Parent Visa 103 vs 143 vs 173 vs 870: Which Route in 2026?

How Australia's Parent visa 103, Contributory Parent 143, temporary 173 and sponsored 870 differ on permanence, queue times, cost and stay.

Published: 24 September 2026

There isn't a single "best" parent visa in 2026. The four routes divide first on whether they end in permanent residence, and second on whether you pay the contributory charges to shorten the wait. According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs' official Parent visa (subclass 103) page, current as at July 2026, the subclass 103 and the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) are both permanent visas; the Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 173) is the first stage of a two-step route that finishes in a subclass 143; and the Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870) is temporary, allowing parents to visit their children in Australia for up to 3 or 5 years at a time, to a maximum of 10 years in total.

That page sets out the 103 in full and describes the other three subclasses mainly by comparison. Where the Department publishes separate detail for 143, 173 and 870, this article says so rather than substituting numbers — parent visa pricing, capping and release dates move, and anything financial or time-critical should be confirmed on the current official pages.

What actually separates the four parent routes?

The four dimensions people decide on are permanence, speed, cost and how long the parent can be in Australia.

Route	Permanent or temporary	Processing	Cost	Time in Australia
Parent (subclass 103)	Permanent	Capped and queued; processed in the order received; long processing times	From AUD 8,665 for a single applicant, plus a charge for each family member who applies with you, paid in two instalments	Indefinitely; travel to and from Australia for 5 years from the date of grant, then a Resident Return visa is needed to re-enter as a permanent resident
Contributory Parent (subclass 143)	Permanent	The Department may process these faster than the 103	Costs more than the 103; the amount is published separately	Not published on the Department of Home Affairs' Parent visa (subclass 103) page — see its Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) page
Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173), then 143	Temporary stage followed by a permanent visa	The two-step process is faster than the 103	Costs more than applying directly for the 143, but the cost is spread across the two visas over a longer period	Not published on the Department of Home Affairs' Parent visa (subclass 103) page — see its Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 173) and Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) pages
Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870)	Temporary	Not published on the Department of Home Affairs' Parent visa (subclass 103) page — see its Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870) page	Not published on the Department of Home Affairs' