What are the eligibility requirements for Australia's subclass 143 parent visa in 2026?
According to the Department of Home Affairs' official page for the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143), as of July 2026 this visa is decided on a checklist you must satisfy in full rather than on a points score: you need a settled Australian child, an approved sponsor, and pass the balance of family test, alongside health, character, an Assurance of Support and several administrative conditions. This is general information for people weighing an early decision, not advice tailored to any one family, so the official page and any professional you consult should be your final reference.
Who counts as the Australian child that makes me eligible?
The visa exists for parents of people who are already settled in Australia. The Department's summary of the process states that you must have an eligible child who is a settled Australian citizen, a settled Australian permanent resident, or a settled eligible New Zealand citizen.
Everything downstream of the application depends on that relationship. If the person you thought of as your "Australian link" turned out to be a temporary visa holder, the rest of the checklist becomes irrelevant, so confirming your child's settled status is usually the first practical step.
Who can sponsor me, and does the sponsorship itself get approved?
Yes — the sponsorship is assessed in its own right, not just declared. The official page requires you to have an eligible sponsor, and it states plainly that the Department must approve the sponsorship.
Usually your eligible child sponsors you. If that child is under 18, an eligible relative or a community organisation can sponsor instead. If you apply as a retiree (see below), you do not need a sponsor at all.
There is also a narrow protection: if you hold a Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa and your sponsor dies, you might still be eligible for the subclass 143 visa, depending on your circumstances.
Will I pass the balance of family test?
For most applicants this is the gatekeeper. The official page sets out that you meet the balance of family test if at least half of your children and step-children are eligible children, or there are more eligible children living in Australia than in any other single country.
The two limbs matter. The "at least half" limb counts eligible children — those settled in Australia as citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens — against all of your children and step-children, wherever they live; if those eligible children do not make up half, the second limb may still help, because Australia only needs to be the single country with the largest number of eligible children. Step-children count in the calculation, which surprises people who assumed only biological children do.
You do not have to take the test if you already hold a subclass 173 temporary Contributory Parent visa — you are treated as having met it already — or if you qualify as a retiree.
Can you skip the sponsor, the test and the Assurance of Support?
Three of the heaviest requirements can disappear, but only through specific pathways. Here is how they compare:
| Requirement | Standard application | Two-stage from subclass 173 | Retiree pathway (subclass 405/410) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible sponsor required | Yes, and must be approved | Yes, and must be approved | No |
| Balance of family test | Yes | Already met on the 173 | No |
| Assurance of Support | Yes | Yes | No |
| Health insurance obligation | Standard health requirement only | Standard health requirement only | Must maintain adequate cover until grant |
The retiree pathway applies if, on 8 May 2018, you held or had previously held an Investor Retirement (subclass 405) or Retirement (subclass 410) visa, you have not held any other substantive visa between 8 May 2018 and the date you apply, and you are in Australia. Because any other substantive visa in that window would break the transition, including a visitor visa, this point is worth checking carefully against current official guidance before you assume you are a retiree applicant.
The trade-off is that under this pathway you are personally liable for healthcare costs while the visa is processed and must hold adequate health insurance until it is granted, so the exemptions are not free.
Should I apply through the two-stage subclass 173 route instead?
If you already hold, or recently held, the temporary Contributory Parent (subclass 173) visa, you can apply for subclass 143 as the second stage. The official page accepts any of three situations: you hold a subclass 173 visa when you apply; you held one at any time in the 28 days before applying; or more than 28 days have passed since it ended and you can demonstrate compelling and compassionate circumstances — the Minister must be satisfied they exist, and it is your job to provide the evidence.
If none of those apply, the application is processed as a standard subclass 143 rather than as a two-stage pathway. Applying immediately after the 173 visa is granted is encouraged by the Department, because it helps ensure you meet every lodgement criterion while your temporary status is intact. Spreading cost over several years is the main reason families choose this route.
What else can make an otherwise-qualifying application fail?
Several conditions sit alongside the headline requirements, and each is assessed separately:
- Health and character. You and any family members applying with you must meet the health requirement and the character requirement. Non-migrating family members can also be asked to meet them.
- Assurance of Support. Unless you apply as a retiree, you must be able to obtain one. It is a guarantee that you will not rely on government assistance during the Assurance of Support period, covering you and family members who come with you. Your sponsor does not have to be the one providing it — an individual, several people, or an organisation can.
- Debts to the Australian Government. Any debt owed by you or family members must be repaid, or there must be an approved arrangement to repay it.
- Immigration history. Visa cancellations and previous refusals are considered at decision time and can make you ineligible.
- Australian Values Statement. Applicants aged 18 or over must have read, or had explained to them, the Life in Australia booklet and must sign the statement.
- No subclass 870 conflict. You cannot apply if you have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visa.
- Best interests of the child. The visa will not be granted where doing so would not be in the best interests of an applicant under 18.
Where do I have to be when I apply, and who can be included?
You and any family members applying with you can be in or outside Australia when you apply, but not in immigration clearance. The retiree pathway is stricter: you must be in Australia (though still not in immigration clearance) when applying, and you can be either in or outside Australia when the decision is made.
Family members can be included in the application, and details of all family members must be listed even if they are not migrating. Non-migrating members may still need to pass health and character checks. Retiree applicants can include a partner who is also a Retirement or Investor Retirement visa holder, but cannot include their children.
What does it cost, and how long will I wait?
The official page gives a from price of AUD49,900 for a single applicant, paid in two instalments — the first when you apply, the second when asked. Costs may be lower for Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) holders and holders of a substituted Visitor (subclass 600) visa, there are additional charges for each family member, and concessions apply in limited circumstances. From 1 July 2026 a lower application cost applies to eligible citizens of specified Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste whose valid passport is issued by one of those countries, with family members eligible on the basis of the primary applicant's passport.
On timing, the Department says only that demand for parent visas exceeds the places available each year, so processing times are long and applications are subject to capping and queuing in the order received. Decisions run in two stages: an initial assessment that either queues or refuses the application, then final assessment as places become available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply if I already hold or applied for a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visa?
No. The eligibility criteria state that you cannot apply for the subclass 143 visa if you have already applied for or hold a subclass 870 visa. The two visas sit in different streams, and this restriction applies whether the 870 application is pending or already granted.
Does my sponsor have to be the same person who provides the Assurance of Support?
No. The official page confirms the sponsor or a family member does not need to provide it, and that an individual, more than one person, or an organisation can do so. The Department will tell you when the Assurance of Support needs to be supplied.
Do I still need to meet the balance of family test if I came through subclass 173?
No. Subclass 173 holders are treated as having already met the test, and this continues to apply if you lodge subclass 143 before your temporary visa ceases. If more than 28 days have passed since it ended, you would need to demonstrate compelling and compassionate circumstances for the two-stage route.
Does the child sponsoring me have to be 18 or older?
Usually the eligible child sponsors you, and a separate arrangement kicks in if they are under 18. In that case an eligible relative or a community organisation can sponsor you instead, subject to the Department approving the sponsorship.
Can I include my partner and children in one subclass 143 application?
Family members can be included, though every family member — including those not migrating — must be listed on the form, and those not coming to Australia may still need to pass health and character checks. Retiree applicants can include a partner who is also a Retirement or Investor Retirement visa holder, but cannot include children.
Will a past refusal or cancellation disqualify me automatically?
Not automatically, but your immigration history is explicitly considered at decision time, which means a prior cancellation or refusal can make you ineligible. Whether any remaining avenue exists depends on how the limitation rules apply to your circumstances.