Introduction
Queue release dates & Processing Time
Parent visas & COVID-19 visa concessions
Cost
Eligibility
Documents Checklist
Lodgement
Frequently Asked Questions

Contributory Parent visa (Subclass 143) Introduction

This permanent visa lets a parent of a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident of Australia or eligible New Zealand citizen move to Australia.

With this visa the parent can:

move to or stay in Australia as a permanent resident
sponsor eligible family members to come to Australia
apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible

Contributory Parent visa (Subclass 143) Queue release dates & Processing Time

Your application might take longer to process if:

you do not fill it in correctly
you do not include all the documents needed or the Department needs more information from you
it takes the Department time to verify your information

The Department can’t process your application if you do not pay the correct visa application charge. They will notify you if this is the case and if necessary return your application.

Family migration visas are in high demand. It might take several years for this visa to be granted.

The Department does not provide processing times for Contributory Parent visa applications. Applications for this visa are subject to capping and queueing.

As at May 2021, The Department of Home Affairs has released for final processing:

Contributory Parent visa applications with a queue date up to May 2016

The Department updates this information only when the latest final processing dates are available. 

Once the Department reaches the number of visa places available in the current Migration Program year they will consider any applications that have been queued and released for final processing, but not yet finalised, for a place in a subsequent year.

2020-21 Migration program planning levels for parent visas are 4,500 places.

Contributory Parent visa processing times change for a number of reasons, including:

changes in planning levels
how many visa applications are submitted
how many applications are withdrawn or refused
Administrative Appeals Tribunal remits
Ministerial Intervention cases
changes to processing directions

However, based on current planning levels, it is estimated that new Contributory Parent visa applications lodged that meet the criteria to be queued are likely to take approximately at least 64 months to be released for final processing.

Check if you ae eligible for a parent visa

Parent visas & COVID-19 visa concessions

The Department is not asking Family visa applicants to travel offshore at this time. A temporary concession to allow visas to be granted in Australia is available to eligible Parent visa applicants from 24 March 2021.

If you applied as a retiree, or you hold or held a Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 173), or a substituted Visitor visa (subclass 600) before lodging your application, you can be in or outside Australia when the Department makes a decision on your application.

If you did not apply as a retiree, you can be in or outside Australia when the Department makes a decision on your application as outlined below:

In Australia

On 24 March 2021, changes to the Migration Regulations 1994 came into effect. These allow the Department to grant this visa in Australia if:

the application was made before 24 March 2021, and
the applicant was in Australia on 24 March 2021, and
the visa is granted before the end of the concession period, and
the applicant is in Australia at the time the visa is granted.

If the Department is undertaking final processing of your application, and if you meet all visa requirements, including health, character and Assurance of Support, then you will be eligible for the temporary concession that allows your visa to be granted while you are in Australia.

The COVID-19 concession period started on 1 February 2020 and is an interim arrangement. The end date of the concession period is yet to be determined.

Parent visa applications lodged outside Australia

If you have applied for one of the Parent visas listed below outside Australia and you are in Australia on 24 March 2021, your visa can be granted in Australia if you meet all other visa criteria during the COVID-19 concession period.

Parent (subclass 103) visa
Contributory Parent (subclass 173) visa
Contributory Parent (subclass 143) visa

Any applicant for these visas who is outside Australia and who meets the usual visa grant requirements will be able to be granted the visa outside Australia (as per the current process).

Parent visa applications lodged in Australia

If you have applied for one of the Parent visas listed below in Australia, and you are outside Australia on 24 March 2021, your visa can be granted while you are outside Australia if you meet all other visa criteria during the COVID-19 concession period.

Aged Parent (subclass 804) visa
Contributory Aged Parent (subclass 864) visa

Any applicant for these visas who is in Australia and who meets the usual visa grant requirements will be able to be granted the visa in Australia (as per the current process).

Temporary concessions for Parent visa applicants will apply during the COVID-19 concession period. The COVID-19 concession period started on 1 February 2020. It is a temporary arrangement. Check back here for updates about when the concession period will end.

These amendments will not impact current processing timeframes for Parent visa applications.

The Government is continually reviewing arrangements for visas during the pandemic. This page will be regularly updated as adjustments are made.

Contributory Parent visa (Subclass 143) Cost

This visa costs from AUD47,825. There is also an additional charge for each family member who applies with you.

You pay for this visa in 2 parts, called instalments:

Pay the first instalment when you apply
Pay the second instalment when the Department asks you to

You might also have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

To work out what your visa will cost use the Visa Pricing Estimator. The estimator does not take into account the other costs.

Combined visa fee calculator

Contributory Parent visa (Subclass 143) Eligibility

The Department assesses applications for this visa in 2 stages.

Check eligibility and either add the application to the queue or refuse it
Continue assessing the application when a place becomes available and make a decision.

