Parents Visa
Australia’s Parent visa program allows eligible parents of a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen to live in Australia either temporarily or permanently, depending on the visa type. Parent visas are highly capped and queued, meaning demand is much higher than the number of places available each year, so waiting times can be significant.
Common eligibility requirements (most Parent visas)
Most Parent visa subclasses require that the parent:
- has an eligible child who is a settled Australian citizen / permanent resident / eligible NZ citizen
- meets the Balance of Family Test (broadly: at least half of the parent’s children are “eligible children”, or more of the parent’s children live in Australia than in any other single country)
- meets health and character requirements (including police checks) (standard Home Affairs requirements across these visas)
- can provide an Assurance of Support (AoS) when requested (this is a financial undertaking managed through Services Australia / Centrelink and Home Affairs)
Pass the balance of family test
To pass the Balance of Family Test for a Parent visa, you must show that your children are mainly “based” in Australia: you count all your children (including step/adopted), then check whether at least half (50%)of them are eligible children who are settled Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and eligible New Zealand citizens .For example, 2 children in Australia who are settled Australian citizen, PR, or eligible New zealand citizen and 2 children in overseas will usually pass, but 1 in Australia and 2 in the overseas country will usually fail).
Settled” sponsor – what it means (Parent visas)
The Parent visas request your sponsor must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen, and they must be “settled” in Australia. “Settled” means the sponsor has been lawfully resident in Australia for a reasonable period—and under Department policy this is generally at least 2 years before the Parent visa is lodged. Importantly, the 2 years is about lawful residence in Australia, not “2 years as a permanent resident or citizen” — so time spent lawfully living in Australia on other visas may count,
What is AOS assurance of support
An Assurance of Support (AoS) is a legal promise made by the sponsor (the “assurer”) to financially support the parent and to repay Services Australia if the parent receives certain recoverable Centrelink income support during the AoS period. For Parent visas, Home Affairs will issue a request for AoS, and the assurer applies through Services Australia; if a bond is required, it is lodged via a Commonwealth Bank bank guarantee/term deposit and is generally refundable at the end of the AoS period if no recoverable payments are claimed. For Contributory Parent / Contributory Aged Parent visas, the AoS period runs for 10 years and the standard guarantee amount (individual assurer) is $10,000 for 1 adult, or $14,000 for 2 adults (commonly described as $10,000 for the main applicant + $4,000 for the second parent).
Visa Processing time
Visa processing times (Parent visas): Parent visas are processed in a queue (capped each program year), so the best “real-time” indicator is Home Affairs’ queue release date. As at 31 October 2025, Home Affairs was releasing Contributory Parent applications queued up to June 2018 for final processing, and Parent / Aged Parent (non-contributory) applications queued up to June 2013. In practical terms, around 12–14+ years for Contributory Parent visas and around 30 years for non-contributory Parent visas, noting actual timeframes can move depending on the annual cap and program settings 870 temporary parents visa is different, the processing time is around 4-8 months
Different types of parents visa
- Subclass 103 – Parent (Permanent) — Offshore -no age requirement
- Subclass 143 – Contributory Parent (Permanent) — Offshore no age requirement
- Subclass 173 – Contributory Parent (Temporary) — Offshore no age requirement
- Subclass 804 – Aged Parent (Permanent) — Onshore -67 years old
- Subclass 864 – Contributory Aged Parent (Permanent) — Onshore 67 years old
- Subclass 884 – Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) — Onshore 67 years old
- Subclass 870 – Sponsored Parent (Temporary) — Usually offshore no age requirement Up to 3 years: AUD $6,070 Up to 5 years: AUD $12,140
Feeling overwhelmed? We’re here to help.
Our expert team will be at your side at every stage of your partner visa journey, from
understanding eligibility requirements and gathering evidence to submitting your application.
FAQs
Under Australian migration law, an onshore visa application will normally result in a Bridging Visa being granted, which allows the applicant to remain lawfully in Australia while waiting for a decision. For Parent visas, the onshore Parent visa options (Aged Parent categories) generally require the main applicant to be at least 67 years old. If your parents are already 67 and you meet the eligibility requirements, an onshore Parent visa can be a practical option because processing times can be very long (around 14–30 years), and the bridging visa lets your parents stay in Australia legally during that period. While holding a Bridging Visa A, they can also apply for a Bridging Visa B if they need to travel, so they can continue living with you in Australia and still travel overseas when required. The main disadvantage is that Medicare is not available, so it is strongly recommended to arrange private health insurance for your parents.
If your parents are not yet 67 years old, the offshore Parent visa options are generally the only pathway available. However, because the processing time can be extremely long, it is usually not practical to expect parents to remain outside Australia and wait for close to 30 years, so this option is often not ideal on its own.
Contributory Parent visas (such as subclass 143) can reduce the waiting time to around 12–14 years. In the meantime, many families also consider the Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870) so parents can stay in Australia while waiting in the queue. The 870 processing time is commonly around 4–8 months. If you choose the 5-year option, the visa application charge is $12,140 (the 3-year option is cheaper), and parents can hold 870 visas for a maximum total of 10 years in their lifetime. (fee as per 2026)
A practical strategy is to lodge the 143 first to secure your parents’ place in the queue, and then apply for the 870 to bring them to Australia to live with you during the waiting period. Another approach is to use the 870 as a temporary option until your parents reach 67, and then consider an onshore Aged Parent pathway.
Important note: under the rules, you cannot lodge a valid contributory Parent visa (including subclass 143) if the parent has applied for or holds a subclass 870 visa. This means you should lodge the 143 first, then lodge the 870 (not the other way around).
Book Now
Book Your Consultation
