Lower parent visa costs for Pacific and Timor-Leste applicants from 1 July 2026

From 1 July 2026, eligible citizens of specified Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste are charged a lower visa application cost when they lodge a valid Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) application, according to the Australian Department of Home Affairs’ Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) official page (current as at October 2026). The reduced cost is not claimed through a separate process: the Department recognises eligible applicants when they apply with a valid passport issued by a listed country, and included family members benefit on the same passport basis.

Which countries are on the eligible passport list?

The published list covers 13 countries and territories. The primary applicant must hold a valid passport issued by one of them:

• Federated States of Micronesia
• Fiji
• Kiribati
• Nauru
• Palau
• Papua New Guinea
• Republic of the Marshall Islands
• Samoa
• Solomon Islands
• Timor-Leste
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu

Nationality alone is not the test described on the page. The test is holding a valid passport from one of these countries at the time of application.

How does the Department decide if the lower cost applies?

Eligibility is recognised through the passport presented with the application. The page states that the Department will charge eligible applicants the lower visa application cost during the application process, and that it will recognise eligible applicants when they apply with a valid passport from one of the specified countries. The primary applicant, or the visa holder who satisfies the primary visa criteria, is the reference point for that passport test.

Do included family members also pay less?

Yes, if they apply with the primary applicant. The page says family members are also eligible for the lower visa cost, and that this is based on the passport of the primary applicant, or the visa holder who satisfies the primary visa criteria. It does not describe a separate country requirement for each accompanying family member.

What does the visa cost, and when do you pay it?

For general pricing context, the page says the visa costs from AUD49,900 for a single applicant, with additional charges for each family member who applies with you. It notes that costs may be lower for Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) and substituted Visitor (subclass 600) visa holders, and that concessions apply in limited circumstances. The page does not publish the reduced amount for the Pacific Island and Timor-Leste concession, so the exact figure has to be checked against the Department’s current visa pricing publication.

The cost is paid in stages:

Payment	Timing
First instalment of the visa application charge	When you lodge the application
Second instalment	When the Department asks you to pay it
Related costs for each applicant	As required — health checks, police certificates and biometrics

Does the lower cost change processing times or queueing?

No separate queue is described for concession cases. The page warns that demand for Parent visas exceeds the number of places available, so applications are subject to capping and queueing and are processed in the order received. Applications are also assessed in two stages: an initial assessment decides whether to add the application to the queue or refuse it, and final assessment happens only as places become available.

What to check before you lodge

Run through these checks in order:

• Check the Department’s current visa pricing publication for the exact amount payable.
• Confirm you are lodging the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143).
• Check that the primary applicant holds a valid passport issued by one of the 13 listed countries.
• Keep that passport valid for the date you expect to lodge.
• Decide which family members will apply with you, because they are included in the same application.
• Budget for the second instalment and for related costs such as health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

This article is general information rather than personalised migration or legal advice; verify figures and eligibility against the Department’s latest official page, and seek advice from a qualified professional if you need the rules applied to your own circumstances.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the reduced cost apply automatically, or do I need to ask for it?

The Department says the lower cost is charged during the application process and that eligible applicants are recognised when they apply with a valid passport from a listed country. It does not describe a separate request or form for the concession. Because processes can change, rely on the official page current at your date of lodgement.

Can family members hold a passport from a non-listed country and still get the lower cost?

The page states that family members included in the application are also eligible for the lower cost, and that this is based on the passport of the primary applicant, or the visa holder who satisfies the primary visa criteria. It does not say each family member must separately hold a listed-country passport. If your family has mixed nationalities, check the Department’s current instructions before lodging.

How much will the concession reduce the visa cost?

The official page does not publish the reduced amount for eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste applicants. What it does publish is that the visa generally costs from AUD49,900 for a single applicant, with additional charges per family member. For the exact payable amount, refer to the Department’s current visa pricing publication.

Does the 1 July 2026 start date mean applications lodged earlier are reassessed?

The page frames the concession as applying from 1 July 2026 to eligible citizens who lodge a valid application, so the trigger described is the lodgement date. It does not say applications lodged before that date are reopened or reassessed at the lower cost. If you lodged before the start date, rely on the Department’s current published guidance.

Does the valid passport have to be current at decision, or only when applying?

The page specifies that the Department recognises eligible applicants when they apply with a valid passport from one of the listed countries. It does not extend the test to a later point such as the date of decision. Keep your documents current and check current official guidance if your passport changes during processing.

Does this lower cost apply to other parent visas, such as subclass 173 or 870?

The concession is published on the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) page, so that is the visa it is documented for. The same cost section notes that costs may be lower for some Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) and substituted Visitor (subclass 600) visa holders, which is a separate point. The page does not extend the Pacific Island and Timor-Leste concession to other Parent visa subclasses.

References

Department of Home Affairs — Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143)