Australia’s parent visa program is one of the most misunderstood parts of the migration system — and one of the most expensive. Two parallel pathways exist for the same outcome (a parent permanently joining a child settled in Australia), and the difference between them isn’t eligibility, it’s how much you’re willing to pay and how long you’re willing to wait. Here’s how the two streams actually compare in 2026.
The two streams: contributory vs non-contributory
Subclass 103 (Non-Contributory Parent visa) is the cheaper option on paper but comes with an extraordinarily long queue — current estimates put new applications at roughly 30+ years of processing time, because the government issues a small, capped number of these places each year and the queue is enormous. Applicants who lodge today are, realistically, lodging for a future generation’s benefit rather than their own near-term reunification.
Subclass 143 (Contributory Parent visa) costs many times more but moves faster — current estimates put it at roughly 12-15 years, still long by most visa standards, but a fraction of the 103 wait. The “contribution” is a much higher second-instalment visa application charge, which functions as a de facto queue-jump fee reflecting the additional health and welfare costs contributory-visa parents are expected to self-fund over time.
There are also temporary bridging options — Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870) and transitional pathways from 143 — but the two permanent subclasses above are what most families compare.
2026 fees (per applicant)
| Subclass 103 (non-contributory) | Subclass 143 (contributory) | |
|---|---|---|
| First instalment (VAC1) | AUD 5,280 | AUD 5,040 |
| Second instalment (VAC2) | AUD 2,065 | AUD 43,600 (direct) / AUD 19,420 (via temporary pathway) |
| Total per applicant | ≈AUD 7,345 | ≈AUD 48,640 (direct) / AUD 24,460 (transition) |
For a couple applying together, contributory-visa Commonwealth charges alone can run close to AUD 94,000–96,000 before migration agent fees, medicals, police checks, and (for 143) the Assurance of Support bond. These are the largest visa application charges in the entire Australian migration system — always confirm the current instalment amounts on the official Department of Home Affairs fee schedule before budgeting, as VAC amounts are indexed and change during the year.
Eligibility: the balance of family test
Both subclasses require the applicant to pass the balance of family test: at least half of their children must live permanently in Australia, or more of their children live permanently in Australia than in any other single country. If a parent has three children and two live in the US while one lives in Australia, they will not pass — Australia isn’t where the plurality of their children have settled. This test catches out more applicants than any other eligibility criterion, so calculate it carefully (including step-children and adopted children, who generally count) before starting the application.
Sponsorship
The sponsoring child must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen, “settled” in Australia (generally meaning usually resident, not just visiting), and able to meet ongoing sponsorship obligations, which can include supporting the parent’s initial settlement. Sponsors are approved separately through Australia’s online sponsorship framework before the visa application itself can be finalised.
Assurance of Support (subclass 143 only)
Contributory parent visa applicants need an Assurance of Support — a formal, bonded commitment from an assurer (often, but not always, the sponsoring child) to financially support the parent and repay certain social security payments the parent might otherwise draw on, for a set period after arrival. This adds another layer of financial planning on top of the visa application charges themselves, and the bond is held by Services Australia, not simply promised.
Health and character
Both parents must meet standard health and character requirements — but the Department is explicit that applicants should not arrange medical examinations or police clearance certificates before being asked to. Given multi-year queues, health evidence collected too early will simply expire and need repeating; wait for the formal request, which typically comes only once your place in the queue is close to being reached.
Realistically, which one should you choose?
- If your parent is relatively young and the family can genuinely wait 20-30+ years, subclass 103 is far cheaper — but for most families, “eventually, someday” isn’t the actual goal. Many applicants lodge a 103 anyway simply to hold their place in a very long queue while they save toward a possible switch, since queue position, once lodged, doesn’t reset. Note that switching requires making a whole new visa application - not simply topping up fees.
- If reunification within roughly a decade matters and the family can fund the second instalment (often AUD 40,000+ per parent), subclass 143 is the realistic path, and it’s the subclass most migration agents recommend when timing genuinely matters (e.g., aging parents, health needs).
- The temporary Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870) can bridge a multi-year wait by allowing a parent to live in Australia for up to 5 years at a time on a temporary basis, subject to its own sponsorship, health insurance, and cap conditions — worth investigating in parallel with either permanent application.
FAQ
Can I apply for both 103 and 143? No — you choose one pathway per application; you cannot lodge both simultaneously for the same applicant, though some families lodge a 103 for queue position and separately fund a 143 application later if circumstances change.
Does the processing time estimate mean I’ll wait that exact length? It’s a rolling estimate based on current queue processing rates, published by the Department and regularly updated — treat it as a planning range, not a guarantee, and re-check the official Global Visa Processing Times tool periodically.
Is private health insurance required while waiting? Not for the permanent 103/143 applications themselves, but strongly recommended, and mandatory for the temporary subclass 870 bridge option.
This is general preparation guidance, not migration or legal advice — parent visa costs, caps, and processing estimates change, so confirm current figures directly with the Department of Home Affairs or a registered migration agent before committing. See our Partner visa 820/801 guide if you’re sponsoring a spouse rather than a parent, or the Australia visa fees breakdown for how parent-visa costs compare to other categories. Join the VisaMet waitlist for help tracking eligibility and document readiness across a multi-year application.
Sources: RACC Australia – Parent Visa Guide, Openvisa – Australia Parent Visa 2026, Department of Home Affairs – Parent visa program.