Welcome to Ebra Partners
Parent Visas
Bring your parents to Australia. Our migration lawyers advise on temporary and permanent parent visas, the balance of family test, sponsorship, and assurance of support.
Parent Visa Overview
Australia offers both temporary and permanent parent visas. Temporary visas allow extended stays without granting residence, while permanent visas allow your parents to settle in Australia indefinitely. Which option suits your family depends on whether your parents are inside or outside Australia, whether they meet the balance of family test, their age, and what you are able to contribute financially.
Temporary
Temporary parent visas let your parents spend extended time in Australia without granting permanent residence. Two of them are also the first stage of a contributory permanent pathway.
Subclass 870 Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa
Allows a parent to stay in Australia for up to five years at a time under an approved sponsorship, with no pathway to permanent residence and no balance of family test.
Subclass 884 Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) Visa
A two-year temporary visa for parents already in Australia who are old enough to receive the Australian age pension, forming the first stage towards the Subclass 864 permanent visa.
Subclass 173 Contributory Parent (Temporary) Visa
A two-year temporary visa for parents applying from outside Australia, forming the first stage towards the Subclass 143 permanent visa and allowing the cost to be split across two payments.
Permanent
Permanent parent visas grant residence indefinitely, with access to Medicare and a pathway to citizenship. They can be applied for directly, or as the second stage after a contributory temporary visa.
Subclass 864 Contributory Aged Parent (Permanent) Visa
Permanent residence for parents who are in Australia and are old enough to receive the Australian age pension, applied for directly or as the second stage after a Subclass 884 visa.
Subclass 143 Contributory Parent (Permanent) Visa
Permanent residence for parents applying from outside Australia, applied for directly or as the second stage after a Subclass 173 visa.
Bringing Your Parents to Australia
For many families, having parents nearby is what makes life in Australia feel complete — whether that is help with grandchildren, care as parents grow older, or simply being in the same city again. The parent visa program makes this possible, but it is one of the most competitive and expensive parts of Australian migration, and the right strategy matters enormously.
The first decision is temporary or permanent. The Subclass 870 Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa is often overlooked but can be the practical answer for families who want their parents here for long stretches without committing to the cost and wait of a permanent visa. It does not require the balance of family test, but it gives no pathway to permanent residence and no access to Medicare or work rights.
The second decision is contributory or non-contributory. Contributory parent visas cost significantly more but are processed far more quickly than the non-contributory Subclass 103 and 804 visas, where the queue can run for decades. Contributory visas can also be taken in two stages — a temporary visa (Subclass 173 or 884) followed by the permanent visa (Subclass 143 or 864) — which spreads the cost over time, though the combined total is higher than applying directly.
The third decision is onshore or offshore. Subclass 173 and 143 applications are lodged and must be decided while your parents are outside Australia. Subclass 884 and 864 applications are for parents already in Australia who are old enough to receive the Australian age pension, and generally attract a bridging visa so they can remain here while the application is processed. We assess all three decisions together, because they interact — and because choosing wrongly can mean years of avoidable delay.
The Balance of Family Test
The balance of family test is the threshold requirement that stops most parent visa applications before they start. It applies to every parent visa except the Subclass 870 Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa.
To pass, your parents must show either that at least half of their children are Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens usually resident in Australia, or that more of their children live lawfully and permanently in Australia than in any other single country.
All of the children of the parent are counted, not only those who have migrated — including step-children, adopted children, and children from previous relationships. Children who have died are not counted, and in limited circumstances a child may be excluded where they cannot be located or are a refugee. Because the test counts children who live in a third country as part of the comparison, families spread across several countries sometimes pass when they assume they cannot, and families with most children in one overseas country often fail when they assume they will pass.
This is the first thing we check. Running the test properly before any application charge is paid saves families a great deal of money and disappointment, and where the test is not currently met we can advise on whether circumstances are likely to change and what alternatives exist in the meantime.
Processing Times
Parent visa processing times are the longest in the family migration program, and they change regularly. Contributory parent visas are processed considerably faster than non-contributory ones, but even contributory applications are measured in years rather than months.
Rather than quote figures that date quickly, we point clients to the authoritative source: the Department of Home Affairs publishes current global visa processing times for every subclass at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au, and updates them each month. Parent visa queue release dates are published separately and also affect how long an application waits before a final decision.
Two practical points follow from this. First, apply as early as you reasonably can — the queue position is set by when the application is lodged, and health requirements are assessed much later. Second, plan for the gap: for offshore applicants this usually means visitor visas in the interim, and for onshore applicants it means understanding exactly what a bridging visa does and does not allow. We will explain both when we map out your family's timeline.
Parent Visas — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the balance of family test?
The balance of family test requires that at least half of your children are Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens who usually live in Australia, or that more of your children live lawfully and permanently in Australia than in any other single country. It applies to every parent visa except the Subclass 870 Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa.
What is the difference between a contributory and a non-contributory parent visa?
Contributory parent visas (Subclass 173, 143, 884 and 864) involve a substantially higher visa application charge but are processed far more quickly. Non-contributory parent visas (Subclass 103 and 804) are much cheaper but have extremely long queues. For most families the contributory pathway is the only realistic option, and we will explain the cost difference clearly before you decide.
How long do parent visas take to process?
Parent visa processing times are among the longest in the migration program and change regularly. The Department of Home Affairs publishes current global processing times for each subclass on its website and updates them monthly — that is the authoritative source. Contributory parent visas are processed considerably faster than non-contributory ones, and queue release dates also affect the overall wait.
Can my parents stay in Australia while their parent visa is processed?
It depends. Parents who apply onshore for a Subclass 804 or 884 visa generally receive a bridging visa allowing them to remain in Australia. Parents who apply offshore (Subclass 173, 143) must remain outside Australia when the visa is granted and typically visit on a visitor visa in the meantime. The Subclass 870 visa is a separate option for extended visits without a permanent pathway.
Do I need to be a sponsor and can I be asked to repay costs?
Yes. A parent visa requires a sponsor — usually a child who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen and who has been settled in Australia. Contributory parent visas also require an assurance of support, under which the assurer gives a financial undertaking and lodges a bond that can be drawn on if certain social security payments are claimed.