Contributory Aged Parent Visa
The Contributory Aged Parent Visa is the onshore contributory pathway for parents who have reached Aged Pension qualifying age. The Subclass 864 grants permanent residence directly. The Subclass 884 grants a 2-year temporary visa onshore, splitting the cost across two stages. Both require the applicant to be in Australia at application and grant, to satisfy the Balance of Family Test, to obtain an Assurance of Support, and to meet health and character requirements.
Key facts
Visa Type
864 permanent / 884 temporary 2 years
Aged Pension Qualifying Age
67 (Social Security Act 1991)
Second-Instalment VAC (864)
~AUD 43,600 per applicant
Queue Release
Up to May 2018 (as at 31 Jul 2025)
Charges are reviewed periodically. The Department of Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator should be used to confirm current charges before lodgement.
Eligibility
The applicant must have reached Aged Pension qualifying age at the time of application, must be in Australia at application and grant, must satisfy the Balance of Family Test, and must be sponsored by an eligible Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen child or other eligible sponsor.
Health and character requirements apply. An Assurance of Support is required, with a 10-year assurance period for permanent contributory parent visas and a refundable bond currently set at AUD 10,000 for a single applicant and AUD 14,000 for a couple. The full two-instalment Visa Application Charge must be paid before grant of the Subclass 864.
Subclass 864 versus Subclass 884
A direct Subclass 864 grants permanent residence in a single application, with both Visa Application Charge instalments paid through that single pathway. The Subclass 884 to Subclass 864 path grants 2 years of temporary residence first, with a smaller second-instalment payable for the Subclass 884, then a further second-instalment on the subsequent Subclass 864 application before grant.
Total cost is broadly similar across the two routes. The Subclass 884 path defers the largest payment, allowing the parent to be in Australia working or contributing to the household before paying the largest charge. The trade-off is a second application with its own decision risk, additional administrative cost, and additional time before the permanent grant.
Common refusal grounds
Subclass 864 and Subclass 884 refusals frequently turn on Balance of Family Test failure, on health refusal where chronic condition costs exceed the significant cost threshold, on inadequate Assurance of Support arrangements, and on sponsor character bars where the sponsor or partner has been charged with or convicted of relevant offences.
Health failure is particularly material for older applicants. Health waivers are not generally available for parent visas, and chronic conditions present at lodgement remain subject to fresh assessment at decision. Strategic medical evidence and timing of examinations are critical.
Substituted Subclass 600 visa exception
Under the Migration Amendment (Substituted Subclass 600 Visa Exemptions) Regulations 2025, holders of a substituted Subclass 600 (Visitor) visa granted via ministerial intervention under sections 351, 501J, or former section 417 of the Migration Act 1958 may apply for the Subclass 864 or Subclass 884 even where they do not meet the standard age requirement. The change applies retrospectively from 17 December 2024.
Strategic preparation of the Subclass 864
The Contributory Aged Parent pathway demands disciplined preparation across the Balance of Family Test, the Assurance of Support, and health evidence. Visa Plan Lawyers prepares Subclass 864 and Subclass 884 applications with strategic clarity on cost staging and risk management.