Contributory Parent Visa
The Contributory Parent Visa pathway is the offshore route to Australian permanent residence for parents who can fund a substantially higher Visa Application Charge in exchange for materially shorter processing times than the non-contributory Subclass 103. The Subclass 143 grants permanent residence directly. The Subclass 173 grants a 2-year temporary visa that can be used as a stepping stone to the Subclass 143, splitting the financial commitment across two applications.
Key facts
Visa Type
143 permanent / 173 temporary 2 years
First-Instalment VAC (143)
From AUD 5,040 main applicant
Second-Instalment VAC (143)
~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. A 1.4 percent surcharge applies to credit-card payments.
Eligibility
The applicant must be a parent of an eligible child sponsor who is a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. The applicant must satisfy the Balance of Family Test, must be outside Australia at grant, and must meet health and character requirements. The sponsor or another approved party must lodge an Assurance of Support, and the two-instalment Visa Application Charge must be paid in full before grant of the permanent stage.
Family members included on the application are subject to additional charges and must also meet health and character requirements. Family members not migrating may also be subject to health checks.
Subclass 143 versus Subclass 173
The Subclass 143 grants permanent residence in a single application. The Subclass 173 to Subclass 143 pathway grants a 2-year temporary visa first, with a smaller second-instalment payable for the Subclass 173, then a further second-instalment payable on the subsequent Subclass 143 application before grant of permanence.
Total cost across the Subclass 173 to Subclass 143 pathway is comparable to a direct Subclass 143, but the timing of the largest payment differs. The Subclass 173 path allows the parent to be in Australia, working and contributing financially, before paying the largest charge. The trade-off is a second application, additional administrative cost, and a second exposure to decision risk.
Assurance of Support
The Assurance of Support is a legal commitment by an Australian resident, usually the sponsoring child or a joint assurer, to repay certain social security payments that may be claimed by the parent during the assurance period. The bond is currently AUD 10,000 for a single applicant and AUD 14,000 for a couple, held as a 10-year cash deposit or bank guarantee through Commonwealth Bank of Australia under Services Australia's Assurance of Support administration.
The 10-year clock begins when the parent first enters Australia as a permanent resident on an offshore visa. Where the visa is granted onshore (for example a Subclass 864), the clock starts on grant. Where Services Australia recovers payments during the assurance period, the recovery comes from the bond.
Health and waivers
Health waivers are not generally available for contributory parent visas. A health condition that exceeds the significant cost threshold can be the determinative refusal ground. Strategic medical evidence, treating-specialist reports addressing prognosis and treatment cost, and the timing of medical examinations are critical for older applicants and applicants with chronic conditions.
Strategic preparation of the Contributory Parent Visa
The Contributory Parent pathway combines high cost and long queues. Visa Plan Lawyers advises on Subclass 143 versus Subclass 173 sequencing, Balance of Family Test analysis, Assurance of Support coordination, and strategic medical evidence for older applicants.