Parent Visas Australia: 103, 143, 173, 870 Compared

Bringing a parent to Australia is possible, but it is one of the hardest parts of the migration program. Demand is far higher than the number of places each year, so the permanent visas are capped and queued, and the choice usually comes down to money versus time. This guide compares the four visas most families look at: the Parent visa (103), the Contributory Parent visas (143 and 173), and the Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (870).

Who parent visas are for

These visas are for the parent of a child who is a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. The child is usually the sponsor. For the 870, the parent can also be a step-parent or parent-in-law of the sponsor.

There are also "aged parent" versions (subclasses 804, 864 and 884). They are subject to the same balance-of-family test and the same capping and queueing; this guide focuses on the four visas in the title.

The four visas at a glance

Costs are the Home Affairs figures for 2026-27 and exclude health checks, police certificates and biometrics. Each family member adds a charge, and a lower charge applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens from 1 July 2026.

The balance-of-family test

Every permanent parent visa (and the 173) requires the parent to pass the balance-of-family test. It measures how strong the family's links to Australia are. You pass if:

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

An eligible child is an Australian citizen, or a permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen who is usually resident in Australia. Every other child counts as living overseas. Children in Australia on a temporary visa do not count as usually resident. Home Affairs will not waive the test, even in compelling circumstances.

Step-children and adopted children count. Children are not counted if they have died, were removed from the parent's custody by adoption or court order, or are registered refugees living in a UNHCR camp, among other limited exceptions.

Parent visa (103): cheap but very slow

The 103 is a permanent visa. Once granted, the parent can live, work and study in Australia, enrol in Medicare, sponsor family, travel for five years, and later apply for citizenship if eligible.

• You need an eligible sponsor (usually the child), and Home Affairs must approve the sponsorship. If the child is under 18, an eligible relative or community organisation can sponsor.
• You must pass the balance-of-family test and be able to get an Assurance of Support.
• You can be in or outside Australia when you apply, but not in immigration clearance. Applications are lodged online in ImmiAccount.

The catch is the queue. Home Affairs estimates about 33 years for a new 103 application. As at 31 May 2026, it had released Parent visa applications with a queue date up to February 2014 for final processing.

Contributory 143 and 173

The contributory visas cost far more, but their estimated queue is much shorter.

• Subclass 143 is permanent, from AUD49,900 for a single applicant, with the same rights as the 103.
• Subclass 173 is a two-year temporary visa, from AUD33,375. It lets the parent live, work and study in Australia (without government support) and then apply for the 143. The 173 cannot be extended.

Going 173 first lets families spread the cost over several years, and the 143 charge may be lower for 173 holders. You must apply for the 143 before the 173 expires, and Home Affairs encourages applying straight after the 173 is granted. The 143 is lodged online; the 173 still has to be lodged on paper.

The contributory queue is estimated at about 15 years for new applications. As at 31 May 2026, contributory applications with a queue date up to November 2018 had been released for final processing.

Assurance of Support

The 103 and 143 require an Assurance of Support (unless the parent applies under a limited retiree pathway). It is a legal promise to Services Australia that the parent will not need to rely on government income support. Key points:

• Home Affairs asks for it when it is needed — you do not arrange it at lodgement.
• The assurer does not have to be the sponsor. It can be an individual, more than one person, or an organisation.
• An individual assurer must be 18 or older, an Australian resident, and able to show income for the current and last financial year.
• It lasts 10 years for Contributory Parent visas and 4 years for most other visas, including the 103.
• The assurer may need to lodge a bank guarantee and term deposit, and must repay any recoverable income support the parent receives.
• It cannot be cancelled once the visa is granted — not even if the relationship breaks down or the assurer faces hardship.

Queues and processing times

"Capping" means there is a maximum number of parent visas that can be granted each program year. When the cap is reached, remaining applications wait in the queue for a future year.

1. Home Affairs acknowledges a new application (about four weeks).
2. It checks the core criteria, including health and character. Applications that pass get a queue date; those that fail are refused.
3. Queued applications are released for final processing in queue-date order as places become available.

Sponsored Parent (Temporary) 870

The 870 is a different kind of visa: a long-stay temporary visa for visiting, not migrating.

• Sponsor first: the child (or other eligible sponsor) must have an approved Parent Sponsor application before the parent can apply. The parent then has 6 months to lodge (or 60 days if given permission to apply in Australia).
• Stay: up to 3 or 5 years per visa, with a cumulative maximum of 10 years. A further 870 lodged from outside Australia needs at least 90 consecutive days outside Australia since the last one.
• No work is allowed.
• No balance-of-family test and no Assurance of Support, but the parent must have adequate health insurance, enough money to support themselves, and a genuine intention to stay temporarily.
• A sponsor's household can hold one sponsorship at a time, covering up to two parents.
• Generally lodged from outside Australia.

Which option fits?

• Permanent move, family can afford it: 143 directly, or 173 then 143 to spread the cost.
• Permanent move, cost is the barrier: 103, accepting a wait Home Affairs measures in decades.
• Long visits, not a permanent move: 870, which avoids the queue, the balance-of-family test and the Assurance of Support.
• Fails the balance-of-family test: the 870 may be the only realistic option.

Common mistakes

• Counting a child on a temporary visa as an eligible child for the balance-of-family test.
• Lodging an 870 without thinking ahead — it closes off the permanent parent visas.
• Letting a 173 expire before lodging the 143.
• Underestimating the Assurance of Support. The assurer must repay recoverable income support for up to 10 years.
• Assuming the quoted cost is the total. Family members, health checks and police certificates are extra.

Sponsoring a partner is covered in our partner visa guide, and once a parent holds a permanent visa, see how the citizenship residence rule works.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a parent visa take in Australia?

Home Affairs estimates about 15 years for a new Contributory Parent visa application and about 33 years for a new Parent (103) or Aged Parent application. Parent visas are capped and queued, so these are estimates based on the places available each year, not guarantees.

What is the cheapest parent visa option?

The Parent visa (subclass 103) starts from AUD8,665, but it has the longest queue. The Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870) costs AUD6,370 for up to 3 years, but it is temporary and does not lead to permanent residence.

Can my parents work in Australia on a parent visa?

On the permanent 103 and 143 visas, yes. The temporary 173 also allows work and study. The Sponsored Parent (Temporary) 870 does not allow work.

Does the 870 visa need the balance-of-family test?

No. There is no balance-of-family test and no Assurance of Support for the 870. The parent does need an approved Parent Sponsor first, adequate health insurance and enough money to support themselves.

Can my parents apply for a permanent parent visa while holding an 870?

No. Home Affairs says you cannot apply for a permanent or temporary parent visa when you have applied for or hold the 870, and you cannot apply for a 103, 143 or 173 if you have already applied for or hold an 870.

How long does an Assurance of Support last?

For Contributory Parent and Contributory Aged Parent visas it lasts 10 years. For most other visas that need one, including the Parent (103) visa, it lasts 4 years. It cannot be cancelled once the visa is granted.

Sources

Checked on 30 September 2026:

• Home Affairs – Parent visa subclass 103
• Home Affairs – Contributory Parent visa subclass 143
• Home Affairs – Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa subclass 173
• Home Affairs – Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa subclass 870
• Home Affairs – Balance of family test
• Home Affairs – Parent visas queue release dates and processing times
• Services Australia – How long an Assurance of Support lasts
• Services Australia – How an Assurance of Support works

Disclaimer