Temporary Parent Visa Australia 2026: Subclass 870 vs Visitor 600 vs 173 & 884
“Temporary Parent Visa” can describe several very different Australian visas. The best-known is the Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa Subclass 870, which can allow a parent to stay for up to three or five years. But parents may also visit on a Subclass 600 Visitor Visa, while Subclasses 173 and 884 are temporary contributory Parent Visas designed as stages toward permanent residence.
This guide compares the main temporary Parent Visa options in 2026 so families can understand which visa is for extended temporary family time, which is for a shorter visit, and which is a temporary stage of a permanent Parent Visa pathway.
Temporary Parent Visa Australia — quick comparison
For a long temporary stay with no permanent residence outcome, Subclass 870 is the main dedicated Sponsored Parent option. For ordinary visits, Subclass 600 may be more suitable. Subclasses 173 and 884 are different: they are temporary contributory Parent Visas intended to transition to 143 and 864 respectively.
| Visa | Typical stay | Work | Permanent pathway? | Key feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 870 Sponsored Parent | Up to 3 or 5 years | No paid work | No direct PR pathway | Sponsor approval first; up to 10 years cumulative |
| 600 Visitor | As granted | No work | No | Shorter family visits; conditions may restrict further onshore visas |
| 173 Contributory Parent | Up to 2 years after grant | Generally work/study rights as granted | Designed to transition to 143 | Offshore-style two-stage contributory pathway |
| 884 Contributory Aged Parent | Up to 2 years after grant | As granted | Designed to transition to 864 | Onshore aged-parent two-stage pathway |
Subclass 870: the dedicated temporary Parent Visa
The Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa Subclass 870 is specifically designed to allow parents of eligible Australian children or other qualifying sponsors to spend extended time in Australia without becoming permanent residents.
The process is sponsor-first. The proposed sponsor must be approved before the parent lodges the visa application. The parent can then apply for a visa of up to three or five years, subject to the application and grant criteria.
How long can parents stay on Subclass 870?
A parent can obtain further eligible Subclass 870 visas up to a cumulative maximum of 10 years in Australia. It is not a single 10-year grant.
For a deeper explanation, read our 10-Year Parent Visa Australia guide.
Does Subclass 870 lead to permanent residence?
No. Subclass 870 is temporary and does not itself create a permanent Parent Visa pathway. Families should therefore decide whether their real objective is temporary reunion or permanent migration before committing to the 870 strategy.
Can an 870 holder work in Australia?
No. The 870 is not a work visa. A family relying on this pathway should plan for the parent’s living costs, private health insurance and financial support without assuming employment income.
Does the 870 require the Balance of Family Test?
No. This is one of the most important differences between the 870 and the permanent Parent Visa categories. A parent who cannot satisfy the Balance of Family Test may still be able to consider 870 if the sponsorship and visa criteria are met.
Visitor Visa Subclass 600 for parents
A Visitor Visa Subclass 600 may be appropriate where the objective is a genuine temporary family visit rather than a multi-year stay. The visa can be single or multiple entry and the permitted stay is stated in the grant notice.
A Visitor Visa is usually much less expensive than Subclass 870 but does not provide the same dedicated multi-year Parent Visa framework.
What is the biggest risk of using a Visitor Visa as a Parent Visa strategy?
The Visitor Visa is for genuine temporary visits. It can carry conditions such as 8503 No Further Stay or 8558, which can restrict future onshore visa options or the amount of time the holder may remain in Australia across a broader period.
A family should not assume that a Visitor Visa can always be converted into an onshore Aged Parent Visa after arrival.
Subclass 870 vs Visitor Visa 600
The core difference is the purpose and structure. Subclass 870 is designed for longer sponsored parental stays, carries higher charges and sponsor obligations, and can provide up to three or five years at a time. The Visitor Visa is a general temporary visitor product with shorter permitted stays and different evidentiary and condition issues.
For a parent who only wants to spend several months with family, Subclass 600 may be more proportionate. For a parent who wants several years in Australia and whose sponsor meets the 870 framework, the 870 may be the more relevant temporary visa to assess.
Subclass 173: temporary but part of a permanent Parent Visa plan
The Subclass 173 should not be confused with the 870. It is a temporary Contributory Parent Visa that can lead to the permanent Subclass 143. It is capped and queued before grant and is part of the contributory Parent Visa program.
This means the 173 is not a quick substitute for a Visitor Visa or 870. Home Affairs currently estimates around 15 years for new contributory Parent Visa applications generally.
Subclass 884: the temporary contributory aged-parent option
Subclass 884 is the onshore temporary Contributory Aged Parent Visa. It is designed to transition to the permanent 864. The primary applicant must satisfy the aged-parent criteria and the application is subject to the relevant onshore and Parent Visa requirements.
870 vs 173: which is actually temporary?
Both are temporary visas, but their purpose is completely different. The 870 is temporary family reunion with no direct permanent residence outcome. The 173 is a temporary stage within a permanent contributory Parent Visa pathway.
870 vs 884
The 870 can be available to parents who do not meet the aged-parent requirement and does not use the Balance of Family Test. The 884 is an aged-parent visa, is subject to the Balance of Family Test, is capped and queued, and is designed to transition to permanent 864.
Can you hold 870 while waiting for a permanent Parent Visa?
This requires careful sequencing. Home Affairs places restrictions around applying for or holding Subclass 870 alongside other Parent Visa applications. Do not treat the 870 as a simple add-on to a 103, 143, 804 or 864 application without checking the current rules first.
Which temporary Parent Visa is cheaper?
Visitor Visa 600 generally has a much lower application charge than Subclass 870. But the comparison should include intended stay length, repeat applications, private health insurance, travel and whether the family needs a dedicated multi-year sponsored arrangement.
