Contributory Parent visa

• stay in Australia indefinitely
• work and study in Australia
• enrol in Australia's public healthcare scheme called Medicare
• sponsor your family members to come to Australia
• travel to and from Australia for 5 years
• if eligible, attend free English language classes provided by the Adult Migrant English Program
• if eligible, apply for Australian citizenship.

Travel to and from Australia for 5 years

You can travel to and from Australia as many times as you want for 5 years from the date we grant this visa. This is as long as the travel facility on this visa is valid.

If you want to travel after the initial 5-year travel facility:

• to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident you will need to apply for and have us grant you a Resident Return (RRV)
• you might also want to consider Australian citizenship. If you become an Australian citizen, you do not need a visa to enter Australia. You will need to apply for an Australian passport and use it to leave and re-enter Australia.

See more about eligibility requirements and current processing times for becoming a citizen.

To see when your travel facility ends, use VEVO.

If you hold a Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa

You can apply for the subclass 143 visa as a 2-step process by first applying for a Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa. Applying for the subclass 173 visa before the subclass 143 visa allows you to spread the cost of the visas over several years.

You must apply for a Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) before your subclass 173 visa expires.

We encourage you to apply for the stage 2 Contributory Parent (subclass 143) permanent pathway immediately after the grant of your Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa. This will help ensure you meet all applicable lodgement criteria.

As a Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa holder you will have already met the balance of family test. You will not need to meet this test again if you apply for the subclass 143 visa before your temporary visa ceases.

If you apply for a Parent visa (subclass 143) as a retiree

If you apply for the subclass 143 visa as a retiree under the Retirement visa pathway you do not need to:

• meet the balance of family test, or
• have a sponsor or an assurance of support

This is a permanent visa. You can stay in Australia indefinitely.

For citizenship purposes, your permanent residency starts on the day:

• we grant the visa, if you are in Australia
• you enter Australia on this visa, if you are outside Australia

You can include members of your family in your application when you apply.

You must include details of all your family members in your application form, even if they are not migrating.

Family members who apply for the visa must meet our health and character requirements. Family members who are not coming to Australia might also need to meet our health and character requirements.

Learn more about health requirements.

Learn more about character requirements.

If you apply for this visa as a retiree under the Retirement visa pathway, you:

• can include your partner when you apply, if they are also a Retirement visa or Investor Retirement visa holder
• cannot include your children in your application

Newborn child

Find out what to do if your child is born after you apply.

This visa costs from AUD49,900 for a single applicant. Costs may be lower for Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) and substituted Visitor (subclass 600) visa holders. There are additional charges for each family member who applies with you. Concessions apply in limited circumstances.

You pay for this visa in 2 parts called instalments. Pay the first instalment when you apply and the second instalment when we ask you to.

Pay the first instalment when you apply. Pay the second instalment when we ask you to.

You might also need to pay related costs for each applicant for health checks, police certificates and biometrics. For more information, see Fees and charges for other services.

To find out what your visa will cost, see current visa pricing.

See more about visa fees and charges.

Cost concession for eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste visa applicants

From 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid visa application.

We will charge eligible applicants the lower visa application cost during the application process. We will recognise eligible applicants when they apply with a valid passport from one of the specified countries.

Family members are also eligible for the lower visa cost. We base this on the passport of the primary applicant (or visa holder who satisfies the primary visa criteria).

The primary applicant must hold a valid passport issued by one of the following countries:

• Federated States of Micronesia
• Fiji
• Kiribati
• Nauru
• Palau
• Papua New Guinea
• Republic of the Marshall Islands
• Samoa
• Solomon Islands
• Timor-Leste
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu

You, and any family members who apply with you, can be in or outside Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when you apply for the visa.

If you apply as a retiree you must be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance. You can be in or outside Australia when we make a decision on your application.

The demand for Parent visas is greater than the number of places available each year. As a result, there are long processing times for these applications.

Applications for this visa are subject to capping and queueing. We process them in the order we receive them.

For more information on processing times, see Parent visa queue release dates.

For more information on priorities, see Family visa processing priorities.

Your application might take longer to process if:

• you do not complete it correctly
• you do not include all the documents we need, or if we need more information from you
• your information takes a long time to verify.

We can only process your application if you pay the correct visa application charge. We will notify you if you have not paid the correct amount and return your application, if necessary.

For more information on Migration Program outcomes against planning for each migration program year, read the Reports on Migration Programs.

Assessment

We assess applications for this visa in 2 stages:

1. We will make an initial assessment to check eligibility to either add the application to the queue or refuse it.
2. As places become available, we will release applications from the queue for final assessment.

Do not arrange to stay permanently in Australia until we grant your visa. We will let you know in writing if we grant you the visa.

Consider another visa

Other Parent visas include the:

• Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 173) followed by a permanent Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143).
  This 2-stage visa process is faster but costs more than the Parent visa (subclass 103). It also costs more than applying directly for the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143), however, the cost is spread across the 2 visas over a longer period.
• Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870).
  This is a temporary visa that allows parents to visit their children in Australia for up to 3 or 5 years at a time for a maximum total of 10 years.

