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:
Your application might take longer to process if:
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:
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:
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.
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:
On 24 March 2021, changes to the Migration Regulations 1994 came into effect. These allow the Department to grant this visa in Australia if:
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
As part of the 2021-22 Federal Budget, the Government announced that it will extend the visa validity period by 18 months for certain Sponsored Parent Temporary (subclass 870) visa (SPTV) holders who are outside Australia. This measure intends to assist SPTV holders who could not travel to spend the full three or five years on their visa in Australia due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. This measure is intended to come into effect in July 2021.
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:
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.
The Department assesses applications for this visa in 2 stages.
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:
You cannot apply for this visa if you have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visa.
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.
You must meet the balance-of-family test.
You meet the balance of family test if:
See examples of how the balance-of-family test is applied.
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:
To sponsor an applicant for this visa, you must be:
Usually, you would sponsor your parent for this visa.
You can sponsor more than one parent.
You can sponsor a visa applicant on behalf of a child under 18 if you are:
You must be:
Or your community organisation can sponsor an applicant where:
1. Identity documents
The Department needs proof of your identity. If you cannot prove your identity:
Provide the pages of your current passport showing your photo, personal details, and passport issue and expiry dates.
Also provide:
Documents that prove a change of name include:
2. Balance of family documents
Show the Department that you meet the balance-of-family test by giving them:
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:
You must get consent for any applicant under 18 years of age to migrate to Australia from anyone who:
They must complete either:
Alternatively, you can show the Department:
Include:
6. Dependants over 18 documents (if applicable)
To be included in your visa application as a dependent child, your child must be:
For every dependant 18 years old or older who is applying with you, provide:
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:
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:
You must also prove this person has been financially dependent on you for at least 12 months before you apply. You could provide:
7. Partner documents (if applicable)
For partners, provide identity documents and relationship documents.
Provide:
Provide either:
Documents that prove your de facto relationship include:
8. Photographs
Provide 4 recent photos of anyone included in the application.
Photographs must be:
You can wear untinted prescription glasses. If you wear a head covering for religious reasons, you can show only your face.
1. Prove your relationship to the applicant
To prove your relationship to the applicant, give the Department:
2. Prove you are a citizen or permanent resident
To prove that you are an eligible citizen or permanent resident, give the Department:
Prove you are an eligible community organisation
If your community organisation is sponsoring the applicant, give the Department:
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.
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.
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 will still need to provide documents:
Changes in your situation the Department needs evidence of include:
You can apply for a Parent visa (subclass 143) as a retiree if:
If you apply for the subclass 143 visa as a retiree you don’t have to:
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:
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:
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:
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.
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