Parent PR in Australia: Parent Visa Options for Permanent Residence
Many Australian citizens and permanent residents want their parents to live closer to them in Australia. Therefore, Parent PR remains one of the most important family migration pathways for families who want long-term stability, support, and reunion.
However, Australia offers several parent visa options, and each pathway has different rules, costs, waiting periods, and eligibility requirements. As a result, families should compare their options carefully before applying.
Some parent visas can lead to permanent residence, while others only allow parents to stay temporarily. In addition, some visas involve high government charges, while others involve very long waiting periods. Therefore, understanding the difference between contributory, non-contributory, aged parent, and temporary parent visas can help you choose a clearer pathway.
At Emigrate Lawyers, we assist families with parent visa strategy, eligibility checks, document preparation, and complex migration issues.
What Is Parent PR in Australia?
Parent PR refers to a permanent parent visa pathway that allows eligible parents of Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens to live in Australia permanently.
Permanent parent visa options may include:
- Parent Visa Subclass 103
- Aged Parent Visa Subclass 804
- Contributory Parent Visa Subclass 143
- Contributory Aged Parent Visa Subclass 864
- Temporary to permanent contributory pathways, such as subclass 173 to 143 or subclass 884 to 864
The Department of Home Affairs confirms that parent visas include options for parents of settled Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents, and eligible New Zealand citizens. Some parent visas now require online lodgement through ImmiAccount, while temporary contributory parent visa applications still continue on paper.
Important point: Parent PR does not suit every family automatically. Your parent’s age, location, family structure, health, character, financial capacity, and waiting tolerance all matter.
Parent PR Legal Help
Need Help With Parent PR?
Emigrate Lawyers can help you assess parent visa options, sponsorship requirements, balance of family test issues, and the right PR pathway for your parents.
Book A ConsultationMain Parent PR Visa Options in Australia
1. Parent Visa Subclass 103
The Parent Visa Subclass 103 is a permanent visa for parents who usually apply from outside Australia. It generally has lower government charges compared with contributory parent visas. However, it usually involves a very long waiting period because parent visa applications face capping and queueing. The Department explains that capping limits how many parent visas it can grant each migration program year, and remaining applications stay in the queue until future places become available.
Therefore, although subclass 103 may look affordable, many families find the waiting time difficult.
Important point: Choose subclass 103 only after you understand the long queue and compare temporary visit options.
2. Aged Parent Visa Subclass 804
The Aged Parent Visa Subclass 804 allows an aged parent of a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen to stay in Australia permanently. The Department lists this as a permanent visa and shows that it costs from AUD 8,665 over two instalments for a single applicant, with limited concessions in some circumstances.
In addition, this visa may provide a bridging visa if the applicant lodges a valid onshore application. However, families must still consider long processing queues and eligibility requirements.
Important point: The 804 visa may help some aged parents stay lawfully in Australia while they wait, but it does not give a fast Parent PR outcome
3. Contributory Parent Visa Subclass 143
The Contributory Parent Visa Subclass 143 is a permanent parent visa pathway. It usually costs much more than non-contributory parent visas, but many families prefer it because it generally offers a more practical permanent pathway than subclass 103. The Department currently lists the subclass 143 cost from AUD 49,900 over two instalments for a single applicant.
Therefore, this option may suit families who can manage the higher cost and want a clearer permanent residence pathway.
Important point: The second instalment can create a major financial commitment, so plan your budget before lodging.
4. Contributory Aged Parent Visa Subclass 864
The Contributory Aged Parent Visa Subclass 864 is a permanent visa for aged parents who apply in Australia and meet the relevant age requirement. The Department lists this visa as a permanent visa and shows the cost from AUD 49,900 over two instalments for a single applicant.
This pathway may suit aged parents who already stay in Australia and want a contributory permanent parent visa option.
Important point: Before applying onshore, check visa conditions carefully. A “No Further Stay” condition can block an onshore application unless the Department waives it.
5. Temporary Contributory Parent Visa Subclass 173 or 884
Some families prefer a two-step contributory pathway. For example, offshore parents may apply for the Contributory Parent Temporary Visa Subclass 173 first and then apply for subclass 143 later. Similarly, aged parents in Australia may consider subclass 884 first and then subclass 864.
This approach can help families spread some costs across two stages. However, applicants must still meet strict requirements and apply for the permanent stage within the required timeframe.
Important point: A two-stage pathway may help with cash flow, but it can cost more overall and requires careful timing.
Parent PR Legal Help
Need Help With Parent PR?
Emigrate Lawyers can help you assess parent visa options, sponsorship requirements, balance of family test issues, and the right PR pathway for your parents.
Book A ConsultationTemporary Parent Visa 870: A Parent PR Alternative
Not every family needs immediate Parent PR. In some cases, the Sponsored Parent Temporary Visa Subclass 870 may provide a practical temporary option.
The Department states that the subclass 870 visa allows a parent of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen to visit Australia for up to 3 or 5 years.
This visa can help parents spend extended time with family in Australia. However, it does not provide permanent residence. In addition, the sponsor must receive approval before the parent can apply, and the Department states that visa applications must usually occur within six months of sponsorship approval.
Important point: The subclass 870 visa can help families reunite temporarily, especially when Parent PR costs or waiting times create barriers.
Parent PR Eligibility Requirements
Although each parent visa has different criteria, most Parent PR pathways involve several core requirements.
