Contributory Parent Visas | Wintr Consulting

Contributory Parent Visas

Sponsoring your parent through significant financial contribution for permanent residency.

Contributory Parent visas allow parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens to obtain permanent residency with the addition of significant financial contributions. Unlike non-contributory Parent visas (subclass 103 and 804), which can take more than 30 years to process, contributory options are capped at shorter timeframes.

Processing Times & Capping

The Department of Home Affairs currently indicates processing times of around 12–15 years, although exact timing depends on factors such as annual planning levels, demand, and individual application circumstances. All parent visas are subject to strict capping and queueing. Each program year, the Department of Home Affairs grants a limited number of visas and once the yearly cap is reached, no further visas are approved. Applications are assessed in lodgement date order.

Visa Options

Standard Contributory Parent (143 & 173)

Subclass 143 (Permanent)

Location: In or Outside Australia

Permanent residency visa.
You must be sponsored by an eligible child settled in Australia.
Must meet balance of family test.
Assurance of Support (AoS) must be paid before the visa is granted.
You must pass health and character checks.

Subclass 173 (Temporary)

Location: In or Outside Australia

The duration of this visa is 2 years, it is not a permanent residency visa.
You must be sponsored by an eligible child settled in Australia.
Must meet balance of family test.
You may access Medicare upon visa grant.
You must transition to the subclass 143 for permanent residency.

Why choose the 173? It allows families to spread the cost over two stages and provides time to prepare financially before the significant contributory charge is required.

Aged Contributory Parent (864 & 884)

Subclass 864 (Permanent)

Location: Onshore Only

You must apply from inside Australia.
Must be of pension age.
You must not already have applied for or hold the subclass 870 visa.
Applicants are granted a Bridging Visa A, allowing them to remain in Australia lawfully while the application is queued.
Must meet balance of family test & AoS.

Subclass 884 (Temporary)

Location: Onshore Only

You must apply from inside Australia.
The duration of this visa is 2 years, it is not a permanent residency visa.
Must be of pension age.
Must meet balance of family test.
Allows families to spread the cost over two stages.

Visa Comparison

Visa Subclass	Location at Application	Visa Type	Processing Time
143 Contributory Parent	May be onshore or offshore	Permanent	12 – 15 years
173 Contributory Parent	May be onshore or offshore	Temporary (2 years)	12–15 years (before 143 stage)
864 Contributory Aged Parent	Onshore	Permanent	12–15 years
884 Contributory Aged Parent	Onshore	Temporary (2 years)	12–15 years (before 864 stage)

Government Fees and Charges: Contributory parent visas incur different charges depending on the visa you hold, and which visa you’re applying for next. While we commonly say the significant contributory charge is $43,600, this charge may be significantly lower depending on your current circumstance. The exact fees and charges can be calculated using the Department’s visa pricing table. Government charges may update at any time and exclude additional costs such as health checks, police clearances, biometrics, and the Assurance of Support bond.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Contributory Parent visa subclasses?

The four are: Subclass 173 (temporary contributory parent), Subclass 143 (permanent contributory parent), Subclass 884 (temporary contributory aged parent), and Subclass 864 (permanent contributory aged parent).

What exactly is an ‘eligible New Zealand citizen’?

An eligible New Zealand citizen is a New Zealand citizen considered a protected Special Category visa (SCV) holder under the Social Security Act 1991. You are a protected SCV holder if you:

Were in Australia on 26 February 2001 holding an SCV, or
Spent at least 365 days in Australia between 26 February 1999 and 25 February 2001 and returned after 26 February 2001, or
Have confirmation from Centrelink that you meet the protected SCV criteria under the legislation.

What is the balance of family test?

It measures how many of your children live in Australia compared to overseas. You must have at least half of your children in Australia or more children in Australia than in any other country. All children counted in the test must be Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident of an eligible New Zealand citizen usually resident in Australia.

What age is ‘aged pension’?

You must be old enough to receive the age pension in Australia, which varies depending on your date of birth. Services Australia provides the current pension age.

Can I work or study while holding the Bridging visa A?

Bridging visa A grants in association with the Temporary Contributory Parent visas are generally granted with nil conditions which means you may work or study in Australia. This is not inclusive of travel facility; a Bridging visa B must be obtained to travel while on a Bridging visa A. This may not apply to your personal circumstance, please book a consultation for assessment.

Can I include family members in my application?

Yes, you can include your partner in the same application.

When must I apply for the permanent stage (143 or 864) if I hold the temporary visa (173 or 884)?

The permanent application must be lodged before the temporary visa expires.

Can I apply directly for the permanent visa (143 or 864) without first holding the temporary visa?

Yes, in many cases you can apply directly for the permanent contributory visas (143 or 864) without first doing the temporary subclass (173 or 884).

Is the Balance of Family Test required for all four contributory parent visas?

Yes. To be eligible, at least half of your children must live permanently in Australia, or more children must live in Australia than any other single country.

Can both parents be included in one application?

Yes, if both parents meet eligibility and requirements, they can usually be included under the same sponsorship.

Are there English language requirements?

No, contributory parent visas (173, 143, 884, 864) do not require English tests.

Do I get Medicare access immediately on the temporary visa (173 or 884)?

Yes, during the validity of the temporary contributory parent visas, you will generally have access to Medicare.

What happens if there is a delay in processing?

Parent visas are in high demand and even contributory parent visas can experience long delays. The Department publishes processing times but they can stretch beyond these estimates.

Can I switch between contributory and non-contributory parent visa paths once I apply?

You can ‘switch’ from a non-contributory parent visa (also known as the Aged Parent visas subclass 103 and 804) to a contributory parent visa. When you ‘switch’ applications, you can keep your original application lodgement and queue dates as the new application lodgement and queue dates. Switching does not apply to the following circumstances:

When changing your application from a temporary parent visa (subclass 173 or 884) to any other parent visa, or
When changing your parent visa application from a Non-Aged Contributory Parent visa (subclasses 143 or 173) to any Aged Parent visa (subclasses 804, 864 and 884).

Do I need to maintain an eligible sponsor the whole time?

Yes. Your sponsor (usually your child) must remain eligible, including residency status, and fulfill their obligations for the duration.