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| Field | 🇦🇺AustraliaAustralia Parent Visas: 2026 Guide to 103, 143, 804, 864 & 870 |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia (AU) |
| Route | Australia Parent Visas: 2026 Guide to 103, 143, 804, 864 & 870 |
| Route family | Family |
| Route type | family |
| Summary | Current guide to Australian parent visas, including capped and queued permanent categories, contributory pathways and temporary subclass 870. |
| Last verified | 2026-09-16 |
| Official/supporting source count | 6 |
| Route guide | Open full guide → |
| Program availability | ActiveSource 1Source 2Source 3Source 4Source 5 |
| Best-fit work models | Family / partnerSource 1Source 2Source 3Source 4Source 5 |
| Income requirement | There is no single applicant income threshold across the parent options. Permanent parent visas have route-specific sponsor and eligibility rules, including the balance-of-family test and, where applicable, Assurance of Support. Subclass 870 instead requires an approved Parent Sponsor and sufficient funds for the applicant's own support; it has no balance-of-family or Assurance of Support test.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Savings requirement | No uniform savings amount applies across these routes. A subclass 870 applicant must have or access enough money to support themselves while in Australia; some permanent parent routes may require an Assurance of Support rather than a fixed applicant savings threshold.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Investment requirement | Not applicableAs of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Government fees | Charges vary substantially by subclass, applicant/family composition, instalment stage and concessions. For example, subclass 870 is currently AUD 6,370 for up to 3 years or AUD 12,440 for up to 5 years; permanent and contributory options have separate charges and may involve an Assurance of Support bond. Check each subclass page and the current estimator before applying.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Processing time | Permanent Parent visas are capped and queued; as at 31 August 2026, Home Affairs estimated around 18 years for Contributory Parent applications and 42 years for Parent/Aged Parent applications. These are program estimates, not individual guarantees. Subclass 870 is excluded from that queue and has its own live processing-time guide.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2Source 3 |
| Validity | Subclasses 103, 143, 804 and 864 are permanent visas. Subclass 870 is temporary for up to 3 or 5 years per grant, with a cumulative maximum stay of 10 years across Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visas.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Renewal | Permanent parent visas do not require renewal of the residence status. A subclass 870 holder may apply for further Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visas to visit up to the cumulative 10-year maximum; this is not an extension and each further visa must be granted separately.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Family inclusion | Permanent parent options generally require an eligible settled child sponsor and are subject to route-specific criteria including the balance-of-family test. Subclass 870 requires an approved Parent Sponsor, has no balance-of-family test, and does not allow family members to be included in the applicant's visa application.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2Source 3 |
| Spouse work rights | A spouse included as an eligible family member on a permanent parent visa may receive permanent status and work rights. Subclass 870 does not allow family to be included; a spouse would need a separate visa and cannot derive work rights from the parent's 870 grant.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Local-work rules | Holders of permanent parent subclasses 103, 143, 804 and 864 can work in Australia. Sponsored Parent (Temporary) subclass 870 holders cannot work.As of 2026-10-09Source 1 |
| Application location | Application location and method depend on subclass. Permanent parent subclasses 103, 143, 804 and 864 lodge online through ImmiAccount, with subclass-specific onshore/offshore eligibility; subclass 870 has separate rules and generally requires permission for an onshore application in limited circumstances. Follow the selected subclass's current step-by-step guide.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Permanent-residence pathway | Subclasses 103, 143, 804 and 864 grant permanent residence. Subclass 870 is temporary only and explicitly provides no right to permanent residence; its holder cannot apply for another parent visa while holding it.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
| Citizenship pathway | A holder of one of the permanent parent visas may apply for Australian citizenship if separately eligible under citizenship law. Subclass 870 is temporary and is not itself a citizenship pathway.As of 2026-10-09Source 1Source 2 |
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