Parent Visa Australia — 2026 Guide

MARN 1576536 · Verifiable at mara.gov.au

Parent visa options, wait times and fees

Government charges: Home Affairs visa pricing, read 21 October 2026 (main applicant). Waits: Home Affairs, processing time frames for new parent applications, 2026–27 program year (queue released to November 2018 for contributory and March 2014 for Parent visas, as at 31 August 2026), and the 870 global processing times updated 29 September 2026. The Assurance of Support bond is separate, paid to Services Australia. WIDEN fees as on /fees/ (1 November 2026). See also parent visa processing time.

The big decision: contributory vs non-contributory

Australia's parent visa programme has two parallel streams that differ on a single fundamental dimension: how much you pay the government, and consequently how fast the application is processed.

Contributory parent visas (143, 173, 864, 884) require a second visa application charge of AUD $43,600 per primary applicant (Home Affairs amount, checked August 2026). In exchange, processing time is meaningfully faster — typically 18 years for the 143 versus around 42 years (capped) for the 103. The second VAC is the largest single government fee for any Australian visa, and it has to be paid before grant.

Non-contributory parent visas (103, 804) have a much lower visa application charge (around AUD $5,000–$6,000 total). The catch is that processing time exceeds the practical lifetime of many applicants — the queue is capped, and demand exceeds capacity. For a 60-year-old applicant, a 103 application is unlikely to result in a visa during their lifetime; for a 75-year-old, the prospect is near-zero. The non-contributory subclasses are still occasionally lodged where (a) the applicant has a strong reason to maintain a place in the queue, (b) the family hopes processing times will improve, or (c) the applicant cannot fund the contributory pathway and wants to keep an option open.

For most families, the practical question becomes: can we fund the contributory pathway? If yes, the 143 (or 864 for aged parents) is the typical choice. If no, the 870 Sponsored Parent Temporary visa is the most practical alternative for actually getting the parent to Australia within a useful timeframe.

The subclasses explained

Subclass 143 — Contributory Parent visa (Permanent)

Permanent residence at grant. Applicant can be inside or outside Australia at decision time (note the lodgement-vs-grant location requirements). Indicative cost: first instalment AUD $6,300 (from 1 July 2026), second instalment of AUD $43,600 per primary applicant (plus additional for a spouse). Processing time: approximately 18 years. Balance of Family test applies. Assurance of Support required. This is the most common contributory parent visa for working-age parents.

Subclass 173 — Contributory Parent (Temporary)

A two-year temporary visa that can be used as a stepping stone to the 143. Indicative cost: first instalment around AUD $5,000, second instalment around AUD $30,000 per primary applicant. The 173 holder can then apply for the 143 with a reduced second-instalment fee (because they already paid most of the contribution at the 173 stage). Processing time: faster than the 143 but still measured in years. Useful for families who want to start the process and have the parent transition gradually.

Subclass 864 — Contributory Aged Parent (Permanent)

For parents who have reached age 'qualifying for an Australian aged pension' (currently 67). Substantively similar to the 143, with the additional requirement that the parent is aged 67 or older. Costs and timing are similar to the 143. The 864 is lodged onshore (within Australia) and requires the applicant to be in Australia at decision time. Aged parents who can travel and stay in Australia during processing often use this subclass.

Subclass 884 — Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary)

The temporary stepping-stone to the 864, mirroring the 173/143 relationship. Two-year temporary visa, reduced second instalment when transitioning to the 864. Indicative cost: first instalment ~$5,000, second ~$30,000.

Subclass 103 — Parent visa (non-contributory, permanent)

The non-contributory equivalent of the 143. Indicative cost: around AUD $5,000 total (significantly less than the contributory pathway). Processing time: approximately 42 years; the practical wait can exceed the applicant's lifetime. Useful only as a place-holding option for applicants who cannot fund the contributory pathway and want to maintain a queue position.

Subclass 804 — Aged Parent visa (non-contributory, permanent, onshore)

The non-contributory onshore equivalent of the 864. For parents aged 67+ already in Australia. Same wait-time issue as the 103. The onshore lodgement requirement makes it useful for parents already on a visitor visa or other temporary status who want to lodge and hold a bridging visa during the (very long) wait.

Subclass 870 — Sponsored Parent (Temporary)

A long-stay temporary visa — 3 or 5 years per grant, with a maximum of 10 years total over multiple grants. This is not a pathway to permanent residence. The 870 is useful for families who want extended time with their parents in Australia without committing to (or being unable to fund) the contributory parent permanent visa. The sponsoring child must first be approved as a Sponsored Parent Sponsor (separate prior process), must meet income thresholds (around AUD $115,000+ at last review, depending on circumstances), and mandatory health insurance applies for the parent throughout the visa.

The Balance of Family test

Every parent visa subclass (except the 870) requires the applicant to satisfy the Balance of Family test:

At least half of the applicant's children must be Australian permanent residents or citizens, OR more of the applicant's children must live in Australia than in any other single country.

'Children' includes biological children, adopted children, step-children where there is an ongoing relationship, and children of any age. The test counts all children regardless of whether they live with the applicant. If a parent has six children and four are in Australia, the test is satisfied; if three are in Australia and three in India (with no other concentration), the test is satisfied. If two are in Australia and four are in the parent's home country, the test fails.

The Balance of Family test must be satisfied at the time the application is made and is reassessed at decision time. Failing the test results in refusal.

Assurance of Support and sponsor obligations

Most parent visa grants require an Assurance of Support (AoS) — a legal undertaking by an Australian resident (usually the sponsoring child) to financially support the parent if certain social security payments are claimed.

• AoS bond — paid to Centrelink, AUD $10,000 for a single parent or AUD $14,000 at last review — verify the current bond for a couple. Refundable after 10 years if no recoverable payments have been made.
• AoS income test — the assurer must meet a prescribed minimum income (varies; verify current rate). The income test is calculated over a recent period and includes household income calculations.
• AoS duration — typically 10 years from grant for parent visas.
• Sponsor eligibility — Australian citizen, PR, or eligible NZ citizen; 18+; usually resident in Australia; typically 2+ years lawful Australian residence.

For the 870 Sponsored Parent visa, additional sponsor-side requirements apply: a higher income threshold (around AUD $115,000 indicative at last review — verify the current rate), and the sponsor must be approved as a Sponsored Parent Sponsor before the parent's visa application can be lodged.

What WIDEN does for parent visa applications

• Initial review of which subclass fits the family situation — given the parent's age, the family's financial capacity, the Balance of Family situation, and the realistic time horizon
• Balance of Family assessment with documentary support (birth certificates, identity documents for each child, residence verification)
• Assurance of Support preparation — including income evidence, bond planning, and Centrelink interactions
• Lodgement of the visa application, including responding to Departmental requests through the (long) queue
• For 870 applications: Sponsored Parent Sponsor application + parent visa application together
• Where appropriate: visitor visa lodgements for the parent during the wait, including longer-stay multiple-entry options
• AAT review of any refused application

Fees are quoted in writing after an initial paid consultation under section 43 of the Migration (Migration Agents Code of Conduct) Regulations 2021, and confirmed in a written service agreement under section 42 before work commences. Government charges are separate.

Discuss your parent visa situation

A 30-minute consultation will review which subclass fits your family, whether the Balance of Family test is satisfied, the practical wait-time implications, and the Assurance of Support implications for the sponsor. Consultations are conducted personally by Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536).

Book the consultation below, A$330 inc. GST, credited if you go ahead.

Parents visiting while they wait: the Australia transit visa for a stopover, and Australian citizenship for the sponsoring child.