, 143 and 864.
Ministerial Direction No. 117 (commenced 25 July 2026) sets family visa processing priorities. Charges on this page are as at 1 September 2026 and are confirmed with you at the time of advice.
How we run a parent visa matter
Every matter runs under a written agreement that sets out the work and the fee before anything begins.
Family assessment
We apply the balance of family test, check sponsor eligibility and give you a candid comparison of cost and waiting time for each option.
Sponsor and assurance
We prepare the sponsorship and, for contributory visas, the Assurance of Support with the bank, so the second instalment stage does not stall.
Lodgement
We lodge online with the identity, relationship and health documents in order, and manage the queue or processing stage.
Grant and settlement
We advise on the second instalment, health examinations, travel facility and Medicare enrolment after grant.
What to know before you commit
These are the issues that most often decide this visa. We raise them with you at the first consultation, not after lodgement.
The queue is real
The Department publishes queue release dates for parent visas. Non-contributory applications lodged today are unlikely to be finalised for decades. We will not pretend otherwise.
Health requirement
Older applicants are assessed against the significant cost threshold for health care. Some conditions can lead to refusal. We assess this before the contribution is paid.
Assurance of Support
The assurer commits to repay certain welfare payments for ten years and lodges a bank guarantee. This must be planned, not discovered at the second instalment.
Bridging visas onshore
Only the aged parent visas provide a bridging visa to wait in Australia. Applying for the wrong subclass onshore can leave your parent without status.
Parent visa questions
How much does the Contributory Parent visa cost?
How long is the wait?
Can my parent stay in Australia while the application is processed?
What is the balance of family test?
Can a parent work on the 870 visa?
Get a straight answer on the parent visa options
Tell us about your family, where your siblings live and your budget, and we will set out the realistic options with the cost and timing of each.
The information on this page is general in nature, current as at 1 September 2026, and does not take account of your individual circumstances. It is not immigration assistance or legal advice. Visa criteria, charges, thresholds and processing priorities change; the requirements that apply to your matter are confirmed at the time of advice under a written agreement. No agent can guarantee a visa outcome. Migration Star, Registered Migration Agents, MARN 1797395.