Why is the Australian parent visa so expensive in 2026, and what are the two instalments?

Plain-language guide · general information, not immigration advice

The short answer: the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) is priced from AUD49,900 for a single applicant, and that money is collected in two instalments — the first when you lodge, the second when the Department of Home Affairs invoices you. If the second instalment is not paid, the application is refused and the fee is not refunded. That is the rule as set out on the Department of Home Affairs Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) official page, as of the July 2026 official page. Treat the following as general information about the published rules rather than advice on any one family's case, and check the current official pricing page, since government charges change.

Why is subclass 143 priced so much higher than other parent visas?

Because it is a contributory visa. The Department's own comparison describes the two-stage route — a Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 173) followed by this visa — as faster but more expensive than the non-contributory Parent visa (subclass 103).

Three things drive the total upward from the headline figure:

Every person costs money. The AUD49,900 starting point is for one applicant. There are additional charges for each family member who applies with you.
Third-party costs are on top. You may also need to pay for health checks, police certificates and biometrics for each applicant.
The charge is not the only financial commitment. When the Department asks for it, you must provide an Assurance of Support — a commitment that can be given by one person, several people, or an organisation, and does not have to come from the sponsor. Retiree applicants are exempt.

What you are buying is a permanent visa: indefinite stay, work and study rights, enrolment in Medicare, a five-year travel facility, and a path to citizenship if you later qualify.

Is AUD49,900 the total, or just the start?

Just the start, for most families. The official page lists three ways the figure moves:

Family members add a charge each.
Costs may be lower if you hold a Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa or a substituted Visitor (subclass 600) visa.
Concessions apply in limited circumstances, and from 1 July 2026 a lower visa cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid application. Eligibility is recognised from a valid passport issued by one of the listed countries, and family members get the lower cost based on the primary applicant's passport.

Beyond the visa charge itself, budget separately for health examinations, police certificates and any biometrics the Department requests.

How do the two instalments actually work?

Instalment	When it is due	What happens if it isn't paid
First	When you lodge the application	The Department will only process an application if the correct visa application charge is paid; it will notify you and may return the application
Second	When the Department sends you an invoice	The visa will not be granted; the application is refused, and the fee is not refunded

Assessment runs in two stages: an initial check to decide whether the application joins the queue or is refused, then a final assessment as places become available. The request for the second instalment therefore arrives long after lodgement — years, given that demand for parent visas exceeds the places available and applications are subject to capping and queueing.

What happens if the second instalment goes unpaid?

This is the part families underestimate. The official page is blunt: you must pay the second instalment before the visa is granted, the Department sends an invoice when it is due, and if you do not pay the invoice, the application is refused. The application fee is not refunded when an application is refused.

So the realistic downside of missing the second instalment is not a delay — it is losing the money already paid and the queue position already waited out.

Suppose an applicant lodges, pays the first instalment, waits years in the queue, and then cannot raise the second instalment by the invoice deadline. On the published rules, the outcome is refusal, no refund, and a fresh application would start again at the back of the queue.

Can I spread the cost instead of paying it all at once?

Yes, by using the two-step route: apply for the Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 173) first, then the subclass 143. The Department frames this as a way to spread the cost over several years. It is faster than the subclass 103 route, but it costs more than applying directly for the subclass 143, because the total is carried across two visas over a longer period.

If you take this route, you must apply for the subclass 143 before your subclass 173 visa expires, and the Department encourages lodging the permanent stage immediately after the temporary visa is granted. As a subclass 173 holder you have already met the balance of family test and will not need to meet it again.

Does paying both instalments guarantee the visa?

No. Payment is a processing condition, not a decision. You still have to meet the eligibility criteria, health and character requirements, and provide an Assurance of Support when asked. Other rules also bite at the payment stage: the Department can only process an application if the correct visa application charge has been paid, and it will notify you — and if necessary return the application — if the amount is wrong.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is AUD49,900 the full price of a subclass 143 visa?

No — it is the starting cost for a single applicant on the official page. Additional charges apply for each family member who applies with you, and health checks, police certificates and biometrics are separate costs.

When exactly do I pay the second instalment?

When the Department asks you to. It sends an invoice when the second instalment is due, and the visa cannot be granted until that invoice is paid.

What happens if I miss the second instalment?

The Department will refuse the application. It states plainly that unpaid invoices lead to refusal, and that the application fee is not refunded when an application is refused.

Can I get a refund if my application is refused?

The official page states that the application fee is not refunded if the application is refused. That applies regardless of how much of the queue wait you have already served.

Is there a cheaper way to spread the cost?

The two-stage route — subclass 173 first, then subclass 143 — spreads the cost over several years. It costs more in total than applying directly for subclass 143, but it is faster than the non-contributory Parent visa (subclass 103).

Do family members each add to the visa cost?

Yes. The official page confirms additional charges for each family member who applies with you, on top of any per-applicant costs such as health checks, police certificates and biometrics.