Who this may suit
Parents and their families considering permanent migration or an extended temporary stay with children in Australia.
Key considerations
- Start with the intended stay: permanent migration, a temporary contributory stage, or a longer temporary visit. These lead to different applications and commitments.
- Assess the family composition, sponsor’s status and settlement, age requirements where relevant, health, character and current immigration position.
- Permanent and contributory Parent pathways are capped and queued. Higher contributory charges do not guarantee a quick decision.
- Sponsored Parent 870 is temporary, has its own sponsor approval process and can affect the order in which other Parent applications may be made.
Permanent Parent and Aged Parent: 103 and 804
Subclass 103 and subclass 804 are non-contributory permanent pathways. Subclass 804 includes an age requirement linked to Australian Age Pension eligibility and requires an onshore application. Being old enough does not establish the remaining visa requirements.
A standard 103 application can be lodged in or outside Australia, but grant normally requires the applicant to be outside Australia. Subclass 804 requires the applicant to be in Australia at application and decision, outside immigration clearance. Specific exceptions, including the limited Retirement visa pathway, should be assessed individually.
Contributory pathways: 143, 173, 864 and 884
Subclass 143 and subclass 864 are permanent contributory options. Subclass 864 is the aged onshore route. Contributory visas involve substantially higher charges than the corresponding non-contributory pathways, alongside other possible costs and financial obligations.
The temporary subclass 173 can precede 143; the temporary subclass 884 can precede 864. These temporary stages provide up to two years and allow the visa charges to be spread across separate applications, but the combined route costs more than applying directly for the corresponding permanent visa. A permanent application still needs to be made and assessed.
For a standard 143 application, lodgement can be in or outside Australia and grant normally requires the applicant to be outside Australia. Different grant-location rules apply to specified temporary-contributory and Retirement pathway applicants. Subclass 864 requires an onshore application and decision; 884 also requires the applicant to be in Australia at both stages. Subclass 173 can be applied for in or outside Australia, but requires the applicant to be outside Australia at decision.
Plan the permanent-stage application before the 173 or 884 expires. Do not rely on the limited provisions for an application after expiry as the family’s plan.
Contributory Parent visa 143: eligibility, evidence and application steps →
Sponsored Parent 870: an extended temporary visit
Subclass 870 allows a stay of up to three or five years per visa, subject to a maximum cumulative period of ten years. Further stays require another eligible application; this visa does not provide permanent residence or work rights.
The Parent Sponsor must be approved first. Sponsorship includes eligibility and income checks, support and accommodation obligations, and responsibility for certain public health debts. The parent must maintain the required health insurance. There is no balance-of-family test for 870.
The visa is normally applied for outside Australia. Permission to apply in Australia is limited, with a different application deadline. A decision can be made in or outside Australia, excluding immigration clearance.
Applying for or holding 870 restricts applications for other permanent or temporary Parent visas. Check the sequencing before applying, particularly if a permanent Parent application is planned or already lodged.
Understand the balance-of-family test
The test generally applies to subclasses 103, 804, 143, 173, 864 and 884. It considers the applicant’s and partner’s children, including relevant adopted children and stepchildren. A limited Retirement pathway has different requirements.
Broadly, at least half the counted children must be eligible children, or there must be more eligible children than in any other single country. The definition of an eligible child and exclusions from the count matter. Simply counting relatives currently in Australia can give the wrong result. Home Affairs does not waive the test because of compelling or exceptional circumstances.
Work through the Balance of Family Test and examples →
Budget and plan for the whole pathway
- Check the current first and second visa-charge instalments and any additional applicants. Avoid relying on an old quote or another family’s total.
- Review any Assurance of Support requirement, including who can provide it and the financial commitment involved. Sponsorship and Assurance of Support are separate requirements.
- Allow for health examinations, police certificates, translations, travel and any required insurance.
- Use the current Home Affairs queue page. A queue date, release for final assessment and a visa grant are different milestones.
- Check the current application method for the chosen subclass. Home Affairs now requires online applications for 103, 143, 804 and 864; temporary contributory applications remain paper-based.
Staying in Australia while an application is processed
A standard 103 application does not carry an associated bridging visa entitlement. A standard 143 application also does not, although limited exceptions include qualifying temporary-contributory, Retirement pathway and certain ministerial-intervention cases. Existing visa conditions and expiry dates remain important.
An onshore aged-parent application requires a valid application and careful review of the current visa, any No Further Stay condition, immigration history and travel needs. A proposed visit should not be planned around an assumed ability to lodge or stay indefinitely. Confirm any bridging visa grant and its conditions individually.
How we can help
Discuss the pathways that match your family’s circumstances, compare the commitments and organise the evidence needed for a considered decision. Agree the scope of application assistance after the initial assessment.
Questions to consider
Does having an Australian child guarantee eligibility?
The child’s status is one part of the assessment. Family composition, settlement, sponsorship, health, character, age and the chosen pathway’s requirements also matter.
Can paying the contributory charge secure a faster decision?
Contributory pathways have different charges and processing priorities, but remain subject to capping and queueing. Home Affairs cannot promise an exact decision date.
Is 870 suitable if we do not meet the balance-of-family test?
It may be an option to assess because that test does not apply to 870. Sponsor eligibility, income, insurance, temporary-stay requirements and other criteria still apply.
Can we apply for permanent residence after getting 870?
The application restrictions and timing need to be assessed before choosing 870. It is not an automatic transition to a permanent Parent visa.
What should we bring to the first discussion?
Bring each parent’s passport and visa details, a list of all children and stepchildren with their citizenship and residence, the proposed sponsor’s status, previous applications and the family’s intended stay. This helps identify the questions that need closer review.
Your next step
Arrange a Parent visa assessment before choosing a visitor pathway, paying application charges or making permanent relocation plans.