Bring your parents to Australia permanently with the Subclass 143 Contributory Parent Visa

To qualify for the Subclass 143 Contributory Parent (Permanent) Visa, the following criteria must be met:

• Eligible child: you must be the parent of a child who is a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen
• Sponsorship: you must be sponsored, usually by your eligible child, and the sponsorship must be approved
• Balance of family test: at least half of your children must be eligible children, or more of your children must live in Australia than in any other single country
• Assurance of Support: you must be able to obtain an Assurance of Support before the visa is granted
• Health and character: you and any family members who apply with you must meet the health and character requirements
• No outstanding debt: any debt to the Australian Government must be repaid or subject to a repayment arrangement
• Australian Values Statement: applicants aged 18 or over must sign the statement
• No Subclass 870: you cannot apply if you have already applied for, or hold, a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Subclass 870 visa

The key difference is timing and how the contribution is paid:

Subclass 143 Contributory Parent (Permanent) Visa:

• Grants permanent residence through a single application
• The contribution is paid across two instalments
• You must meet the balance of family test unless you apply under the retirement pathway

Subclass 173 Contributory Parent (Temporary) Visa:

• A temporary visa that forms the first stage of a two-step pathway to the Subclass 143
• Spreads the cost over a longer period, although the combined total is higher
• You must apply for the Subclass 143 before the Subclass 173 ceases, and you will not need to meet the balance of family test again

A non-contributory Parent visa (Subclass 103) costs far less but sits in a much longer queue. You cannot apply for a Subclass 143 if you have applied for or hold a Subclass 870 visa.

The Subclass 143 is one of the most expensive visas in the Australian program, and the charge is paid in two parts:

• Visa application charge: from AUD $49,900 over two instalments for a single applicant. The first instalment is paid when you apply and the second when the Department asks for it (check the official website for the latest figures).
• Additional applicants: further charges apply for each family member included in the application.
• Concessions: costs may be lower for Contributory Parent (Temporary) Subclass 173 holders and substituted Visitor Subclass 600 holders, and concessions apply in limited circumstances.
• Other government costs: health examinations, police certificates and biometrics are charged separately, and an Assurance of Support bond is lodged with Services Australia.
• Professional Fees: Our firm generally requires payment of professional fees upon signing the service agreement. This ensures we can dedicate the necessary resources to your case.
• Payment Methods: We accept credit cards for both government and professional fees.

Parent visas are capped and queued, so the Subclass 143 takes considerably longer than most visas:

• Initial assessment: the Department first checks whether the application meets the core criteria and, if so, places it in the queue.
• Queue and release: applications are released for final assessment in the order they were received, as places become available each program year.
• Current estimates: demand far exceeds the places available, and the Department publishes indicative timeframes through its Parent visa queue release dates.
• What slows things down: incomplete forms, missing documents, requests for further information, and delays in health, police or Assurance of Support steps.

We keep your matter moving by preparing a complete, decision-ready application and by responding promptly to any departmental correspondence.

Budgeting for a Subclass 143 means allowing for much more than the visa charge alone:

• Visa application charge: from AUD $49,900 for a single applicant, paid in two instalments, with additional charges for each family member (check the official website for the latest figures).
• Assurance of Support bond: a refundable bond must be lodged with Services Australia and held for the Assurance of Support period.
• Health, police and biometric checks: charged separately and vary by country.
• Health insurance: you remain liable for your own healthcare costs until the visa is granted, so cover is strongly recommended.
• Professional Fees: these depend on the complexity of the sponsorship and the visa application. We provide a fixed fee proposal after your initial assessment so you know the cost up front.

These are estimated costs; your circumstances will influence the final amount.

The parent must be sponsored by an approved sponsor, who must:

• Be the eligible child: usually the child of the applicant, or that child’s cohabiting spouse or de facto partner.
• Hold the right status: be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.
• Be settled in Australia: the sponsor must be lawfully resident and settled here.
• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Accept the support obligations: agreeing to provide support, accommodation and financial help for the first 2 years the applicant lives in Australia, including for any family members who apply with them.

Where the child is under 18, a relative, guardian or an eligible community organisation may sponsor instead. A sponsor can sponsor more than one parent, and applicants under the retirement pathway do not need a sponsor at all.

Once granted, the Subclass 143 gives your parents full permanent residence in Australia:

• Indefinite stay: they can live in Australia permanently.
• Work and study rights: full rights to work and study anywhere in Australia.
• Medicare access: enrolment in Australia’s public healthcare scheme.
• Travel facility: travel in and out of Australia as many times as they like for 5 years from the grant date.
• Sponsorship rights: they may sponsor eligible family members for certain visas.
• English classes: if eligible, free classes through the Adult Migrant English Program.
• Pathway to citizenship: they can apply for Australian citizenship once the residency requirements are met.
• Digital visa: the visa is linked digitally to the passport, so there is no label.

After the initial 5-year travel facility expires, a Resident Return Visa is needed to travel and re-enter Australia, unless Australian citizenship has been granted.

The Subclass 143 carries a very large financial commitment and several strict requirements, making professional assistance valuable:

• Balance of family test: working out whether the test is met, and documenting it correctly, is the single most common stumbling block.
• Sponsorship and Assurance of Support: both must be arranged properly, and the Assurance of Support bond has its own eligibility and timing rules.
• Choosing the right pathway: deciding between the Subclass 143, the two-stage Subclass 173 pathway and the Subclass 103 has long-term cost and timing consequences.
• Protecting your place in the queue: a defective application can cost years, because queue position depends on a valid lodgement.
• Health and character: older applicants often face closer scrutiny of health examinations, and waivers are limited.
• Documentation: compiling birth certificates, identity documents, evidence of your children’s residence, sponsorship forms and financial evidence takes care.

An immigration lawyer experienced with family migration ensures your application is complete, properly documented, and presents the strongest case for your parents’ permanent residency.