Generally, the parent must:
- have an eligible sponsor;
- meet the balance of family test;
- meet health requirements;
- meet character requirements;
- provide identity and family documents;
- arrange an Assurance of Support where required;
- satisfy the visa-specific rules for age, location, and lodgement.
The Department explains that the balance of family test measures a parent visa applicant’s family links to Australia and determines whether the parent has close family ties to Australia through their children or stepchildren.
Important point: The balance of family test can make or break a Parent PR application. Therefore, check your family structure before choosing a permanent parent visa.
Parent PR and the Balance of Family Test
The balance of family test usually requires the parent to show that:
- at least half of their children live permanently in Australia; or
- more of their children live permanently in Australia than in any other single country.
This test can become complicated when parents have stepchildren, deceased children, children with uncertain residence status, or children living across multiple countries.
Therefore, families should not guess the result. Instead, they should review each child’s citizenship, permanent residence status, usual country of residence, and family relationship documents.
Important point: The subclass 870 Sponsored Parent Temporary Visa does not operate as a Parent PR visa, and it may help some families who cannot meet the balance of family test for permanent parent visas.
Parent PR Costs and Processing Times
Parent visa costs and processing times can differ significantly. Contributory parent visas usually involve higher charges, while non-contributory parent visas usually involve much longer waiting periods.
The Department confirms that parent visa applications face capping and queueing, which means only a limited number of visas can receive grants each program year. Once the yearly cap fills, other applications remain in the queue.
In addition, the Department’s global processing times page explains that visa processing times can change each month and only provide an indication based on recently decided applications.
Important point: Do not rely on old processing time claims. Always check the current Department information before lodging.
Can Parents Apply While Visiting Australia?
Some parents may want to apply for a parent visa while they visit Australia. However, this depends on the parent’s age, visa conditions, and chosen subclass.
For example, some aged parent visa pathways may allow onshore lodgement if the applicant meets age and visa requirements. However, many visitor visas include conditions that can restrict further applications in Australia.
Therefore, before your parent travels to Australia, you should check:
- current visa conditions;
- whether condition 8503 applies;
- whether the parent meets the aged requirement;
- whether the chosen visa allows onshore application;
- whether a bridging visa may become available;
- whether the parent needs private health insurance.
Important point: Plan before travel. The wrong visitor visa condition can limit your parent’s ability to apply from Australia.
How Emigrate Lawyers Can Help With Parent PR
Parent visa law can feel confusing because each visa has different rules, costs, waiting periods, and lodgement requirements. Therefore, legal guidance can help you avoid unnecessary delays and choose the right pathway from the beginning.
At Emigrate Lawyers, we can assist with:
- Parent PR eligibility assessments;
- balance of family test reviews;
- subclass 103, 804, 143, 864, 173, 884 and 870 strategy;
- sponsor eligibility checks;
- document checklist preparation;
- health and character issue guidance;
- onshore and offshore application planning;
- response to Department requests;
- complex family circumstances.
Most importantly, we help families understand whether a permanent parent visa, contributory parent visa, aged parent visa, visitor visa, or Sponsored Parent Temporary Visa better suits their situation.
Parent PR Legal Help
Need Help With Parent PR?
Emigrate Lawyers can help you assess parent visa options, sponsorship requirements, balance of family test issues, and the right PR pathway for your parents.
Book A ConsultationFAQs
Q1. Is it possible to get PR for parents in Australia?
A- Yes, parents may get Australian PR through permanent parent visa options such as subclass 103, 804, 143 or 864 if they meet the eligibility requirements. These visas usually require an eligible sponsor, balance of family test, health checks, character checks and other visa-specific criteria.
Q2. What gives a parent PR?
A- A permanent parent visa gives a parent PR in Australia, not a visitor visa or temporary parent visa. Common Parent PR options include the Parent visa subclass 103, Aged Parent visa subclass 804, Contributory Parent visa subclass 143 and Contributory Aged Parent visa subclass 864.
Q3. Can you apply for PR for your parents?
A- You cannot apply “as” your parents, but you may sponsor them if you are an eligible Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. Your parents must still lodge the correct parent visa application and meet the visa requirements.
Q4. What is the $5000 parent visa?
A- The “$5000 parent visa” usually refers to the Sponsored Parent Temporary visa subclass 870 for a 3-year stay, which has a lower second instalment than the 5-year option. However, subclass 870 is temporary and does not give parents PR in Australia.
Q5. What is the new 10 year parent visa in Australia?
A- The “10 year parent visa” usually refers to the subclass 870 Sponsored Parent Temporary visa, which can allow parents to stay in Australia for up to 3 or 5 years at a time and, through multiple visas, up to a maximum stay of 10 years. It is not a permanent visa and does not lead directly to Parent PR.
Q6. Do I need a sponsor for a parent visa?
A- Yes, most parent visas require an eligible sponsor, usually the parent’s child who is an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. For subclass 870, the sponsor must receive approval before the parent applies for the visa.
Final Thoughts
Parent PR can give families a meaningful pathway to reunite permanently in Australia. However, the right visa depends on your parent’s age, location, health, family structure, financial capacity, and long-term goal.
Contributory parent visas may offer a more practical pathway for families who can manage the higher cost. On the other hand, non-contributory parent visas may reduce government charges but usually involve long queues. Meanwhile, the subclass 870 Sponsored Parent Temporary Visa may help parents stay in Australia temporarily when permanent options do not suit immediately.
For this reason, you should assess eligibility before applying. For tailored advice about Parent PR, parent visa documents, or the best pathway for your family, contact Emigrate Lawyers.
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