Parent Visa Cost Australia: What You Will Actually Pay

The two permanent streams: contributory vs non-contributory

Australia's permanent parent visa program sits within the Family stream of the Migration Program. Each year the government sets a planning level for parent visas — 8,500 places in 2025–26 and 7,060 in 2026–27, per the Home Affairs Migration Program planning levels — and Home Affairs states that demand is greater than the number of places available.

The government created a two-speed system to manage this. The non-contributory stream (subclasses 103 and 804) charges lower visa fees but carries a Home Affairs processing estimate of about 33 years for new applications. The contributory stream (subclasses 143 and 864) charges much higher fees; Home Affairs estimates about 15 years for new applications (both estimates as published by Home Affairs, 2026).

In both cases, a parent is usually sponsored by their child (an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen), and the "balance of family" test must be met: at least half the parent's children must live permanently in Australia, or more children must live in Australia than in any other single country.

Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) and Contributory Aged Parent visa (subclass 864)

These two subclasses carry the same main-applicant charges. The 864 is for parents who have reached Australian age pension age (currently 67) and are in Australia; the 143 has no pension-age requirement and can be lodged from in or outside Australia. Both grant permanent residence.

The visa application charge is split across two instalments paid years apart.

First instalment — paid at the time of application. Charges are indexed each 1 July. From 1 July 2026 the base first instalment is AUD 6,300 for the main applicant. A partner applying with them adds AUD 2,125 (143) or AUD 3,145 (864) to the first instalment.

Second instalment — paid before the visa is granted, years after lodgement. From 1 July 2026 it is AUD 43,600 for each adult applicant (lower amounts apply to people who hold a 173 or 884 temporary contributory visa). For a couple applying together, that is AUD 87,200 in second-instalment charges.

The combined government visa application charge for one applicant is AUD 49,900 (Migration Regulations Schedule 1, items 1130 and 1130A, and the Home Affairs visa pages), before any other costs.

As at 31 May 2026, Home Affairs had released contributory parent applications with a queue date up to November 2018, and it estimates about 15 years for new contributory applications. The exact wait depends on future annual planning levels, which the government can adjust.

Non-contributory Parent visa (subclass 103) and Aged Parent visa (subclass 804)

The 103 (no pension-age requirement) and 804 (for parents who have reached pension age and are in Australia) are the lower-cost permanent pathways, but the queue situation is severe.

As at 31 May 2026, Home Affairs had released Parent (103) and Aged Parent (804) applications with a queue date up to February 2014. Its published processing estimate for new Parent and Aged Parent applications is about 33 years.

The government visa application charge for the 103/804 is also split into two instalments:

• First instalment: AUD 6,600 for the main applicant from 1 July 2026 (a partner applying with them adds AUD 3,300)
• Second instalment: AUD 2,065 per applicant

Total government charge: AUD 8,665 for a single applicant (the figure on the Home Affairs 103 visa page).

The charges are much lower than the contributory stream, but the published wait is more than twice as long. Some families still lodge to hold a queue place; the 33-year estimate is the number to weigh that decision against.

Side-by-side comparison of permanent parent visa pathways

The table below summarises the four permanent subclasses. Government fee figures are the main-applicant charges from 1 July 2026 and are indexed each 1 July — confirm current amounts on the Home Affairs visa pricing page before applying.

Where the parent must be: the aged parent visas (the 804, and the contributory 864 and its temporary counterpart 884) must be applied for in Australia — Schedule 1 of the Migration Regulations requires the applicant to be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when applying, and Home Affairs states the 804 applicant must also be in Australia when the decision is made. The 103, 143 and 173 can be lodged from in or outside Australia. For the 103, and for most 143 applicants (other than retirees and people who hold or held a 173 or a substituted 600), Home Affairs states the parent must be outside Australia when the decision is made.

Assurance of Support: the bond that often gets missed

Separate from the visa application charge, most parent visa grants require an Assurance of Support (AoS). This is a financial commitment, backed by a refundable security (the bond), guaranteeing that the assurer will repay certain social security payments if the parent draws on them during the AoS period.

