Can Parents Stay in Australia for 10 Years? Subclass 870 3-Year vs 5-Year Guide
Australia does have a Parent Visa that can allow a parent to spend up to 10 years in Australia — but it is not a single 10-year grant. The Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 870) can be granted for up to three or five years at a time, and eligible parents may obtain further Subclass 870 visas up to a cumulative maximum stay of 10 years.
This article explains how the “10-year Parent Visa” actually works, the difference between three-year and five-year grants, the sponsor-first process, work restrictions, health insurance, reapplication and why Subclass 870 should not be confused with permanent Parent Visas such as 103, 143, 804 or 864.
The 10-year Parent Visa — quick answer
Subclass 870 can permit up to 3 or 5 years per grant. A parent may apply for further 870 visas, subject to eligibility, until the cumulative maximum period in Australia reaches 10 years. The visa does not itself provide permanent residence and the holder cannot work in Australia.
Is there an Australian Parent Visa granted for 10 years at once?
No. The commonly used phrase “10-year Parent Visa” refers to the total cumulative period available across Subclass 870 grants. Home Affairs offers a visa of up to three years or up to five years per grant. Further applications can take the total time in Australia under Subclass 870 to no more than 10 years.
3-year vs 5-year Subclass 870
| Feature | Up to 3 years | Up to 5 years |
|---|---|---|
| Current visa cost | From AUD6,370 | From AUD12,440 |
| Stay per grant | Up to 3 years | Up to 5 years |
| Work rights | No paid work under the visa’s work restriction | No paid work under the visa’s work restriction |
| Permanent residence | No | No |
| Total possible cumulative 870 stay | Up to 10 years across eligible grants | |
The visa application charge is paid in instalments. A separate Parent Sponsorship application fee also applies before the parent can lodge the visa application. Fees change, so always check current Home Affairs pricing at the time of lodgement.
Why would a family choose 3 years rather than 5?
The three-year option can reduce the upfront visa cost and may suit a family that wants a shorter stay or greater flexibility before committing to another visa. The five-year option can provide a longer continuous period with children and grandchildren and may reduce the frequency of repeat visa applications.
The choice should be based on the parent’s health, finances, insurance cost, travel plans, family needs and long-term migration strategy — not just the headline visa fee.
How does the 10-year maximum accumulate?
Home Affairs applies a cumulative maximum period of 10 years in Australia under the Subclass 870 framework. A parent may therefore have more than one grant, but cannot use repeat applications to stay indefinitely beyond the statutory maximum.
Historical COVID-related extensions that Home Affairs expressly excludes from the cumulative calculation should be treated according to the Department’s specific rules rather than assumed to count in the ordinary way.
Can you extend a current Subclass 870 visa?
No. Home Affairs says the 870 cannot simply be extended. To stay longer under the same program, the parent needs to make a further eligible Sponsored Parent visa application and be granted another visa. Sponsor approval and application timing remain important.
Do you need a sponsor before applying?
Yes. The process is sponsor-first. The proposed sponsor must apply online and be approved as a Parent Sponsor before the parent can lodge the Subclass 870 application.
The sponsorship is a separate legal process from sponsorship for a permanent Parent Visa. The sponsor has income, status, residence-history, character and ongoing obligation requirements.
How quickly must the parent apply after sponsorship approval?
Home Affairs states that the parent generally must lodge the visa application within six months of sponsorship approval. Where the Department gives permission to apply in Australia in limited circumstances, the deadline is 60 days from sponsorship approval.
Can the parent apply for Subclass 870 while in Australia?
Usually the visa application is made outside Australia. Home Affairs can give Permission to Apply in Australia in limited circumstances. Families should not assume being in Australia on a Visitor Visa automatically allows an onshore 870 application.
Can a Subclass 870 holder work?
No. Home Affairs states that the visa holder cannot work in Australia. This restriction is a major practical difference from a permanent Parent Visa and should be factored into financial planning.
Does Subclass 870 include Medicare?
Do not assume a temporary Sponsored Parent visa gives the same Medicare position as a permanent Parent Visa. The visa requires adequate arrangements for health insurance and the sponsor can have obligations in relation to public health debts. The family should budget for private cover and healthcare costs.
Does the 870 lead to permanent residence?
No. Subclass 870 is a temporary family visa and Home Affairs expressly states that it does not lead to permanent residence. A parent cannot simply convert it into a permanent Parent Visa from within the 870 pathway.
Home Affairs also states that a person cannot apply for a permanent or temporary Parent Visa while they have applied for or hold Subclass 870. This makes sequencing critical where the family is also considering Subclass 103, 143, 173, 804, 864 or 884.
Can you lodge a permanent Parent Visa first and later apply for 870?
The interaction between outstanding Parent Visa applications and Subclass 870 must be planned carefully. The 870 rules include restrictions designed to prevent the Sponsored Parent pathway from simply being stacked on top of other Parent Visa applications without regard to the statutory framework.
If the long-term goal is permanent residence, obtain advice on sequence before lodging or withdrawing anything.
What happens after the 10-year maximum is reached?
The 870 does not create an indefinite renewal pathway. Once the cumulative maximum is reached, the parent cannot simply continue obtaining additional 870 grants. The family would need to consider whatever other lawful visa options are available at that time, and there is no guarantee a permanent Parent Visa or Visitor Visa will be available or suitable.
Is the 870 better than a Visitor Visa?
It depends on the objective. A Visitor Visa can be cheaper and suitable for shorter trips, but can have shorter permitted stays, stay-frequency limits, No Further Stay conditions or other restrictions. The 870 is specifically designed for longer parental visits but has sponsorship, higher charges, no-work conditions and a 10-year cumulative limit.
