Can I stay in Australia while my parent visa 143 is processed in 2026?

Plain-language guide · general information, not immigration advice

No. Lodging a Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) application does not, by itself, give you the right to remain in Australia while it is processed. The Department of Home Affairs' Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) page states two things that decide the answer: you must be outside Australia while the Department processes your application unless you hold another valid visa, and you are not entitled to a bridging visa linked to your 143 application unless you fall into one of three narrow groups. This article explains those published rules for general guidance only; it is not advice tailored to your circumstances, and time-sensitive details should be confirmed against the latest official version or with a qualified professional.

The practical consequence is simple but easy to misread. You may be standing in Australia when you click submit, and that submission is perfectly valid — but the moment your existing visa ends, the 143 application itself holds nothing in reserve for you.

Can I lodge the subclass 143 application from inside Australia?

Yes, location at lodgement is not the same question as location during processing. You, and any family members applying with you, can be in or outside Australia — but not in immigration clearance — when you submit the application. If you apply as a retiree under the Retirement visa pathway, you must be in Australia, and not in immigration clearance, when you apply.

From 22 April 2026, applications must be lodged online through ImmiAccount, unless a technical issue prevents it and the Department allows a paper submission instead. Lodging while onshore therefore tells you nothing about whether you can remain onshore afterwards.

Who is entitled to a bridging visa while a 143 application is queued?

Only three groups. According to the official page, you are not entitled to a bridging visa associated with your subclass 143 application unless:

you are applying under the Retirement visa pathway,
you held a Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 173) when you applied, or
you are a family member of a subclass 173 visa holder.

Everyone else who wants to be in Australia during processing needs some other valid visa in their own right. There is no queue-linked bridging visa for a standard 143 applicant.

Who has to be outside Australia, and at what point?

Two separate moments matter: while the Department processes the application, and at the moment it makes a decision.

During processing, the rule is that you must be outside Australia unless you hold another valid visa. At decision time, the official page allows you to be in or outside Australia if you applied as a retiree, or if you hold or held a subclass 173 visa or a substituted Visitor visa (subclass 600) before submitting your application. All other Contributory Parent applicants must be outside Australia when the decision is made.

Your situation	Bridging visa tied to the 143?	During processing	At decision
Standard 143 applicant	No	Outside Australia unless you hold another valid visa	Must be outside Australia
Applied under the Retirement visa pathway	Yes	Can remain in Australia	In or outside Australia
Held a subclass 173 visa when applying	Yes	Can remain in Australia	In or outside Australia
Family member of a subclass 173 holder	Yes	Can remain in Australia	Depends on whether you personally hold or held a 173 or substituted Visitor (600) visa
Held a substituted Visitor visa (600) before applying	Not listed among the bridging visa exceptions	Outside Australia unless you hold another valid visa	In or outside Australia

That last row is the one most often missed: being allowed to be onshore for the decision is not the same as being granted a bridging visa to wait there.

What happens if my current visa expires before the decision?

If you are in Australia and your current temporary visa is about to expire, you need to stay lawful by holding a valid visa while the application is processed. If none of the three bridging visa exceptions applies and you have no other visa, the lawful option is to be outside Australia.

This matters beyond the immediate stay. The Department considers your immigration history when it decides your application, and it may refuse the visa if an applicant has had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused. The official page also tells applicants not to arrange to stay permanently in Australia until the visa is granted.

How long is the wait, and why does that change the answer?

Long enough that "wait it out onshore" is rarely a plan that survives contact with the rules. The official page says demand for Parent visas is greater than the number of places available each year, so applications are subject to capping and queueing and are processed in the order received. Assessment happens in two stages: an initial assessment to decide whether to add the application to the queue or refuse it, then a final assessment as places become available.

The Department also states it cannot provide progress updates within normal processing times, and directs applicants to the Parent visa queue release dates page for processing times. For a queue measured in years, the difference between holding a bridging visa and holding nothing is the difference between a lawful wait and an overstay.