The AoS scheme is administered by Services Australia (not the Department of Home Affairs), and the bond is refunded at the end of the AoS period, provided no debts were raised against it. The bond amount and the AoS period are set by the Social Security (Assurances of Support) Determination 2018 and vary by visa subclass and by how many adults are in the application — the contributory parent visas (143 and 864) carry a higher bond and a longer AoS period than the temporary contributory visas (173 and 884) or the non-contributory visas (103 and 804, where an AoS is requested). Services Australia publishes the current bond amounts and periods on its Assurance of Support page; confirm the exact figures for your case there before budgeting, since they are reviewed and can change.

Home Affairs asks for the AoS during processing, before the visa is granted. It is refundable after the AoS period ends with no debts outstanding, but it does tie up capital. Families should plan for this separately from the visa application charge.

The assurer must also meet an income test. Services Australia publishes the current income requirements.

Other costs to factor into your budget

The visa application charge and AoS bond are the two largest items, but they are not the only costs. The following apply to most parent visa applications:

Health examinations
Parent visa applicants complete the health examinations Home Affairs asks for, with a clinic approved by Home Affairs. The applicant pays the examining clinic directly, and fees vary by clinic and by which tests are needed.

Police clearance certificates
Home Affairs asks for police certificates from every country where the applicant spent a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16. An Australian Federal Police National Police Check costs AUD 56 (as published by the AFP, September 2026). Overseas police certificates vary in cost and can take several weeks to obtain from some countries.

Migration agent fees
Parent visa applications — particularly contributory applications — are complex and often span many years from lodgement to grant. Many families engage a MARA-registered migration agent to prepare and lodge the application and manage correspondence with the Department over the years the application is in the queue. Agent fees vary by firm and complexity.

For the 804 (onshore Aged Parent) visa: the parent is in Australia for the whole application, usually on a bridging visa once their current visa expires, and the published wait is about 33 years. Living costs and any private health cover for that period belong in the budget.

Translation costs
Documents not in English must be translated by an approved translator. Costs vary by language and document length.

The temporary alternative: Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870)

For families who cannot commit to the timelines or upfront costs of a permanent visa, or who want a parent to be physically present in Australia while a permanent application sits in the queue, the Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870) is worth considering.

Each 870 is granted for up to 3 or 5 years, and a parent can apply for further 870 visas up to a cumulative maximum stay of 10 years in Australia (Home Affairs). The 870 holder cannot work, and the visa does not lead to permanent residence. Home Affairs states that a person who holds or has applied for an 870 cannot apply for another permanent or temporary parent visa.

Key cost features of the 870:

• Application charge (up to 3 years): AUD 6,370 from 1 July 2026, paid as a AUD 1,515 first instalment plus a AUD 4,855 second instalment before grant
• Application charge (up to 5 years): AUD 12,440 — the same AUD 1,515 first instalment plus a AUD 10,925 second instalment
• Sponsor approval fee: the Australian child applies separately to be approved as a parent sponsor; the fee is set by legislative instrument and shown on the Home Affairs 870 sponsor page
• Health insurance: the parent must have and maintain adequate health insurance from an Australian health insurance provider for their stay (Home Affairs). Premiums vary with age and level of cover

The 870 does not require an Assurance of Support bond. However, the mandatory private health insurance requirement is an ongoing annual cost that families often underestimate when comparing the 870 against the permanent pathways.

A parent can also visit on a Visitor visa (subclass 600). Home Affairs generally grants a 3-month stay and up to 12 months in certain circumstances; parents of Australian citizens or permanent residents may be granted a longer-validity visa, but cannot stay more than 12 months in total in any 18-month period.

Planning your budget: total cost scenarios

To illustrate how the fixed government charges accumulate, here are the visa-charge figures for three scenarios using the 1 July 2026 charges. The Assurance of Support bond comes on top of each of these — Services Australia sets the amount, so it isn't included in the totals below. Health examinations, police certificates, translations and any professional fees are further additions and vary by applicant.