Don’t arrange to move to Australia until the Department grants the visa. They will let you know in writing if they grant you the visa.

You must meet the following key requirements as the visa applicant:

Not have this visa

You cannot apply for this visa if you have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visa.

Have a sponsor

You must be sponsored by an eligible sponsor for this visa.

Usually you would be sponsored by an eligible child. If your child is under 18, you can be sponsored by an eligible relative or community organisation.

The Department must approve the sponsorship.

Meet the balance-of-family test

You must meet the balance-of-family test.

You meet the balance of family test if:

at least half of your children and step-children are eligible children, or
there are more eligible children living in Australia than in any other single country

See examples of how the balance-of-family test is applied.

Have assurance of support

You must be able to obtain an assurance of support.

An assurance of support assures the Department that you will not have to rely on government assistance after you enter Australia on this visa. The assurance is for you and any family members who come to Australia with you on this visa.

The Department will let you know when you need to provide the assurance of support.

You must meet the following key requirements as the visa sponsor:

Be suitable to sponsor

To sponsor an applicant for this visa, you must be:

an Australian citizen or Australian Permanent resident or Eligible New Zealand citizen
settled in Australia
18 years of age or older

Usually, you would sponsor your parent for this visa.

You can sponsor more than one parent.

Alternative sponsorship arrangements

You can sponsor a visa applicant on behalf of a child under 18 if you are:

an Australian citizen or Australian Permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen, and
settled in Australia, and
18 years of age or older

You must be:

the child’s co-habiting spouse, or
the child’s relative or guardian, or
a relative or guardian of the child’s co-habiting spouse

Or your community organisation can sponsor an applicant where:

there is a relationship between the organisation and the applicant’s child
a senior representative of the organisation agrees to sponsor the applicant
the organisation is lawfully established in Australia
the organisation has been actively operating in Australia for at least one year
the organisation can meet its financial commitments

Contributory Parent visa (Subclass 143) Documents Checklist

Applicant documents

1. Identity documents

The Department needs proof of your identity. If you cannot prove your identity:

the Department will refuse your visa application
the Department might not grant you another visa for 10 years
the Department might not grant any family members you listed on your application a visa for 10 years

Provide the pages of your current passport showing your photo, personal details, and passport issue and expiry dates.

Also provide:

a national identity card, if you have one
proof of change of name

Documents that prove a change of name include:

a marriage or divorce certificate
change of name documents from an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, or the relevant overseas authority
documents that show other names you have been known by

2. Balance of family documents

Show the Department that you meet the balance-of-family test by giving them:

evidence of how you are related to each child
evidence of each child’s country of permanent residence
evidence that your child should not be included in the balance-of-family test (for example, their death certificate)

3. Character documents

The Department might ask you for character documents, including police certificates.

Don’t arrange a police check until the Department asks you to.

4. Assurance of Support documents

Provide the Department with an assurance of support when they ask for it.

5. Dependants under 18 documents (if applicable)

For every dependent under 18 years old who is applying with you, provide:

identity documents
proof of your relationship with them, like a birth or marriage certificate
character documents, if applicable

You must get consent for any applicant under 18 years of age to migrate to Australia from anyone who:

has a legal right to decide where the child lives and
is not coming to Australia with the child

They must complete either:

Form 1229 Consent form to grant an Australian visa to a child under the age of 18 years (240KB PDF)
a statutory declaration giving their consent for the child to visit Australia on this visa

Alternatively, you can show the Department:

an Australian court order that allows your child to migrate to Australia, or
that the laws of your home country allow them to migrate

Include:

an identity document that shows the signature and photo of the person who completed the form or declaration, such as a passport or driver’s licence
adoption papers or other court documents if applicable

6. Dependants over 18 documents (if applicable)

To be included in your visa application as a dependent child, your child must be:

under 18 years, or
over 18 years of age but not yet turned 23, and dependent on you or your partner, or
over 23 years of age, unable to earn a living to support themselves due to physical or cognitive limitations and dependent on you or your partner

For every dependant 18 years old or older who is applying with you, provide:

identity documents
documents about their other relationships, if applicable
character documents
proof of dependency

If your child is likely to turn 23 while your application is being processed, you will need to provide evidence they are dependent on you due to disability.

Provide:

identity documents
documents about their other relationships, if applicable
character documents

If you are applying as a retiree you can’t include your children, or your partner’s children, in your application.

You need to prove that this person is dependent on you. Provide:

a completed Form 47a – Details of a child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over (307KB PDF)
proof of your relationship with the dependent such as a birth certificate or adoption papers

You must also prove this person has been financially dependent on you for at least 12 months before you apply. You could provide:

proof they live with you
their tax records
proof they are currently studying

7. Partner documents (if applicable)

For partners, provide identity documents and relationship documents.

