How much does the Australia subclass 173 parent visa cost in 2026?
As of the August 2026 official page, the Australian Department of Home Affairs states on its Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 173) visa-listing page that this visa costs from AUD 33,375 for a single applicant, with additional charges for each family member who applies with you. That amount is the headline government charge only: it is paid across two instalments, and it does not include separate per-applicant costs such as health checks, police certificates and biometrics. This article is general reference material about published government charges, not personalised advice on your circumstances — figures change with indexation and policy, so treat the official pricing pages as the authority and speak to a registered migration agent or legal practitioner about your own case.
Does AUD 33,375 cover everyone in the application?
No. The published starting figure is priced per person, not per application, and the unit matters when you are budgeting for a couple or a larger family:
- Single applicant — from AUD 33,375.
- Each family member included — an additional charge applies per person; the Home Affairs page states this without publishing a single flat number, so a two-parent application costs more than the headline figure.
- Exact amount — the page directs applicants to the Department's "Current visa pricing" page for the amount that applies to their own combination of applicants.
Assume a hypothetical applicant: a mother applies alone and later adds nothing to the application; her government charge starts at the single-applicant figure. A couple lodging together pays the starting amount plus one additional family member charge, and each person's separate health and character costs sit on top.
How is the cost split into two instalments?
The Subclass 173 charge is paid in two parts rather than as one up-front payment:
- First instalment — paid when you lodge. Online lodgement is not available for this temporary contributory visa; you lodge the paper Form 47PA with payment evidence included, so the first instalment accompanies the mailed or couriered application.
- Second instalment — paid later, when the Department issues an invoice. Payment is required before the visa can be granted.
The spread of payments is the main structural reason this visa exists: the 173 is the temporary first stage before you apply for the permanent Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143). Note also that the Department processes the visa application only if the correct charge has been paid, and it will notify you and may return the application if the amount is wrong.
Which costs are charged on top of the visa application charge?
Every applicant in the application carries their own set of related costs. According to the Home Affairs page, these may include:
| Extra cost | Charged per | When it arises |
|---|---|---|
| Health checks / examinations | Each applicant | After the Department asks you to complete them |
| Police certificates | Each applicant, if requested | Only requested when asked — do not arrange one unprompted |
| Biometrics (fingerprints and photos) | Each applicant, if requested | Only if the Department asks |
These amounts are not part of the AUD 33,375 figure and are not included in the instalments described above. Practically, the total cash you need is the per-person visa charge plus per-person administrative and assessment costs, with several of them arriving at different points in a multi-year process.
Is there any way to pay less?
Concessions are limited, and the most clearly defined one has a 2026 start date:
- Pacific Island and Timor-Leste passport holders — from 1 July 2026, a lower visa application cost applies to eligible citizens who lodge a valid application. Eligibility is recognised through a valid passport from a specified country held by the primary applicant, and family members in the same application receive the lower cost based on that primary applicant's passport. The listed countries are the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
- Other concessions are described by the Department as applying "in limited circumstances", without a general published test on this page.
Does the 173 route cost more than applying directly for the permanent visa?
Yes, on the Department's own framing. The Home Affairs page compares the options directly: the two-stage path (Subclass 173 followed by Subclass 143) costs more than applying directly for the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143), and also more than the Parent visa (subclass 103), but the cost is spread across the two visas over a longer period. In exchange, the 173 grants up to two years in Australia, with work and study rights (no government support), multiple entry, and a requirement to apply for the 143 before the temporary visa expires.
So the decision is rarely "which number is smaller" — it is whether paying a larger total across two stages fits your family's timeline and cash flow better than paying the direct 143 amount sooner.
What happens to the money if the application is not granted?
Paid government money is not recovered through the decision itself. The Department states plainly that it will not refund the application fee if it refuses the application. Non-payment is also fatal to the case: if you do not pay the second instalment invoice when it is due, the application will be refused — meaning an unpaid invoice converts the whole first instalment into a sunk cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the subclass 173 visa in 2026 for one person?
The Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 173) starts from AUD 33,375 for a single applicant, per the Department of Home Affairs' August 2026 visa-listing page. Exactly how that figure divides between the first and second instalment depends on the charges published for your situation on the Department's current visa pricing page.
How much extra does it cost to add my partner or children?
Each family member included in the application carries an additional charge on top of the single-applicant figure, alongside their own health, police certificate and biometrics costs. The Home Affairs page confirms the additional per-person charge exists but does not publish one flat amount, so check current visa pricing for the full combination you plan to lodge.
Are health checks and police certificates included in the visa charge?
No. Health checks, police certificates and biometrics are listed by the Department as separate related costs charged for each applicant. Several of them are only requested once the Department asks, so they arrive at different times and should be budgeted as own-expense items rather than part of the instalments.
When exactly do I pay the two instalments?
The first instalment is paid at lodgement, alongside your paper Form 47PA application and evidence of payment. The second instalment is invoiced later by the Department and must be paid before the visa can be granted; if it is not paid, the application is refused.
Will I get my money back if the visa is refused?
No. The Department of Home Affairs states that the application fee is not refunded if it refuses the application. This applies whether the refusal comes from a substantive assessment or from non-payment of the second instalment invoice.
Do citizens of Pacific Island countries pay a lower amount?
Eligible citizens of listed Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste get a lower visa application cost from 1 July 2026, recognised through the primary applicant's valid passport from one of those specified countries. Family members in the same application receive the lower cost based on the primary applicant's passport.
Is the 173 route cheaper than going straight to the permanent 143 visa?
It is not cheaper in total. The Department describes the 173-then-143 pathway as costing more than applying directly for the subclass 143, with the trade-off being that the cost is spread over a longer period. Choosing it is a cash-flow and timing decision rather than a discount.