Australian parent visa costs

Getting an Australian parent visa is frequently characterized by its extended duration and significant expenses. Consequently, numerous families opt to expedite the process by paying higher visa application fees. However, the contributory visa pathway still takes at least 12 years to process; therefore, it is essential to think carefully about the cost and associated fees.

Cost breakdown

Visa Application Fee: This is the main cost you need to pay to the Australian Government when you submit your application. Depending on the visa subclass that you apply to, the visa application fee varies. 

A parent visa application will normally incur the following fees:

[table]

[thead]

[tr]

[th]Visa Type[/th]

[th]Visa Applicantion Fee (AUD)[/th]

[th]Payment Timeline (AUD)[/th]

[/tr]

[/thead]

[tbody]

[tr]

[td]Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870)[/td]

[td]$5,735 for a visa up to 3 years; $11,470 for a visa up to 5 years [/td]

[td]Pay $1,145 at the time of application; Pay $4,590 (for 3-year visa) or $10,325 (for 5-year visa) before grant of visa [/td]

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[/tr]

[tr]

[td]Aged Parent visa (subclass 804)[/td]

[td]$7,055 for the main applicant; $4,650 for additional applicant 18 and over; $3,315 for children under 18 [/td]

[td]Pay base application charge and any additional applicant charge at the time of application; Pay the second instalment for each person included on the application before grant of visa[/td]

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[/tr]

[tr]

[td]Parent visa (subclass 103)[/td]

[td]$7,055 for the main applicant; $4,650 for additional applicant 18 and over; $3,315 for children under 18[/td]

[td]Pay base application charge and any additional applicant charge at the time of application; Pay the second instalment for each person included on the application before grant of visa[/td]

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[/tr]

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[/tr]

[tr]

[td]Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 173)[/td]

[td]$32,340 for the main applicant; $30,735 for additional applicant 18 and over; $29,935 for children under 18 [/td]

[td]Pay base application charge and any additional applicant charge at the time of application; Pay the second instalment for each person included on the application before grant of visa [/td]

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[/tr]

[tr]

[td]Contributory Parent visa (Subclass 143) (subclass 115)[/td]

[td]$48,362 for the main applicant; $45,205 for additional applicant 18 and over; $44,405 for children under 18 [/td]

[td]Pay base application charge and any additional applicant charge at the time of application; Pay the second instalment for each person included on the application before grant of visa [/td]

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[/tr]

[tr]

[td]Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 884)[/td]

[td]$33,895 for the main applicant; $31,510 for additional applicant 18 and over; $30,325 for children under 18 [/td]

[td]Pay base application charge and any additional applicant charge at the time of application; Pay the second instalment for each person included on the application before grant of visa[/td]

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[/tr]

[tr]

[td]Contributory Aged Parent visa (subclass 864)[/td]

[td]$48,365 for the main applicant; $45,980 for additional applicant 18 and over; $44,795 for children under 18 [/td]

[td]Pay base application charge and any additional applicant charge at the time of application; Pay the second instalment for each person included on the application before grant of visa[/td]

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[/tbody]

[/table]

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Other associated fees

Assurance of Support: Permanent parent visas including subclass 103, 804, 143, and 864 require an Assurance of Support provided by an assurer. An Assurance of Support is a legal agreement between the assurer and the Australian government that the assurer promises to support the visa applicant(s) financially for a period of time. The forms of assurance are bank guarantee and term deposit. The amount of guarantee depends on the number of assurees, assurance period, and whether the assurer is an individual or an organisation, 

If the assurer is an individual, and:

• The assuree applies for subclass 103 or 804 visa, the guarantee is:
  -$5,000 for 1 adult
  -$7,000 for 2 adults

• The assuree applies for subclass 143 or 864 visa, the guarantee is:
  -$10,000 for 1 adult
  -$14,000 for 2 adults

If the assurer is an organisation, and:

• The assuree applies for subclass 103 or 804 visa, the guarantee is $10,000 for 1 or 2 adults
• The assuree applies for subclass 143 or 864 visa, the guarantee is $20,000 for 1 or 2 adults

Medical Examination: Each person included in your application will need to undergo a medical examination. This costs approximately $400 per adult and $350 per child, and you'll pay this fee directly to the doctor conducting the examination.

Biometrics Collection: Visa applicants may be requested to provide biometrics including fingerprints and face structure (photos) during the application process. This fee is paid to the Australian Biometric Collection Centres or their overseas service providers.

Police Checks: Depending on where you've lived, you might need to pay for police checks. This fee is paid to the police authorities in the countries where you've lived for 12 months or more.

Document Translation: If your documents are not in English, they will need to be translated. The fee for this service varies, and you'll pay it directly to the person responsible for translating your documents.

Remember, these are the fees as of 1 July 2023. It's always a good idea to check the most current fees on the Australian Government's website or with an Australian Migration Lawyer to ensure you have the most accurate and up-to-date information.

Visa application

Australia offers a variety of parent visas, each designed to cater to different age groups and individual requirements. While the eligibility criteria for each parent visa type may vary slightly, there are certain key requirements that are applicable to all applicants:

• You must have a child who is a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen;
• You must have an approved Parent sponsor;
• You must meet the health and character requirements;
• You must not currently owe or have a family member who currently owes money to the Australian government;
• For a permanent visa application, you must able to obtain an assurance of support, guaranteeing that you will not have to rely on governmental assistance after you enter Australia; (except for subclass 870);
• You must meet the balance of family test (except for subclass 870);
• You must not have had a previously cancelled or refused visa; and
• You must sign the Australian values statement (except for subclass 870).

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Parent visas can be broadly classified into Temporary and permanent parent visas, with a further subclass for aged parents who are old enough to receive the Australian age pension. 

Contributory aged parent visa (864), aged parent visa (804) and parent visa (103)

These visas allows you to stay in Australia indefinitely, work and study in Australia, enrol in Medicare, and if eligible, apply for Australian citizenship. Additionally you can sponsor eligible relatives to come to Australia and travel to and from Australia for five years. Applicants must not currently hold nor have applied for a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (870). For the Aged Parent visa (804), applicants must be old enough to receive the age pension in Australia.

Contributory parent visa (143)

If you’re applying for a Contributory Parent visa (143) as a retiree, it’s important to note that you’ll need to maintain adequate health insurance until your visa is granted. Your insurance policy should cover medically necessary treatments, including transport. Applications can be made from inside or outside of Australia.

Parent temporary visa grant

Temporary parent visas enable parents of settled Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens to temporarily live in Australia.

Sponsored parent (temporary) visa (870)

Temporary sponsored parent visas (870) enable parents of settled Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens to live in Australia for up to three or five years with an option to apply for further visas allowing for a maximum stay of 10 years. To be eligible, applicants must have an approved parent sponsor and lodge their application online within six months of the sponsorship approval or 60 days if given permission to apply in Australia. However, sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa holders cannot engage in paid work and must satisfy various additional requirements.  

For more information on the sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (870) requirements, click here.

Contributory parent (temporary) visa (173)

Contributory parent (temporary) visas allow a successful application to reside in Australia for a maximum of two years, as well as work and study in Australia and apply for a permanent Contributory parent visa (subclass 143). Applications can be made from inside or outside of Australia.

Contributory aged parent (temporary) visa (884)

Contributory aged parent (temporary) visas (884) enables successful applicants to reside in Australia for a maximum of 2 years as well as work and study in Australia and apply for a permanent Contributory aged parent visa (864).