Provide:

identity documents
character documents
documents about other relationships, if applicable

Provide either:

your current marriage certificate or
enough documents to prove you have been in a de facto relationship with your partner for at least 12 months before you apply

Documents that prove your de facto relationship include:

joint bank account statements
billing accounts in joint names
joint leases or mortgages
documents that show you have lived at the same address as your partner

8. Photographs

Provide 4 recent photos of anyone included in the application.

Photographs must be:

45mm x 35mm
less than 6 months old
good quality colour. The Department don’t accept laser copies
a full-face view of your head and shoulders
taken against a plain light-coloured background

You can wear untinted prescription glasses. If you wear a head covering for religious reasons, you can show only your face.

Sponsor documents

1. Prove your relationship to the applicant

To prove your relationship to the applicant, give the Department:

birth certificate
marriage certificates
death certificates
adoption certificates
family status certificates or family books if officially issued and maintained

2. Prove you are a citizen or permanent resident

To prove that you are an eligible citizen or permanent resident, give the Department:

citizenship certificate
passport
valid visa (for eligible New Zealand citizens)
evidence you are settled

Prove you are an eligible community organisation

If your community organisation is sponsoring the applicant, give the Department:

your certificate of registration
proof your representative can act for the organisation, such as authorisation from the board or management committee
proof you can financially support the applicant after they arrive in Australia
proof the organisation is lawfully established in Australia and has been actively operating in Australia for a period of at least a year
proof of your organisation’s relationship with the applicant’s child

3. Form 40 Sponsorship for migration to Australia (455KB PDF)

This form must be lodged with the visa application. The applicant will lodge this form, so provide it to them.

Contributory Parent visa (Subclass 143) Lodgement

You must apply for this visa on paper. You can apply from in (but not in immigration clearance) or outside Australia, when you submit your application.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. If you hold a Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa

You can apply for the subclass 143 visa as a two-step process by first applying for a Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa. Applying for the subclass 173 visa and then the subclass 143 visa allows you to spread the cost of the visas over a number of years.

You have already met the balance of family test.

You won’t need to provide the Department with some of the documents they usually ask for if:

you hold a subclass 173 visa, or
your subclass 173 visa ended in the 28 days immediately before you apply for this visa

You will still need to provide documents:

to let the Department know you are getting help with your application
if there has been a change in your situation since the Department granted you the 173 visa

Changes in your situation the Department needs evidence of include:

your family member is no longer a dependent
your partnership relationship has changed
you have had a baby
your contact details have changed
you have a new passport
you want to nominate a new sponsor
your sponsor has died

2. Apply for a Parent visa (subclass 143) as a retiree

You can apply for a Parent visa (subclass 143) as a retiree if:

on 8 May 2018, you held or had previously held an Investor Retirement (subclass 405) visa or Retirement (subclass 410), and
you have not held any other substantive visa between 8 May 2018 and the date you applied for the Parent visa

If you apply for the subclass 143 visa as a retiree you don’t have to:

meet the balance of family test, or
have a sponsor
have an assurance of support

3. Include family

You can include members of the family unit in your application when you apply. Family members who apply for the visa must meet the health and character requirements.

You are required to include details of all your family members, whether they are migrating or not. Family members who are not coming to Australia might also have to meet the health and character requirements.

If you apply for this visa as a retiree, you:

can include your partner when you apply provided they are also a retiree
can’t include your children in your application

4. Apply from

You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for the visa.

If you apply in Australia, any family members who apply with you must also be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when you apply. If you apply outside Australia, any family members who apply for the visa with you must also be outside Australia when you apply.

If you are applying as a retiree you must be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when you apply. You can be in or outside Australia when the Department makes a decision on your application.

5. If your sponsor dies

If you hold a Temporary Contributory Parent (subclass 173) visa, you might still be eligible for this visa if your sponsor dies. Check your eligibility with the Parent Visa Centre via email: [email protected].

If this happens, you should notify the Department as soon as possible by:

Completing Form 1022 Notification of changes in circumstances.
Emailing the completed form to the same place processing your application.

6. Access Australian Government benefits

As a newly arrived resident you might have to wait to access certain Australian Government payments and benefits. Learn more about newly arrived residents’ waiting periods from Services Australia.

7. Sponsor’s obligations

You must agree that, for the first 2 years the visa holder is in Australia on this visa, you will provide the applicant and any family members who come with them with:

accommodation
financial assistance

8. How long your sponsorship obligations last

Sponsorship obligations last for 2 years.

9. Withdraw sponsorship

If you try to withdraw your sponsorship after the Department grant the visa, the Department may not release you from your sponsorship obligations.

However, if the Department do release you from your sponsorship obligations under the visa, they are likely to cancel the visa. They will then send you a letter releasing you from your sponsorship.

Check if you ae eligible for a parent visa

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Contributory Parent visa (Subclass 143) 2021 – Introductory Guide