Scenario 1 — One parent, Contributory Parent (143)

• Visa application charge (both instalments): AUD 49,900
• Plus an Assurance of Support bond, refundable at the end of the AoS period Services Australia sets, if no debts are raised

Scenario 2 — Two parents applying together, Contributory Parent (143)

• First instalment: AUD 6,300 + AUD 2,125 = AUD 8,425
• Second instalment: AUD 43,600 × 2 = AUD 87,200
• Government charge total: AUD 95,625 (for a couple on the 864 the first instalment is AUD 9,445, giving AUD 96,645)
• Plus a larger Assurance of Support bond for the second adult

Scenario 3 — One parent, non-contributory (103)

• First instalment at lodgement: AUD 6,600
• Second instalment (AUD 2,065) is paid later, when Home Affairs asks for it before grant, plus any Assurance of Support bond requested; its estimate for new applications is about 33 years, and charges are indexed each year

These scenarios do not include the Assurance of Support bond amount itself, ongoing costs such as private health insurance (if relevant), or repeat health examinations if the original ones expire before the visa is granted — a realistic risk given how long applications sit in the queue.

How much does a Contributory Parent visa cost in Australia in 2026?

The total government visa application charge for one applicant on the Contributory Parent (subclass 143) or Contributory Aged Parent (subclass 864) is AUD 49,900 from 1 July 2026, made up of a first instalment of AUD 6,300 at lodgement and a second instalment of AUD 43,600 payable before the visa is granted. This does not include the Assurance of Support bond — Services Australia sets the amount and the AoS period, refundable at the end of that period if no debts are raised — health examinations, police certificates, or professional fees. Charges are indexed each 1 July; current figures are on the Home Affairs visa pricing page.

What is the Assurance of Support bond and when does the sponsor get it back?

The Assurance of Support (AoS) bond is a refundable security lodged by the assurer before the visa is granted. The assurer is often the sponsoring child, but Home Affairs states that an individual, more than one person, or an organisation can give it. It backs the assurer's promise to repay certain social security payments if the parent receives them during the AoS period. The bond amount and the AoS period are set by the Social Security (Assurances of Support) Determination 2018 and vary by visa subclass and by the number of adults in the application — Services Australia publishes the current figures on its Assurance of Support page. The bond is refunded after the AoS period ends if no debts have been raised against it. Services Australia also publishes the income test for assurers.

Is the non-contributory Parent (103) visa worth applying for?

The 103 (and 804 for parents at pension age) costs far less in government charges — AUD 8,665 for a single applicant, compared with AUD 49,900 for the contributory stream (1 July 2026). However, Home Affairs estimates about 33 years for new Parent and Aged Parent applications, and as at 31 May 2026 it had released applications with a queue date up to February 2014. The decision turns on the parent's age, the family's finances and how long a wait they can plan around.

Can my parent come to Australia while waiting for the permanent visa to be granted?

Yes, several options exist. A parent can visit on a Visitor visa (subclass 600); Home Affairs generally grants a 3-month stay, up to 12 months in certain circumstances, and a parent of an Australian citizen or permanent resident cannot stay more than 12 months in total in any 18-month period. Alternatively, the Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870) allows stays of up to 3 or 5 years per visa (up to 10 years in total across further grants), though it requires adequate health insurance and does not lead to permanent residence — and Home Affairs states that someone who holds or has applied for an 870 cannot apply for another parent visa. A parent who has lodged an 804 or 864 application in Australia generally stays onshore while it is processed, though the published wait for new 804 applications is about 33 years.

Do health examination results expire if the visa takes years to be granted?

Yes. Health examination results are generally valid for 12 months from when the examinations are completed. If a parent visa application sits in the queue longer than that — which is common for both contributory and non-contributory applications — the Department may request updated health examinations before grant. This means applicants could face repeat examination costs, and families should account for this in their budget planning, particularly for the non-contributory stream where waits are measured in decades.

What is the difference between the 143 and 864 visas?

Both the 143 (Contributory Parent) and the 864 (Contributory Aged Parent) grant permanent residence, carry the same main-applicant charges (AUD 49,900 from 1 July 2026) and share the contributory queue. The first difference is the parent's age: the 864 requires the main applicant to be an aged parent — old enough for the Australian age pension (currently 67) — while the 143 has no such requirement. The second is location: the 864 must be applied for in Australia (not in immigration clearance), whereas the 143 can be lodged from in or outside Australia, and most 143 applicants must be outside Australia when the decision is made. The 804 and 103 non-contributory pair follow the same pattern.