You can view all visa options on our Visa list page.

You must enter Australia before the date specified in your grant letter.

You and your family members must meet all visa conditions and obey Australian laws.

See what conditions might apply to this visa on our visa conditions page.

We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.

You cannot apply for this visa if you have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visa.

You can apply for the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) second stage Permanent pathway option if:

• you hold a Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa when you apply, or
• you held a Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa any time in the 28 days before applying, or
• more than 28 days have passed since your Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa ended, and you can demonstrate compelling and compassionate circumstances to regain your previous visa status. You must provide evidence and the Minister must be satisfied these circumstances exist.

If none of these options apply to you, we will process your Contributory Parent (subclass 143) application as a standard application, and not the 2-stage pathway.

If you apply for this visa as a Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa holder, you have already met the balance of family test.

You can apply for a Parent visa (subclass 143) as a retiree if:

• on 8 May 2018, you held or had previously held an Investor Retirement (subclass 405) visa or Retirement (subclass 410), and
• you have not held any other substantive visa between 8 May 2018 and the date you applied for the Parent visa, and
• you are in Australia.

If you apply for this visa as a retiree:

• you do not need to meet the balance of family test
• you do not need to have an assurance of support
• you do not need a sponsor.

You must have an eligible sponsor.

Usually, an eligible child will sponsor you. If your child is under 18, an eligible relative or community organisation can sponsor you.

We must approve the sponsorship.

For more information on eligible sponsors, change the switch at the top right of the page to ‘Sponsors'.

If you apply for this visa as a retiree, you do not need a sponsor.

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.

See what to do if your situation changes.

You must meet the balance of family test.

You meet the test if:

• at least half of your children and step-children are eligible children, or
• there are more eligible children living in Australia than any other single country.

For more information and examples of how the test is applied, visit balance of family test.

If you apply for this visa as a retiree you do not need to meet the balance of family test.

If you hold a Contributory Parent (subclass 173) (Temporary) visa, you have already met the balance of family test.

You must be able to obtain an Assurance of Support, unless you apply for the visa as a retiree under the Retirement visa pathway.

An Assurance of Support guarantees us that you will not need to rely on government assistance after you enter Australia on this visa for the Assurance of Support period. The assurance is for you and any family members who come to Australia with you on this visa.

We will let you know when you need to provide the Assurance of Support.

The sponsor or a family member does not need to provide An Assurance of Support. An individual, more than one person, or an organisation can provide it.

Learn more about Assurances of Support.

You and any family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health requirement.

We might also ask that other non-migrating family members meet the requirement.

You and any family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our character requirement.

We might also ask that other non-migrating family members meet the requirement.

If you or any family members owe the Australian Government money, the debt must be paid back, or there must be an approved arrangement to pay it back.

We will consider your immigration history when we make a decision on your application. This means you might not be eligible for this visa if you have had a visa cancelled or refused before.

In some circumstances you may still apply for a permanent visa if you have had a visa cancelled or an application refused. For more information, see Limitations on applications in Australia.

If you are applying for a visa from outside Australia, see Can I go to Australia.

If you would like immigration assistance, see Who can help with your visa application.

If you are 18 years of age or older, you must:

• have read, or had explained to you, the Life in Australia booklet
• sign the Australian Values Statement. This is to confirm that you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws.

If you apply for this visa as a retiree, you are personally liable for all your healthcare costs in Australia while we process your visa. Medical insurance helps limit your financial liability.

You must maintain adequate health insurance until we grant you a Parent visa. Your insurance should cover you for medically necessary treatment, including transport.

See a guide to what we consider adequate health insurance.

Learn more about health insurance for overseas visitors.

Reciprocal healthcare agreements

Some countries have a reciprocal healthcare agreement with Australia. Find out more from Services Australia about reciprocal healthcare agreements.

We will not grant this visa if it is not in the best interests of an applicant under 18.

Before you travel

Check your travel documents

You must have:

• a valid visa to enter Australia
• a valid passport or other travel document.

Arrive before first entry arrival date

If you are outside Australia at the time of visa grant, you must enter Australia before the first entry arrival date (initial arrival date) specified in your grant letter.

You can travel to Australia with an expired first entry arrival date if your visa is still valid. Your visa may still be subject to cancellation before arrival or at the border.

To see if your visa is still valid, use VEVO.

At the border

Complete an Incoming Passenger Card

All people arriving into Australia must complete the Incoming Passenger Card.

Use the SmartGate

We have an automated process that uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport. You might be able to leave the airport faster if you use SmartGate.

What you must do when you have this visa

You and your family members must meet all visa conditions and obey all Australian laws.

Tell us if things change

See what to do if your situation changes.

What you can do on your visa

See your visa expiry, conditions and work and study entitlements in VEVO.

See how long you can stay

This is a permanent visa. You can stay in Australia indefinitely.

