Contributory Parent Visa (Subclass 143)

The Contributory Parent Visa (Subclass 143) is a permanent residency visa that allows parents of settled Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens to migrate to Australia. It is the faster permanent parent visa pathway compared to the non-contributory Parent Visa (Subclass 103), achieved through a significantly higher financial contribution to the Australian government. Once granted, you can live, work, and study in Australia indefinitely.

The visa has been part of Australia's family migration program for decades. As of March 2026, applications remain actively accepted year-round with no announced closure date. However, processing times are substantial: the current estimated processing time is approximately 12–15 years from lodgement to final decision, with applications currently being released from the queue at a rate of approximately 7 years behind lodgement date (as of February 2026).

The Subclass 143 visa requires a substantial financial contribution to the Australian government, paid in two instalments:

First Instalment (at application):

• Main applicant: approximately AUD $5,040
• Additional applicant (spouse) 18 years or older: approximately AUD $1,700
• Additional applicant under 18 years: approximately AUD $855

Second Instalment (at visa grant):

• Main applicant: approximately AUD $43,600
• Additional applicant (spouse) 18 years or older: approximately AUD $43,600
• Additional applicant under 18 years: approximately AUD $43,600

Total for a single applicant: Approximately AUD $48,640 Total for a couple: Approximately AUD $96,280

Fees increased by approximately 3% from 1 July 2025. You must pay the first instalment when you apply; if you do not pay the second instalment before the Department grants the visa, your application will be refused.

Additional Costs

You may also have to pay for:

• Health checks: approximately AUD $300–$500 per person
• Police certificates: varies by country (USD $18–$60 per page for some countries)
• Biometrics: included in health checks
• Document translation: varies depending on language and document length
• Certified copy preparation: varies

Assurance of Support (AoS) Bond

You must obtain an assurance of support, which is typically a financial bond held by Centrelink for 10 years. The bond is usually:

• AUD $10,000 for a single parent
• AUD $14,000 for a couple

AoS income threshold increased from 1 July 2025 by approximately 2.4%.

Total Cost Estimate

For a single applicant, total costs (including visa fees, health checks, police certificates, AoS bond, and translation) can exceed AUD $60,000. For a couple, total costs can exceed AUD $100,000.

Demand for Parent visas is greater than the number of places available each year, resulting in lengthy processing times.

Current Estimated Processing Time: Approximately 12–15 years from lodgement to final decision. This is an estimate based on current planning levels and can vary.

Queue Release Status (as of 28 February 2026): Applications with a queue date up to November 2018 have been released for final processing. This represents approximately 7 years of queue backlog.

Two-Stage Assessment Process

1. Initial Assessment (Acknowledge New Application): Approximately 4 weeks. The Department checks eligibility and either adds your application to the queue or refuses it.

2. Queue Assessment and Release: Applications are released from the queue in lodgement date order as places become available. The time from lodgement to queue release can be several years.

3. Final Assessment: Once released from the queue, final assessment typically takes approximately 4 weeks.

Annual Quota

The 2025–26 migration program year has allocated 8,500 total parent visa places across all parent visa categories. Of this, approximately 6,800 places are allocated to contributory parent visas (Subclass 143 and 864 combined). As of December 31, 2025, 3,883 contributory parent visas had been granted in the first half of the financial year, leaving an estimated 2,917 places for the second half.

Important: There is no application window that "fills up" and closes. Applications are accepted year-round and processed in queue date order. However, the annual cap means that once the cap is reached, remaining applications are queued for the next financial year.

Factors Affecting Processing Time

Your application might take longer to process if:

• You do not fill the form in correctly
• You do not include all required documents or the Department needs more information
• Your information takes a long time to verify
• External agencies (health, character, national security) require additional time for checks
• The number of places available in the migration program is limited
• Changes in processing directions or policy occur

ImmiAccount Integration (2 April 2025): After receiving your acknowledgement letter, you can import your paper application into ImmiAccount. This gives you access to online services to attach supporting documents, view messages from the Department, update your details, and view application status.

Visa Fee Increase (1 July 2025): Application fees for parent visas increased by approximately 3%.

AoS Income Threshold Increase (1 July 2025): The minimum annual income requirement for Assurance of Support sponsors increased by approximately 2.4%.

Increased Scrutiny on Sponsor Obligations (2025): Sponsors must now provide more detailed financial documentation and demonstrate long-term settlement in Australia.

Stricter Health and Character Requirements (2025): Stricter standards are in place for all parent visa categories.

Health Waiver Threshold Change: The Significant Cost Threshold for health waivers increased from AUD $51,000 to AUD $86,000 over your estimated remaining lifespan. This change makes it more difficult for applicants with significant health conditions to obtain waivers.

Digital-First Communication (2025): Many correspondence and follow-ups from immigration authorities are now processed online, which may pose challenges for older applicants unfamiliar with digital systems.

Once your Subclass 143 visa is granted, you have the following rights and benefits:

• Permanent Residency: You can stay in Australia indefinitely.

• Work Rights: You can work and study in Australia. You are protected by Australian workplace law and have full employment rights.

• Medicare Access: You can enrol in Australia's public healthcare scheme, Medicare. However, as a newly arrived resident, you may have to wait to access certain Australian Government payments and benefits.

• Travel Facility: You can travel to and from Australia as many times as you want for 5 years from the date the visa is granted. After the initial 5-year travel facility expires, you will need to apply for a Resident Return Visa (RRV) to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident, or apply for Australian citizenship.

• Family Sponsorship: As an Australian permanent resident, you can sponsor eligible family members to come to Australia.

• Pathway to Citizenship: If eligible, you can apply for Australian citizenship. For citizenship purposes, permanent residency starts on the day the visa is granted (if in Australia) or the day you enter Australia on this visa (if outside Australia).

• English Language Classes: You can attend free English language classes provided by the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP), if eligible.

• Newly Arrived Resident Waiting Periods: As a newly arrived resident, you may have to wait to access certain Australian Government payments and benefits. Contact Services Australia for details on newly arrived residents' waiting periods.