Applying for subclass 143 online: ImmiAccount lodgement from 22 April 2026

From 22 April 2026, subclass 143 applications must be lodged in ImmiAccount, with paper considered only after unresolved technical faults.

Published: 10 July 2026 Reading time 12 min

From 22 April 2026, a Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) application must be lodged online through ImmiAccount. As at July 2026, the Department of Home Affairs' official page for the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) states that if you apply on or after 22 April 2026, you must lodge an online application using ImmiAccount, and that a paper application is only considered where an ImmiAccount technical issue cannot be resolved by the Department's technical support. This article sets out what the online requirement covers, how the exception works, and what changes for applicants who lodged on paper earlier. It is general information about published lodgement rules rather than advice tailored to your circumstances, so the current official wording and any professional advice you rely on should govern your own decision.

What does the online requirement actually ask you to do?

The Department's page sets out the online lodgement path as three consecutive actions in ImmiAccount:

Create an account or log in to ImmiAccount.
Attach your documents to the application.
Pay the application fee.

Everything else about the visa — sponsorship, the balance of family test, identity, character, health and Assurance of Support — is unchanged; the 22 April 2026 change is about the channel of lodgement, not about eligibility.

When can a paper application still be considered?

A paper application is not presented as an alternative you can elect. The official page says that if you cannot apply online due to a technical issue, you should submit an ImmiAccount Technical Support Form, and that if technical support does not resolve the issue, the Department will consider allowing you to submit a paper application.

Two features of that wording matter in practice. The trigger is a technical issue with ImmiAccount, and the outcome is discretionary — "consider allowing" is not the same as an entitlement to lodge on paper. Suppose an applicant simply prefers paper forms or has no scanner available; on the published wording that is not the kind of obstacle the technical support route addresses.

Where must you be when the application is submitted?

You can be in or outside Australia when you submit, but not in immigration clearance. Applicants under the retiree pathway are the exception: they must be in Australia, and not in immigration clearance, at the moment of submission, although they may be in or outside Australia when the decision is made.

Two related limits appear on the same page. You cannot apply for this visa if you have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visa, and if you have an undecided application for a different Parent visa you must withdraw it when you apply for the subclass 143 — the withdrawal can be done as part of the new application.

What happens to paper applications already lodged?

Applicants who submitted a paper application can import it into ImmiAccount after they receive their acknowledgement letter. Importing gives access to online services: attaching supporting documents, viewing messages from the Department, updating details and viewing application status.

The import itself requires three identifiers:

your application ID
your date of birth
your identity document number (ImmiCard, passport or Titre de Voyage number)

Any Parent (subclass 103) visa applications lodged after November 2018 can also be imported.

Does the Department contact you directly once you are online?

Yes, and online lodgement does not shift that responsibility onto a sponsor or representative. The Department's page says it may need to contact you directly even where you have nominated your sponsor's email address for all electronic correspondence, appointed your sponsor or someone else as an authorised recipient, or appointed someone to give you immigration assistance.

The same section asks applicants to protect their email account, passwords and ImmiAccount and not to share them with anyone, and to give the Department contact details and keep them current. Consistent with that, changes to phone number, email, address, passport, relationship status and family composition all need to be notified after lodgement.

What should you expect after the application is in ImmiAccount?

Online lodgement mainly changes how you manage the file, not how it is assessed. If you lodged online or imported your application, you can upload further documents through ImmiAccount; otherwise additional documents can be sent using the Parent visa processing centre form. Mistakes are corrected with Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers, and family members can be added before decision with Form 1436 — both can be uploaded in ImmiAccount where the application is online.

Two points are worth setting expectations on. The Department says it cannot provide updates on progress within normal processing times and will contact you if anything more is needed; for queue timing it points to the Parent visa queue release dates page. And the second instalment must be paid before the visa can be granted — the Department sends an invoice when it is due, non-payment means the application will be refused, and the application fee is not refunded if the application is refused.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use ImmiAccount if I lodge exactly on 22 April 2026?

Yes. The requirement is expressed as applying "on or after 22 April 2026", so the date itself falls inside the online-only rule rather than after it. Applications lodged before that date are not covered by the statement, and can be imported into ImmiAccount once the acknowledgement letter is received.

Is a paper subclass 143 application still possible in 2026?

Only through the technical support route. You submit an ImmiAccount Technical Support Form, and if technical support cannot resolve the issue, the Department will consider allowing a paper application. The published wording is discretionary, so it should not be treated as a guaranteed backup channel.

What counts as a technical issue?

The official page does not define the term, and it should not be read as covering preference, convenience or missing equipment. What is stated is the process: report the problem through the ImmiAccount Technical Support Form and let technical support attempt to resolve it first.

Can I submit the application while I am in Australia?

Yes, provided you are not in immigration clearance, since you may be in or outside Australia at submission. Retiree pathway applicants must be in Australia at the time they submit. Separately, you cannot apply for subclass 143 if you have already applied for or hold a subclass 870 visa.

Can I import an old paper application into ImmiAccount?

Yes, after you receive your acknowledgement letter, using your application ID, date of birth and identity document number. Parent (subclass 103) applications lodged after November 2018 can also be imported. Importing lets you attach documents, read Department messages, update details and check status online.

Will I be told how my application is progressing?

No, not within normal processing times — the Department states it cannot provide progress updates and will contact you only if something further is required. Timing is published separately on the Parent visa queue release dates page. You will be told in writing once a decision is made, including the reasons and any review rights if the application is refused.