See our Parent Visa vs Visitor Visa guide.
Is the 870 better than Subclass 103 or 143?
They solve different problems. The 870 is temporary. Subclasses 103 and 143 are permanent Parent Visas, subject to the Balance of Family Test, capping and queueing. A family that wants long visits now may think differently from a family whose priority is eventual permanent residence.
The most important 870 question is not “3 years or 5 years?”
It is whether the temporary Sponsored Parent strategy fits the family’s permanent-migration plans, healthcare budget, sponsor eligibility and expected time together in Australia.
10-year Parent Visa FAQs
Can I get one Subclass 870 for 10 years?
No. The ordinary grants are up to three or five years, with further eligible visas up to the cumulative maximum.
How much does a 5-year Parent Visa cost in 2026?
Home Affairs currently lists the five-year Subclass 870 visa from AUD12,440, plus the separate sponsorship fee and other possible costs. Charges can change.
Can I work during the 10 years?
No. Subclass 870 is not a work visa.
Can I apply for permanent residence after 10 years?
The 870 itself does not create a PR entitlement. Any permanent visa must be separately available and the sequencing rules need to be observed.
Can my child sponsor both parents?
An approved Parent Sponsorship can cover up to two parents, subject to the household sponsorship rules and eligibility requirements.
Can I leave and return during the 3- or 5-year visa?
The visa generally permits travel while it remains valid, subject to the grant details and conditions. Check the visa grant notice and VEVO.
What happens between one 870 visa and the next?
Home Affairs applies rules to repeat Sponsored Parent visas. A parent applying for another 870 will generally need to lodge from outside Australia unless Permission to Apply in Australia is granted. The Department also describes a 90-consecutive-day period outside Australia in relevant repeat-visa circumstances before a further grant can be made.
Families should therefore not plan a continuous 10-year stay as if the visa were one uninterrupted permit. The repeat-application framework, sponsorship validity, location and travel timing need to be considered.
Does the sponsor need to apply again for every 870 visa?
The sponsor’s approved sponsorship has its own validity and ending events. A new sponsorship cannot simply be assumed to exist because the child sponsored the parent years earlier. Before a further parent visa application, confirm whether the existing sponsorship remains valid or whether a new sponsorship process is required.
What if the sponsor withdraws sponsorship during a 3- or 5-year visa?
Home Affairs states that the visa can end if sponsorship is withdrawn and the parent does not obtain a new Parent Sponsor, or if the sponsorship is cancelled. Sponsor changes should therefore be treated as a substantive immigration issue, not merely a family administrative matter.
What if the sponsor dies?
Death of a sponsor can require urgent advice because the visa’s continuation may depend on whether a new eligible Parent Sponsor can be arranged and on the Department’s sponsorship framework. The parent should not assume the visa remains unaffected indefinitely.
Can the parent study or volunteer on Subclass 870?
The central work restriction is that the visa does not permit paid work. Study and unpaid activities need to be considered against the visa conditions and the nature of the activity. Volunteering should not be used as a label for work that is in substance paid employment or displaces an employee.
How should families budget for 10 years?
The Visa Application Charges are only one part of the financial plan. A long Sponsored Parent strategy may involve repeat visa charges, private health insurance, travel, medical expenses, accommodation and support costs. The sponsor also has obligations in relation to support and certain public health debts.
Can 870 be used while waiting for another Parent Visa?
This is a high-risk sequencing question. Home Affairs states that a person cannot apply for a permanent or temporary Parent Visa when they have applied for or hold an 870. Families with an existing Parent Visa should obtain specific advice before treating 870 as an add-on.
Case example: parents want five years now and permanent residence later
The family likes the five-year 870 because it offers immediate long-term time together. However, if the real objective is a permanent Parent Visa, the family must understand the application restrictions and decide sequencing before committing. The right answer may be to pursue permanent migration first, temporary reunification first, or a different visitor strategy depending on the facts.
Case example: one parent wants 3 years, the other wants 5 years
An approved sponsorship can cover up to two parents, but each parent lodges a separate 870 visa application. That can allow different requested stay periods, subject to the visa criteria and sponsorship. The family should budget for two visa applications and separate health/character evidence.
Subclass 870 pre-lodgement checklist
- Confirm the proposed sponsor can satisfy the Parent Sponsor criteria.
- Check whether the sponsorship can cover one or both parents.
- Decide whether three or five years better fits the family’s budget and objectives.
- Confirm where the parent must be when applying and whether Permission to Apply in Australia is relevant.
- Budget for private health insurance, repeat travel and healthcare.
- Check whether any existing Parent Visa application creates a sequencing problem.
- Keep the 10-year cumulative limit in the long-term plan.
Families should also remember that a further 870 is a fresh visa decision. Prior grant does not guarantee the next visa, and sponsor eligibility or parent circumstances may have changed.
What if the parent’s health deteriorates during the 870?
The parent must continue to comply with visa conditions and maintain required health arrangements. A serious change can affect travel, insurance and any later visa strategy. If a further 870 or another visa is planned, medical circumstances should be considered before the existing visa expires.
Why Emigrate Lawyers treats Subclass 870 as a family migration strategy
Request a Call Back About Your Parent Visa Matter
Tell us whether you are the proposed Parent Sponsor or the parent, whether sponsorship has already been approved, where the parent is currently located, and whether you are considering a 3-year or 5-year Subclass 870.
Related Parent Visa Services and Guides
Legal review: Reviewed by Madhab Kharel, Principal Lawyer, Emigrate Lawyers on 28 September 2026. General information only; not legal advice. Parent Visa criteria, charges, queueing rules and procedures can change.
Official source: Department of Home Affairs — Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa Subclass 870.
