Bringing parents to Australia comes down to an uncomfortable choice: pay a great deal of money, or wait a length of time that most families cannot realistically plan around. That is the whole decision, and no amount of paperwork changes it. What this guide does is give you the actual published numbers rather than the optimistic ones, so you can work out which pathway is genuinely open to your family. Figures are current at the time of writing and come from the Department of Home Affairs.
Quick answer: Contributory parent visas (subclasses 143 and 864) cost roughly $6,300 upfront plus a second installment of up to about $43,600 per adult, and Home Affairs estimates around 15 years for new applications. Non-contributory visas (subclasses 103 and 804) cost about $6,600 upfront with a small second instalment, but Home Affairs estimates about 33 years. Both are permanent, and both require the balance of family test, an eligible sponsor and an Assurance of Support.
What the wait actually is
This is where a lot of published advice is simply wrong. You will see contributory visas described as taking three to five years, or four to six. The Department’s own published estimate for new Contributory Parent visa applications is about 15 years. For Parent and Aged Parent visas it is about 33 years.
Home Affairs is also explicit that it cannot give exact timeframes, because all parent visas are subject to capping and queueing. Capping means a fixed number of visas can be granted each program year; once that number is reached, everything else waits for the following year. The estimates therefore move with annual planning levels, demand, refusals and withdrawals.
Why the shorter figures appear: Some articles quote the time from queue release to decision, or the experience of applicants who lodged years ago and are only now being processed. Those are real numbers, but they do not tell a family lodging today how long they will wait. The 15 and 33 year figures are the ones that answer that question.
Where the queue has actually reached
The queue release dates are the most concrete information available, because they show exactly which applications the Department is working on now. As at 31 May 2026, the position was as follows.
| Visa | Initial queue assessment | Released for final processing |
|---|---|---|
| Contributory Parent (143) | Lodged November 2023 | Queued up to November 2018 |
| Contributory Parent temporary (173) | Lodged November 2023 | Queued up to November 2018 |
| Contributory Aged Parent (864) | Lodged April 2023 | Queued up to November 2018 |
| Contributory Aged Parent temporary (884) | Lodged April 2023 | Queued up to November 2018 |
| Parent (103) | Lodged February 2023 | Queued up to March 2014 |
| Aged Parent (804) | Lodged January 2023 | Queued up to April 2014 |
| Temporary to permanent (173 to 143, 884 to 864) | Not applicable | May 2026 |
Two things stand out. The non-contributory queues have advanced only to 2014, which after more than a decade of processing tells you how little movement there is. And the temporary-to-permanent transitions are being processed at May 2026, effectively current, which matters a great deal for anyone choosing between pathways.
The full cost breakdown
Parent visa charges rose sharply on 1 July 2026. Under the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026, first-instalment charges for every parent visa subclass increased by roughly 25 per cent. The contributory visas also carry a much larger second instalment, set separately, which is only requested shortly before the visa is granted.
| Charge | Contributory (143) | Non-contributory (103) |
|---|---|---|
| First instalment, main applicant | About $6,300 | About $6,600 |
| First instalment if transferring from 173 or 884 | About $555 | Not applicable |
| Second instalment per adult | Up to about $43,600 | Comparatively small |
| Indicative total, one parent | Close to $50,000 | Under $10,000 |
| Indicative total, two parents | Around $95,000 | Under $15,000 |
Please verify before you pay: Second instalment amounts are set separately from the annual indexation and published figures vary between sources. Confirm the current charge on the subclass 143 page or with the Visa Pricing Estimator before committing. On a payment of this size, a small percentage difference is thousands of dollars.
Beyond the Commonwealth charges, budget for medical examinations, police certificates from every country lived in for 12 months or more, document translations and certifications, and the Assurance of Support bond.
Every subclass, briefly
There are seven relevant subclasses and the naming is genuinely confusing, so here is the map.
- Subclass 143, Contributory Parent. Permanent, lodged offshore or onshore. The main contributory pathway.
- Subclass 173, Contributory Parent (Temporary). Two-year temporary visa with a smaller second instalment, used as a stepping stone to the 143.
- Subclass 864, Contributory Aged Parent. Permanent, lodged in Australia by a parent who has reached pension age. Usually comes with a bridging visa.
- Subclass 884, Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary). The temporary onshore counterpart, leading to the 864.
- Subclass 103, Parent. The non-contributory permanent visa. Low cost, roughly 33 year estimate.
- Subclass 804, Aged Parent. The onshore non-contributory equivalent, with the same wait but the benefit of a bridging visa.
- Subclass 870, Sponsored Parent (Temporary). Sits outside both streams. Temporary only, no permanent residence, but stays of up to three or five years.
The requirements both pathways share
Choosing a stream does not change the core eligibility. Every parent visa application must satisfy the same tests.
Balance of family test
At least half of the parent’s children must live permanently in Australia, or more of their children must live in Australia than in any other single country. Every child counts, including stepchildren and children from earlier relationships, and whether or not there is any contact. This test ends more applications than any other single requirement, so it is worth confirming before spending anything.
An eligible sponsor
The parent must be sponsored by a child who is a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. Settled generally means lawfully resident in Australia for a reasonable period, usually taken as around two years.
Assurance of Support
An Assurance of Support is required before grant. It is a legal commitment, backed by a bond lodged with Services Australia, that the assurer will repay certain social security payments if the parent claims them. For contributory visas the bond is larger and is held for 10 years. It is returned at the end of the period if it has not been drawn on.
Health and character
Both pathways require health examinations and police certificates. Health is a common point of failure for older applicants, since the requirement considers the likely cost to Australian health and community services, not simply whether someone is well.
