Does the 870 Sponsored Parent visa lead to permanent residence in 2026?
Explains whether the subclass 870 Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa can lead to Australian permanent residence and what it blocks.
No. The Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870) does not lead to permanent residence, and the restriction goes further than simply offering no pathway: the Australian Department of Home Affairs states on its Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870) page (as at August 2026) that a person cannot apply for a permanent or temporary parent visa once they have applied for, or hold, this visa.
What does the subclass 870 visa actually allow?
The subclass 870 exists to let parents reunite with their children in Australia for long visits, not to settle permanently.
Under the official page, holders can visit Australia for up to 3 or 5 years per visa, travel in and out of Australia as many times as they wish while the visa is valid, and re-apply for further subclass 870 visas up to a cumulative maximum stay of 10 years. Holders cannot work in Australia, and no family members can be included in the application.
Does the 870 lead to permanent residence?
No. The Department describes it plainly: "This is a temporary visa. This visa does not lead to permanent residence."
That means there is no transition, no accumulation of residence towards permanent residence, and no later conversion step within the subclass. Re-applying for further 870 visas extends visiting time only, and stops at the 10-year cumulative cap.
Why does applying for or holding a 870 block parent visa applications?
Because the bar in the official wording attaches as soon as an 870 application has been made, not only once the visa is granted. The rule is stated twice on the official pages, including at the point of application: "You cannot apply for a permanent or temporary parent visa when you have applied for or hold this visa."
Two consequences follow from the way it is drafted:
- The restriction is about applying for a parent visa. It is triggered by an 870 application being on foot or an 870 visa being held.
- The restriction is not limited to permanent parent visas. It also covers temporary parent visas, so it cannot be worked around by switching to another visa in the parent category.
Families weighing the two pathways should read the current wording on the official page before assuming that a parent visa application lodged at a later point is unaffected. This article is general information only and is not personalised migration or legal advice; individual circumstances should be checked against current official sources, or with someone lawfully able to give immigration assistance.
What if a parent has already lodged a permanent parent visa application?
The eligibility section of the official page addresses this directly: a parent who has already lodged a permanent parent visa application may visit Australia, but cannot remain in Australia permanently while that application is being decided. The same section repeats that the 870 is a temporary visa only, that the holder will not have the right to permanent residence, and that a permanent or temporary parent visa cannot be applied for once the 870 has been applied for or is held.
So a pending parent visa application does not turn the 870 into a bridging or holding arrangement. It is a separate temporary visa with its own conditions.
Why does "genuine intention to stay temporarily" matter so much here?
One of the core criteria is that the applicant must genuinely intend to stay in Australia temporarily and do only what the visa allows. This requirement is set out in clause 870.226 of the Migration Regulations 1994.
The Department asks for as much evidence as possible of temporary intent, which may include:
- itemised personal bank statements covering a 3-month period, tax records, or pension and other regular income streams showing funds for the stay and for leaving Australia
- evidence of previous international travel
- significant financial ties such as a house, business or other major assets at home, and evidence of family ties or commitments there
- a letter setting out the purpose of the stay, the plans, and who will be visited
An application framed around long-term settlement sits awkwardly against a criterion that requires the opposite intention.
Who can be sponsored, and what is not required?
To be eligible, the applicant must be the biological, legal (including adoptive) parent, step-parent or parent in-law of the Parent Sponsor, and must be at least 18 years of age. There is no balance of family test and no Assurance of Support requirement for this visa.
The other stated requirements are:
- an approved Parent Sponsor
- compliance with any previous visa obligations
- meeting the health and character requirements
- having, or having access to, enough money to support the stay
- maintaining adequate health insurance with an Australian health insurance provider for the intended stay
- having repaid, or arranged to repay, any debt owed to the Australian Government or any public health debt
How long can parents stay, and can the visa be extended?
A subclass 870 visa cannot be extended. To remain in Australia, the holder must apply for and be granted another visa.
| Stay rule | What the official page says |
|---|---|
| Per visa | Up to 3 or 5 years at a time |
| Cumulative cap | Maximum 10 years across all subclass 870 visas |
| COVID-19 concession | An automatic 18-month extension for holders outside Australia on 1 July 2021 does not count towards the 10-year cap |
| Further 870 | Must generally be lodged from outside Australia, and only after at least 90 consecutive days outside Australia since the relevant departure day |
| After the 10-year cap | No further 870 is available; the person must depart Australia or be granted another kind of visa |
The relevant departure day depends on where the applicant was when the last 870 ceased: if they were in Australia, it is the first day they left after the visa ceased; if they were already outside Australia, it is the last day they left while the visa was in effect.
Applying from inside Australia is possible only with Permission to Apply in Australia (but not in immigration clearance), which the Department may approve in exceptional circumstances, such as where the parent cannot depart because of an accident or serious illness with medical evidence, or a natural disaster preventing travel home.
What happens if the sponsorship ends?
An approved Parent Sponsor is required to apply, and the sponsor's household is limited to one sponsorship at a time, covering up to two parents per household at a time. A sponsor cannot lodge a new sponsorship application until the current approved sponsorship ends.
The visa itself ends on the date specified in the grant letter, if it is cancelled, if the sponsor withdraws sponsorship and no new Parent Sponsor is found, or if the sponsorship is cancelled.
What does the 870 cost?
The official page states that the visa costs "from" a set amount for a visa of up to 3 years or up to 5 years, with concessions in limited circumstances. The charge is paid in two instalments: the first when applying, and the second when the Department asks for it. Additional costs may arise for health checks, police certificates and biometrics, and the Department's Visa Pricing Estimator is the stated tool for working out the cost of a specific case.
From 1 July 2026, a lower visa application cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid application, based on the primary applicant holding a valid passport from a listed country. Family members are also eligible for the lower cost. The application fee is not refunded if the application is withdrawn or refused.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does subclass 870 lead to permanent residency?
No. The Department of Home Affairs states that the subclass 870 is a temporary visa that does not lead to permanent residence. There is no step within the subclass that converts the time spent in Australia into permanent residence.
Can I apply for a parent PR visa while holding a 870 visa?
No. The official page states that you cannot apply for a permanent or temporary parent visa when you have applied for, or hold, a subclass 870 visa. The restriction is not limited to permanent parent visas.
Can parents work in Australia on a 870 visa?
No. The official page states that you cannot work in Australia while you hold this visa. The visa is for visiting and reuniting with children, not for employment.
Can family members be included in a 870 application?
No. The official page states that you cannot include family members in your visa application. Separately, a sponsor's sponsorship can cover up to two parents per household at a time, subject to the one-sponsorship-at-a-time limit.
Can a 870 visa be extended beyond its granted period?
No. The visa cannot be extended. To remain in Australia, the holder must apply for and be granted another visa, and a further subclass 870 must generally be lodged from outside Australia after at least 90 consecutive days outside the country.
Does the COVID-19 extension count towards the 10-year maximum?
No. Where a holder was outside Australia on 1 July 2021 and the visa period was automatically extended by 18 months under the COVID-19 visa concessions, those additional 18 months do not count towards the cumulative 10-year maximum stay.
Is there a balance of family test or Assurance of Support for the 870?
No. The official eligibility page states that there is no balance of family test and no Assurance of Support requirements for this visa. Requirements that do apply include an approved Parent Sponsor, health and character checks, adequate health insurance, sufficient funds, and no outstanding debt to the Australian Government.