Immigration Law
Parent visas
Parent visas are a long game: the rules are strict, the waits are measured in years, and the choice made at the start decides whether a parent waits in Australia or overseas. Sun Lawyers advises families on which parent visa fits, prepares the application and the assurance of support, and keeps the file in order through the queue. We work in English and Mandarin.
- Visas
- Contributory 143/864; non-contributory 103/804; temporary 870
- Estimated wait
- Department estimate: 18 years contributory; 42 years non-contributory
- Government charge
- From AUD49,900 for 143/864, in two instalments
- Lodgement
- 103, 143, 804 and 864 online from 22 April 2026
What we do
- 01Assess the balance of family test and the sponsor's eligibility before any charge is paid.
- 02Advise on the choice between the contributory visas (143 or 864), the temporary-first route (173 or 884), the non-contributory visas (103 or 804) and the temporary 870 visa.
When you need this
- Your parents want to settle in Australia permanently and you want to know which visa is realistic for them.
- One parent is already at Age Pension age and in Australia, and you want them to be able to stay while the application is decided.
- You have more than one sibling overseas and are not sure whether the balance of family test is met.
- You want your parents to be able to spend several years here without a permanent visa.
- An earlier application was refused, or the second instalment invoice has arrived and you need advice before paying.
Who you will work with
Jing Sun
Principal Solicitor · Notary Public
Founder and Principal Solicitor with 16+ years across commercial, corporate, litigation and immigration law. Also a Notary Public.
ProfilePoints worth knowing
Two families of visas, two very different waits
The contributory parent visas (143, and 864 for parents at Age Pension age) and the non-contributory visas (103 and 804) all require a sponsor, usually a settled child, the balance of family test and, other than under the Retirement pathway, an assurance of support. The Department states that demand exceeds the places available each year and that processing times are long. Its current estimate for new applications is 18 years for contributory parent visas and 42 years for parent and aged parent visas; as at 31 August 2026 it had released contributory parent applications queued up to November 2018 and parent applications queued up to March 2014. The 2026-27 program sets 7,060 parent places, down from 8,500.
The balance of family test is not waived
At least half of the parent's children, or more of them than in any other single country, must be Australian citizens, permanent residents usually resident in Australia or eligible New Zealand citizens usually resident in Australia; children on temporary visas count as ineligible children. The Department will not waive the test, even in compelling circumstances. Parents who already hold a 173 visa have met it.
How we work
- 01A first conversation in English or Mandarin about your family: where each child lives, the parents' ages, health and visa history, and what the family can commit to.
- 02Before any work starts, we confirm the scope of work and our fees in writing, separately from the government charges.
- 03We lodge a complete application, arrange the assurance of support when the Department asks for it, and manage the file through the queue to grant.
Common questions
Does the balance of family test count step-children?
Yes. The test counts the parent's children and step-children, and compares the eligible children (citizens, and permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens usually resident in Australia) with the rest. We check the count with you before anything is lodged, because the test cannot be waived.
This page is general information about Australian immigration law and is not legal advice. Please contact us about your own situation.
Last updated: October 2026