The stepping stone worth understanding
The 173 to 143 and 884 to 864 pathways deserve more attention than they usually get. The temporary visa carries a smaller second instalment, giving a parent two years of lawful residence, and the transition to the permanent visa is currently being processed at May 2026, which is effectively up to date.
That does not shorten the initial queue, which is the long part. What it does mean is that once a family is in the temporary stage, the move to permanence is not another decade-long wait. For some families the split payment structure also makes the total cost easier to manage. Whether it suits depends on the parent’s age, where they are, and whether they can meet the health requirement twice.
If the contributory pathway is out of reach
For a lot of families, roughly $95,000 for a couple is simply not available. The realistic alternative is the Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870), which allows a parent to stay for up to three or five years at a time, with renewal possible up to a total limit. It does not lead to permanent residence and it requires an approved sponsor with an income test, but it gets parents here within a useful timeframe rather than a theoretical one.
Some families lodge a subclass 103 alongside it, purely to hold a place in the queue in case circumstances or policy change. That is a reasonable hedge as long as everyone understands it is a hedge and not a plan.
How to decide
| Your situation | The pathway that usually fits |
|---|---|
| You can fund roughly $50,000 per parent | Contributory 143, or 864 if the parent is onshore and aged |
| You can fund it but want to spread the cost | 173 then 143, or 884 then 864 |
| The parent is already in Australia and aged | 864 or 884, for the bridging visa benefit |
| You cannot fund the contribution | 870 for practical access, 103 or 804 to hold a queue place |
| The parent’s health is a concern | Seek advice early; the health requirement applies at decision |
Common misconceptions
- That contributory means fast. It means faster than 33 years. About 15 years is still the published estimate.
- That paying more moves you up the queue. It does not. Applications are released in queue date order within each stream.
- That the second instalment is due at lodgement. It is requested shortly before grant, often many years later.
- That estranged children do not count. All children count for the balance of family test regardless of contact.
- That a visitor visa is a workable substitute. Visitor visas have stay limits and conditions that make long-term family reunion difficult.
- That the queue will clear soon. The non-contributory queues have moved only to 2014 after more than a decade.
How MyMigration can help
Parent visas involve the largest single sums in Australian family migration, and the decisions are effectively irreversible once money is paid. The questions worth answering early are whether the balance of family test is satisfied, whether the health requirement is likely to be met, and which subclass genuinely fits your family’s finances and timeline. MyMigration works with families across Melbourne and around Australia on exactly these decisions. If you would like a clear assessment before committing, get in touch, or read more about our family migration services.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a contributory and non-contributory parent visa?
The difference is cost against time. Contributory visas (subclasses 143 and 864) require a large second instalment of up to about $43,600 per adult applicant, which offsets the expected healthcare cost, and Home Affairs estimates around 15 years for new applications. Non-contributory visas (subclasses 103 and 804) have much smaller charges but Home Affairs estimates about 33 years for new applications. Both lead to permanent residence and both have the same balance of family, sponsorship and Assurance of Support requirements.
How long is the wait for a contributory parent visa?
The Department of Home Affairs publishes an estimated processing time of about 15 years for new Contributory Parent visa applications. As at 31 May 2026, applications with a queue date up to November 2018 had been released for final processing. Home Affairs states it cannot give exact timeframes because these visas are subject to capping and queueing, so the estimate moves with annual planning levels and demand.
How long is the wait for a non-contributory parent visa?
Home Affairs estimates about 33 years for new Parent (subclass 103) and Aged Parent (subclass 804) applications. As at 31 May 2026, the queue had only reached applications queued up to March 2014 for the 103 and April 2014 for the 804. For many applicants this exceeds a realistic lifespan, which is why the non-contributory visas are generally used to hold a place in the queue rather than as a practical migration plan.
What is the best parent visa in Australia?
There is no single best option, only the best fit for your circumstances. For families who can fund it, the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) or the Contributory Aged Parent visa (subclass 864) is usually the practical choice, because it is the only permanent pathway likely to be decided within a parent’s lifetime. Families who cannot fund the contribution often use the Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870) to get parents to Australia for up to five years at a time, sometimes alongside a non-contributory application held in the queue.
How much does a contributory parent visa cost in total?
For one parent, budget the first instalment of roughly $6,300 plus a second instalment of up to about $43,600, so close to $50,000 in Commonwealth charges. For a couple, the indicative total is around $95,000 once the additional applicant charge and a second instalment for each parent are counted. On top of that come medical examinations, police certificates, translations and the Assurance of Support bond. Charges changed on 1 July 2026, so confirm current amounts with Home Affairs before you pay.
Is the Contributory Aged Parent visa permanent?
The Contributory Aged Parent visa (subclass 864) is permanent and is lodged in Australia by a parent who has reached Australian pension age. The subclass 884 is its temporary two-year counterpart, which many applicants use as a stepping stone before transitioning to the 864. The offshore equivalents are the permanent 143 and the temporary 173. All four are contributory and carry the larger second instalment.
What is the balance of family test?
The balance of family test requires that at least half of the parent’s children live permanently in Australia, or that more of their children live in Australia than in any other single country. All children are counted, including stepchildren and children from previous relationships, whether or not you are in contact with them. It applies to every parent visa subclass in the same way, and failing it will end an application regardless of which pathway you choose.
Can my parents live in Australia while they wait?
It depends on where they lodge. An application for an onshore subclass such as the 804 or 864 generally comes with a bridging visa that lets a parent remain in Australia while the application is processed, which is a significant part of their appeal. Offshore applicants for the 143 or 103 do not get that benefit and usually rely on visitor visas or the Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870), which allows stays of up to three or five years at a time.