Can the parent travel in and out of Australia?
Travel rights depend on the visa grant. Visitor and 870 visas can permit multiple entries depending on the grant terms. A 173 or 884 holder has the travel rights specified by that visa. Always check the grant notice and VEVO rather than assuming every temporary Parent Visa has identical re-entry rights.
Can a temporary Parent Visa holder access Medicare?
Medicare eligibility differs by visa and personal circumstances. A 173 holder has a different position from an 870 or ordinary Visitor Visa holder. Private health insurance is particularly important for the 870 and many visitor arrangements.
Case example: parent wants to spend five years with grandchildren
If permanent residence is not the immediate objective and the sponsor is eligible, the 870 may be the most directly relevant temporary Parent Visa to assess. A Visitor Visa may not provide the same continuous long-stay framework.
Case example: family ultimately wants permanent residence
If permanent migration is the real objective, a 173/143 or 884/864 pathway may be more aligned with that goal than Subclass 870. The family still needs to accept the contributory queue and substantially higher permanent Parent Visa costs.
Temporary Parent Visa FAQs
What is the main temporary Parent Visa in Australia?
Subclass 870 is the dedicated Sponsored Parent temporary visa, offering up to three or five years per grant subject to eligibility.
Can I stay 10 years on one 870 visa?
No. Ten years is the cumulative maximum across eligible grants, not one grant.
Is a Visitor Visa the same as a Parent Visa?
No. It is a general Subclass 600 visitor product that parents can use for genuine temporary visits.
Does 173 let me stay while waiting for 143?
The 173 is granted as a two-year temporary Contributory Parent Visa and can then be followed by a 143 application. It is itself subject to the contributory Parent Visa queue before grant.
Which temporary Parent Visa allows work?
Do not assume a temporary Parent Visa allows work. Subclass 870 and Visitor Visa 600 do not provide ordinary work rights. Check the specific grant and subclass.
Which temporary option fits which family objective?
| Family objective | Visa to assess first | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Visit for weeks or months | Visitor 600 | General temporary visitor pathway with comparatively low government charge |
| Stay for several years without PR | 870 Sponsored Parent | Dedicated 3- or 5-year sponsored parent arrangement |
| Temporary stage toward permanent 143 | 173 | Two-year contributory Parent Visa designed to transition to 143 |
| Onshore aged temporary stage toward 864 | 884 | Two-year contributory aged-parent pathway designed to transition to 864 |
What if the parent cannot pass the Balance of Family Test?
That can rule out the main permanent and contributory Parent Visa subclasses that require the test, but it does not automatically rule out Subclass 870 or an ordinary Visitor Visa. This makes temporary pathways particularly important for some families with children spread across several countries.
What if the family wants the parent in Australia now but permanent residence later?
This is where sequencing becomes critical. The family may be tempted to use 870 first and “sort out” a permanent Parent Visa later. However, the 870 framework restricts interaction with other Parent Visa applications. Before choosing 870, compare it against lodging the permanent pathway first or using a Visitor Visa where appropriate.
Can a Visitor Visa bridge the wait for a permanent Parent Visa?
A Parent Visa applicant can separately apply for a Visitor Visa if eligible, but the Visitor Visa must still be a genuine temporary visit. It is not a bridging visa and does not guarantee repeated entry while the Parent Visa remains pending.
Where a Visitor Visa is granted with Condition 8503, the parent may also be prevented from making most further visa applications while in Australia.
Can an 870 be used like a bridging visa?
No. It is a substantive temporary visa with its own sponsorship, application charges, conditions and maximum cumulative stay. Calling it a “bridge” can obscure the legal restrictions that apply to the 870 program.
Health insurance differences
Subclass 870 requires adequate health insurance arrangements and families should expect private healthcare costs. Visitor Visa holders are also generally responsible for their healthcare costs unless another eligibility basis applies. Temporary contributory Parent Visa holders have a different position and should check Medicare eligibility against the actual visa granted.
What happens if the sponsor’s circumstances change on 870?
Approved Parent Sponsors have ongoing obligations. Withdrawal or cancellation of sponsorship can affect the parent’s visa. Families should obtain advice promptly if the sponsoring child dies, withdraws support, becomes ineligible or the family relationship changes materially.
Can two parents use the same 870 sponsorship?
An approved Parent Sponsorship can cover up to two parents in the household framework, but the parents make their own visa applications. Costs and evidence therefore need to be budgeted for each parent rather than assuming one visa application covers the couple.
Can 173 or 884 be used simply for a two-year visit?
That is not their real function. They sit in the contributory Parent Visa program and are intended as stages toward the corresponding permanent visas. A family seeking only a temporary reunion should usually assess 600 or 870 before committing to a contributory Parent Visa queue and cost structure.
Temporary Parent Visa decision checklist
- How long does the parent genuinely want to stay?
- Is permanent residence the ultimate objective?
- Can the family satisfy the Balance of Family Test?
- Does the parent meet the aged-parent criterion?
- Can the proposed 870 sponsor satisfy sponsorship requirements?
- Can the family afford private health insurance and living costs?
- Is another Parent Visa application already pending?
- Does the parent need work rights?
How Emigrate Lawyers compares temporary Parent Visa strategies
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Related Parent Visa Services and Guides
Legal review: Reviewed by Madhab Kharel, Principal Lawyer, Emigrate Lawyers on 28 September 2026. This article is general information only and is not legal advice. Visa criteria, charges and conditions can change.
Official sources: Home Affairs — Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa 870; Visitor Visa Subclass 600; Parent Visa queue and processing information.