What if I applied as a retiree, or already hold a subclass 173 visa?

Both routes change the picture, but for different reasons.

Retiree applicants under the Retirement visa pathway must be in Australia to apply, do not need to meet the balance of family test, and need neither a sponsor nor an Assurance of Support. They are personally liable for their healthcare costs in Australia while the visa is processed and must maintain adequate health insurance until it is granted. A retiree applicant can include a partner who also holds a Retirement or Investor Retirement visa, but cannot include children.

Subclass 173 holders are using the two-stage pathway: the temporary visa first, then the permanent 143. The Department encourages applying for the 143 immediately after the 173 is granted, and you must apply before the 173 expires. Because the balance of family test was already met for the 173, it does not need to be met again. If your 173 ended within the 28 days before you apply, or you held it when you applied, you can still use this pathway; beyond 28 days you would need to demonstrate compelling and compassionate circumstances and satisfy the Minister.

What should I keep on top of while the application is queued?

The application is not passive during the wait. The Department will tell you when it needs health examinations, biometrics, further information, and the Assurance of Support, and it warns applicants not to arrange police checks until asked.

You also need to tell the Department about changes to your phone number, email, address, passport, relationship status, and family composition, including the birth of a child. The second instalment of the visa application charge must be paid before the visa can be granted, and the application will be refused if that invoice goes unpaid. The visa costs from AUD49,900 for a single applicant, with the cost potentially lower for subclass 173 and substituted Visitor (subclass 600) visa holders, and additional charges for each family member who applies with you. The application fee is not refunded if the application is refused. Separately, you cannot apply for the 143 if you have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870).

Frequently Asked Questions

Does lodging a 143 application give me a bridging visa automatically?

No. The Department of Home Affairs states that you are not entitled to a bridging visa associated with a subclass 143 application unless you apply under the Retirement visa pathway, held a subclass 173 visa when you applied, or are a family member of a subclass 173 holder. Everyone else must rely on another valid visa or be outside Australia during processing.

Can I be in Australia when the 143 decision is made?

Only in limited cases. You may be in or outside Australia at decision if you applied as a retiree, or if you hold or held a subclass 173 visa or a substituted Visitor visa (subclass 600) before submitting your application. All other Contributory Parent applicants must be outside Australia when the decision is made.

I hold a subclass 173 visa — can I stay in Australia while the 143 is processed?

Yes, on the basis of the bridging visa exception. The official page lists 173 holders, and family members of 173 holders, as entitled to a bridging visa linked to the 143 application. You must still apply for the 143 before your subclass 173 visa expires.

What if I applied as a retiree?

Retiree applicants must be in Australia when they apply, and they are one of the groups entitled to a bridging visa while the application is processed. They may be in or outside Australia at decision, but must maintain adequate health insurance until the visa is granted because they are personally liable for their healthcare costs during processing.

My visitor visa will expire while my 143 is in the queue. What happens?

You need to hold a valid visa to stay lawful in Australia while the application is processed. If you are not in one of the three bridging visa groups and have no other visa, you would need to be outside Australia. The Department considers immigration history when deciding the application, and it also advises applicants not to arrange to stay permanently until the visa is granted.

Does time spent in Australia on another visa count toward my permanent residency?

Permanent residency for citizenship purposes starts on the day the visa is granted if you are in Australia, or on the day you enter Australia on this visa if you are outside Australia. Once granted, the visa is permanent: you can stay indefinitely, work and study, enrol in Medicare, and travel to and from Australia for five years from the grant date while the travel facility is valid.

Can I apply for a subclass 870 visa while waiting for the 143?

Not on the basis of any published subclass 143 rule: the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) page states you cannot apply for the subclass 143 visa if you have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870), and that you must withdraw any other undecided Parent visa application when you apply for the 143. It does not state a rule barring a subclass 870 application while a 143 is pending. The Department lists subclass 870 and the 173-then-143 two-stage pathway as separate alternatives to a direct 143 application.