Parent Visas
Parent visas let the parent of a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen come to live in Australia. There are temporary pathways (subclasses 173, 884 and 870) and permanent pathways (103, 143, 804 and 864) - the right one depends on your budget, your timeframe, and how long you're willing to wait in a queue.
Parent visas allow parents to be sponsored by their settled child (or the child's partner, another relative, guardian, or a community organisation) to live in Australia. Because so many people are eligible in principle, most parent visa categories are managed through long queues, and the visa you choose has a major effect on cost and waiting time.
Temporary parent visas (173, 884, 870) grant a fixed period in Australia without needing to wait in the permanent queue, but they don't lead directly to permanent residence on their own. Permanent parent visas (103, 143, 804, 864) grant permanent residence, but the standard queue can take many years - contributory versions cost far more but are typically processed faster.
Most parent visas also require the applicant to satisfy the balance-of-family test, be sponsored, and - for permanent visas - have an Assurance of Support in place. We help you weigh the real trade-offs between cost, waiting time and your family's circumstances before you commit to a pathway.
Health cover may be relevant
Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa 870 holders can learn about OVHC options before arranging cover.
Key facts
- Subclasses
- 173 · 884 · 870 (temporary) · 103 · 143 · 804 · 864 (permanent)
- Sponsor
- Required - your settled child, their partner, a relative, guardian or community organisation
- Balance of family test
- Required for most subclasses (103/143/804/864/173/884)
- Assurance of Support
- Required for permanent parent visas
- Processing
- Permanent pathways are queue-managed and can take many years
- Contributory option
- Higher government charges, generally faster than the non-contributory queue
Your visa options
There is usually more than one way forward. Here are the main pathways within parent visas.
Temporary Parent Visas
Fixed-term visas that let a parent live in Australia without joining the permanent queue. None of these grant permanent residence directly.
Permanent Parent Visas
Visas that grant permanent residence. The standard (non-contributory) queue is very long; the contributory versions cost significantly more in exchange for typically faster processing.
Is this pathway right for you?
This may suit you if:
- You are the parent of a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen
- You have a child (or their partner, another relative, guardian, or a community organisation) able and willing to sponsor you
- You satisfy - or are likely to satisfy - the balance-of-family test
- You understand permanent, non-contributory parent visas can involve a very long queue
- You can fund either the standard charges and a long wait, or the much higher contributory charges for faster processing
- For permanent visas, you (or your sponsor) can arrange an Assurance of Support
Why it's worth it
Live near family
Live in Australia near the child (or family) who sponsors you, rather than relying on repeated visitor visas.
Choice of pathway
Temporary and permanent options let you weigh cost against waiting time in a way that suits your family.
Permanent residence option
The 103/143/804/864 pathways grant permanent residence, with access to Medicare and other benefits once granted.
Family reunification
Designed specifically to reunite parents with their settled children in Australia.
Honest guidance on queues
We give you a realistic picture of current queues and costs rather than an optimistic sales pitch.
Sponsor support
We help your sponsoring child (or other eligible sponsor) understand and meet their own obligations.
This may not be the right fit if…
- You don't currently satisfy the balance-of-family test and can't see a path to meeting it
- You need to be in Australia quickly and permanently - the non-contributory queue can take many years
- You can't fund the significantly higher contributory charges or an Assurance of Support
- You're hoping the Subclass 870 will eventually convert to permanent residence - it doesn't
These are general pointers, not a determination about your case - book a consultation for advice specific to your situation.
General requirements
Every case is different, but you'll generally need to:
- Be the parent of a person who is a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen
- Be sponsored in accordance with the requirements for your chosen subclass
- Satisfy the balance-of-family test (broadly: at least as many eligible children settled in Australia as ineligible children settled overseas) where it applies
- For aged-parent subclasses, meet the aged-parent age requirement and (for 804/864) be in Australia at the time of application
- For permanent visas, have an Assurance of Support accepted by Services Australia
- Meet health and character requirements
- For the 870, have a sponsor who has been separately approved as a parent sponsor
Our step-by-step process
We keep things clear and calm, so you always know what's happening and what comes next.
Honest options assessment
We walk through the temporary and permanent pathways with you, including realistic current costs and queue expectations.
Check the balance-of-family test
We assess whether you're likely to meet this test, which applies to most parent visa categories.
Arrange sponsorship (and parent-sponsor approval for the 870)
We help your sponsor prepare their sponsorship, including the separate approval process required for Subclass 870 sponsors.
Assurance of Support
For permanent visas, we help arrange the required Assurance of Support before the visa can be granted.
Prepare and lodge
We prepare a thorough, well-evidenced application and lodge it, then support you through to a decision.
Documents you'll typically need
A general guide - we'll give you a tailored checklist for your situation.
- Valid passport and identity documents
- Evidence of your relationship to your sponsoring child
- Evidence relevant to the balance-of-family test (your children's residence and citizenship status)
- Sponsor's identity and eligibility documents
- Assurance of Support documentation (permanent visas)
- Health examinations and police clearances
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to what people ask us most.
What's the real difference between temporary and permanent parent visas?
What is the balance-of-family test?
What is an Assurance of Support?
Does the Subclass 870 lead to permanent residence?
How long does a parent visa take?
This page is general information only, not migration or legal advice. Parent visa eligibility, the balance-of-family test, sponsorship requirements, Assurance of Support and current queues and charges are set by the Migration Act 1958 and Migration Regulations 1994 and can change. Book a consultation for advice specific to your circumstances; we never guarantee a visa outcome, queue position or processing time.
Not sure which visa is right for you?
Answer a few plain-English questions and get a friendly, no-obligation summary of the pathways that may suit you. It only takes about two minutes.