Access Australian Government benefits

As a newly arrived resident you might need to wait to access certain Australian Government payments and benefits. Learn more about newly arrived residents' waiting periods from Services Australia.

Travelling on your visa

You can travel to and from Australia as many times as you want for 5 years from the date we grant this visa. This is as long as the travel facility on this visa is valid.

If you want to travel after the initial 5-year travel facility:

• to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident, you will need to apply for and have us grant you a Resident Return visa (RRV)
• you might also want to consider Australian citizenship. If you become an Australian citizen, you do not need a visa to enter Australia. You will need to apply for an Australian passport and use it to leave and re-enter Australia.

See more about eligibility requirements and current processing times for Australian Citizenship.

To see when your travel facility ends, use VEVO.

Proving you have a visa

To prove you have a visa and show your conditions to someone, use VEVO.

To get proof of your travel in and out of Australia, request your international movement records.

Working

With this visa you become a permanent resident. This means you can work and study. You will have Australian workplace law protections. You can read about your workplace rights and entitlements.

Bringing a family member

As an Australian permanent resident, you might be able to sponsor eligible family members to come to Australia.

To find a visa for your family member, explore visa options.

Becoming an Australian citizen

After a certain time, you might be eligible for Australian citizenship. Find out more about becoming a citizen.

For citizenship purposes, you become a permanent resident:

• when you enter Australia on this visa, or
• if you have been in Australia before and held a permanent visa immediately before last leaving Australia, when we grant this visa.

Before you leave

Check your travel documents

You must have a valid passport or other travel document to leave Australia.

Ensure your travel facility is still valid

To see when your travel facility ends, use VEVO.

See what to do if your travel facility has expired or is about to expire.

At the border

Use the SmartGate

We have an automated process that uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport. You might be able to leave the airport faster if you use SmartGate.

After you leave

Proving you have been to Australia

To get proof of your travel in and out of Australia, request your international movement records.

Your sponsorship covers the main visa applicant and any family members who apply for the visa with them.

You can sponsor more than one parent for this visa.

There is no cost to sponsor a visa applicant. However, as a sponsor you will have financial obligations.

For the first 2 years the visa holder is in Australia on this visa, you must agree to provide them and any family members who come with them with:

• support
• accommodation
• financial assistance.

Assurance of Support

You might be asked to provide an Assurance of Support for the visa applicant.

An Assurance of Support is a legal commitment to repay the Australian Government any welfare payments made to the visa holder or family members who come to Australia with them.

Learn more about Assurance of Support.

You can withdraw your sponsorship at any time before we decide on the visa application.

You must tell us in writing and include:

• your full name
• your date of birth
• • the file reference number or Client ID from the application.

If you withdraw your sponsorship before we grant the visa, we may refuse it. We may ask the applicant to find another sponsor.

You cannot withdraw your sponsorship after we grant the visa. But, if you do not comply with your sponsorship obligations, we might cancel the visa.

Release from your sponsorship obligations does not release you from your Assurance of Support.

Send your withdrawal request to us using the Parent visa processing centre form.

To sponsor your parent for this visa, you or your cohabiting spouse or de facto partner must be:

• an Australian citizen, Australian Permanent resident, or Eligible New Zealand citizen
• settled in Australia
• 18 years of age or older.

You must agree to provide support, housing and financial help for the first 2 years the applicant lives in Australia. You must also support any members of the applicant's family who apply with them.

You can sponsor more than one parent.

Alternative sponsorship arrangements

You can sponsor a visa applicant on behalf of a child under 18 if you are:

• an Australian citizen, Australian Permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen
• settled in Australia
• 18 years of age or older.

You must be:

• the child’s co-habiting spouse, or
• the child's relative or guardian, or
• a relative or guardian of the child's co-habiting spouse.

Or a community organisation can sponsor an applicant where:

• there is a relationship between the organisation and the applicant's child
• a senior representative of the organisation agrees to sponsor the applicant
• the organisation is lawfully established in Australia
• the organisation has been actively operating in Australia for at least one year
• the organisation can meet its financial commitments.

Your sponsorship obligations last for 2 years.

You must agree to provide accommodation and financial help to applicants you sponsor for their first 2 years in Australia. You need to make your commitment in writing.

You can withdraw your sponsorship at any time before we decide on the visa application. You must inform us in writing and include:

• your full name
• your date of birth
• the file reference number.

Send your withdrawal request to us using the Parent visa processing centre form.

If you try to withdraw your sponsorship after we grant the visa, we may not release you from your sponsorship obligations.

If we do release you from your sponsorship obligations under the visa, we are likely to cancel the visa. We will then send you a letter releasing you from your sponsorship.

Release from your sponsorship obligations under the visa does not include release of your Assurance of Support.

Learn more about Assurance of Support.

You need to tell us if you can no longer meet your obligations, or if any information has changed since the applicant submitted their information.

Tell us of any changes in your situation using the Parent visa processing centre form.