More time together starts with the right Parent visa plan.
Understand your parents’ options for living in Australia—whether they’re overseas, visiting now, or already waiting for a visa. Get practical guidance on eligibility, costs, bridging visas and the years before a decision.
Registered Migration Agent Sunil Choudhary · MARN 2418425
Advice tailored to your family’s age, location, visa conditions and long-term plans.
Family reunification, planned with care.
Which situation sounds like your family?
Your parents’ age, location and current visa conditions often determine the starting point. Select the pathway that best reflects your circumstances.
My parents are visiting Australia
Parents aged 67 or older may be able to consider an onshore Aged Parent visa. Current visa conditions must be checked first.
My parents live overseas
Explore Parent and Contributory Parent visas. A standard offshore-style application does not usually give a bridging visa.
We want a longer temporary stay
Subclass 870 can permit eligible parents to visit for three or five years, with approved sponsorship and separate restrictions.
We already lodged a Parent visa
Existing applications, queue dates, No Further Stay conditions and bridging arrangements may change the available choices.
Permanent migration or an extended visit?
Every Parent visa serves a different purpose. Choose an outcome first—permanent residence, lawful stay during processing, or temporary family reunification.
Onshore aged-parent visas
804 · 864 · 884
For eligible aged parents applying from within Australia. Ordinary onshore applications may provide access to a Bridging Visa A.
Permanent Parent pathways
103 · 143 · 173
Permanent or two-stage contributory options that generally do not provide an ordinary BVA solely through a pending application.
Extended temporary visits
870
Spend more time together without permanent residency. A separate sponsor income test, health insurance and no-work rule apply.
Where can your parents live while waiting?
An application acknowledgement is not a bridging visa. Ordinary subclass 804, 864 and 884 applicants may receive bridging arrangements when eligible; standard subclass 143 and 173 applications generally do not. Visitor visa conditions, including 8503, can prevent a valid onshore application.
About 18 years
Home Affairs’ published planning estimate, not an individual guarantee.
About 42 years
Families should plan realistically for a very long wait.
Understand the financial commitment early
Government visa charges, a possible Assurance of Support and healthcare costs all affect the family budget. The figures below are standard published totals for a single primary applicant, current in October 2026.
$8,665
103 / 804 Parent visas
Lower government charges, but the non-contributory queue is substantially longer.
$49,900
143 / 864 Contributory visas
Higher charges, usually payable in two instalments, with a shorter contributory queue.
Medicare
Not automatic while waiting
An ordinary Parent visa application or bridging visa does not by itself make a parent eligible for Medicare.
Important: Standard charges may differ for additional applicants, previous temporary contributory holders and some eligible concessions. Published queue estimates can change. Read the full comparison.
How an A2MS Parent Visa assessment works
Understand your family
We review parental age, location, sponsoring children and family circumstances.
Check visa history
We examine current visa grants, VEVO and conditions such as 8503 where relevant.
Compare pathways
We discuss applicable subclasses, government charges, queues, work and Medicare considerations.
Plan the application
You receive clarity on the potential next steps and professional assistance available.
Advice led by Sunil Choudhary
Registered Migration Agent · MARN 2418425
Bringing parents to Australia often means balancing family priorities with strict visa validity rules and very long processing queues. A2MS helps families understand the practical consequences before selecting an option.
Our focus is on clear assessments, accurate explanations and a migration plan grounded in your circumstances—not assumptions about automatic bridging visas or promised processing times.
Explore our Parent Visa resource centre
Detailed answers for different situations, written for families seeking realistic information before starting or changing an application.
Questions families ask us most
Start with clarity. Make your next step count.
Whether your parents are overseas, in Australia on a Visitor visa or already have a Parent application pending, A2MS can help you assess the available pathways and important restrictions.
A2MS – Aussie Academics and Migration Services® · GO1, 450 Pulteney Street, Adelaide SA 5000 · info@a2ms.com.au
Important information: General information, updated October 2026. Eligibility, current fees, bridging visa arrangements and processing times depend on legislation and individual circumstances and may change. No visa grant or processing time can be guaranteed. Home Affairs Parent visa queues · Government visa pricing.
