Australia Parent Visa Options 2026: Contributory vs Non-Contributory vs 870 Temporary

Australia has three main ways for parents to join their children: non-contributory permanent visas (103 and 804), contributory permanent visas (143, and the 864 for aged parents, with temporary 173 and 884 steps), and the Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870). The trade-off is cost against waiting time. As of October 2026, a contributory visa can cost about AUD 50,000 per parent in government charges but moves faster, while the cheaper non-contributory queue is processing applications lodged more than a decade ago.

Key points

• Places are down: the 2026–27 Migration Program has 7,060 parent places, cut from 8,500.
• Non-contributory (103/804): AUD 6,600 plus AUD 2,065 per person. Final processing had reached queue dates of March 2014 (103) and October 2014 (804) as at 31 August 2026.
• Contributory (143/864): AUD 6,300 plus a second instalment of up to AUD 43,600 per person. Queue releases had reached November 2018 (143) and November 2020 (864).
• Temporary (870): AUD 1,515 plus AUD 4,855 (3 years) or AUD 10,925 (5 years). No work rights and no path to permanent residence.
• All fees rose on 1 July 2026. Check the Visa Pricing Estimator before you lodge.

Parent visa options compared

Visa	Type	First instalment	Second instalment (per person, before grant)	Queue position (as at 31 Aug 2026)
103 Parent (offshore)	Permanent, non-contributory	AUD 6,600	AUD 2,065	Queue dates up to March 2014 released
804 Aged Parent (onshore)	Permanent, non-contributory	AUD 6,600	AUD 2,065	Queue dates up to October 2014 released
143 Contributory Parent (direct)	Permanent	AUD 6,300	AUD 43,600	Queue dates up to November 2018 released
173 Contributory Parent (Temporary)	2-year temporary	AUD 4,245	AUD 29,130	Same queue as 143
143 after holding a 173	Permanent	AUD 555	AUD 19,420	173-to-143 releases: May 2026
864 / 884 Contributory Aged Parent (onshore)	Permanent / temporary	AUD 6,300	Varies (884: AUD 29,130 for most)	Queue dates up to November 2020 released
870 Sponsored Parent (Temporary)	3 or 5 years per visa	AUD 1,515	AUD 4,855 (3 yrs) or AUD 10,925 (5 yrs)	Not queued; processed individually

Sources: Home Affairs visa pricing table and parent visa queue release dates, checked 11 October 2026. Additional applicant charges and reduced charges for some groups (for example eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens) also apply.

How the parent visa queue works

All permanent and contributory parent visas are capped and queued. Home Affairs first checks each application against core criteria such as health and character. If it passes, the application gets a queue date and joins the queue. Applications are then released for final processing in queue-date order as places become available each program year. If the year’s places are used up, no more are released until the next year.

For 2026–27 the government set 7,060 parent places, down from 8,500 in 2025–26, according to the Migration Program planning levels. Fewer places generally means slower queue movement.

Home Affairs’ own milestone table (as at 31 August 2026) shows how far behind each queue is:

Visa	New applications being acknowledged	Queue assessment reached	Released for final processing
Contributory Parent (143)	Approx. 4 weeks	Lodged April 2024	Queued up to November 2018
Contributory Aged Parent (864)	Approx. 4 weeks	Lodged April 2023	Queued up to November 2020
Parent (103)	Approx. 4 weeks	Lodged February 2023	Queued up to March 2014

We do not convert these into a “years to wait” figure, because queue speed depends on future planning levels. The gap between the released date and today is the best guide.

Non-contributory: 103 and 804

The Parent visa (subclass 103) is applied for outside Australia. The Aged Parent visa (subclass 804) is applied for in Australia, and Home Affairs says you must be old enough to receive the Australian age pension.

Cost: AUD 6,600 first instalment plus AUD 2,065 per person before grant.

Who it suits: families who can wait a very long time, or who want to secure a lower-cost place in the queue. Given how far behind the queue is, think carefully about your parents’ age and health before relying on this route alone.

Contributory: 143, 173, 864 and 884

The contributory visas ask families to pay much more in exchange for faster processing. They also require an Assurance of Support (a person who promises to repay certain welfare payments, backed by a bond held by the government).

There are two ways to reach the permanent 143:

Route	Charges for one parent (from 1 July 2026)	Notes
Direct to 143	AUD 6,300 + AUD 43,600 = AUD 49,900	One application, one second instalment
173 first, then 143	AUD 4,245 + AUD 29,130 (173), then AUD 555 + AUD 19,420 (143) = AUD 53,350	Spreads the cost over time; the parent can live in Australia on the 173 for up to 2 years before applying for the 143

The 2-step route costs more in total but splits payments and lets the parent come to Australia sooner on the 173. If you hold a 173 and apply for the 143 before the 173 ends, you do not need to meet the balance of family test again.

The 864 (permanent) and 884 (temporary) work the same way for aged parents applying in Australia. The 884’s first instalment is AUD 6,300 and the second instalment is AUD 29,130 for most applicants.

Temporary option: the 870 Sponsored Parent visa

The 870 is a separate, faster temporary option. Your child (the Parent Sponsor) must first be approved as a sponsor; the sponsorship application fee shown on the 870 page is AUD 420.

Feature	870 Sponsored Parent (Temporary)
Visa charge	AUD 1,515 first instalment + AUD 4,855 (3 years) or AUD 10,925 (5 years)
Stay	Up to 3 or 5 years per visa, maximum 10 years in total
Work	Not allowed
Balance of family test	Not required
Assurance of Support	Not required
Path to permanent residence	No. You cannot apply for a permanent or temporary parent visa while you hold or have applied for the 870

The sponsor agrees to provide financial support and accommodation while the parent is in Australia. Each visa covers one parent; you can sponsor one or both of your parents or your partner’s parents. The 870 also requires adequate health insurance.

Requirements that apply to most parent visas

• Sponsor: usually a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen child.
• Balance of family test (not for the 870): at least half of your children and step-children are eligible children, or more of them live in Australia than in any other single country.
• Assurance of Support (not for the 870): needed for the 103, 804 and contributory visas.
• Health and character requirements, including police certificates from countries where you lived for 12 months or more in the last 10 years.

Retirees who held a Retirement (410) or Investor Retirement (405) visa on 8 May 2018 can apply for some parent visas without a sponsor, the balance of family test or an Assurance of Support, under the Retirement visa pathway.

Which option fits your family?

• Cost matters most and you can wait: non-contributory 103 or 804, possibly combined with visitor visas in the meantime.
• You want permanent residence within a more predictable timeframe: contributory 143 or 864, if the family can afford the second instalment.
• You want your parents here soon for a few years: the 870, accepting no work rights and no PR. Be aware that holding an 870 blocks a new parent visa application.

These choices have large financial consequences. Get advice from a registered migration agent before paying a second instalment or applying for an 870.

What to do next

• Check the latest queue release dates and use the Visa Pricing Estimator.
• Make sure the sponsoring child is settled and eligible. If they are still working towards PR, see our Australian PR pathways guide.
• Compare family visa costs in our Australia visa fees 2026 guide and read the partner visa guide if a spouse is also involved.
• For more Australian family and settlement guides, visit the Australia hub.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Fees and queues change; confirm on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before applying.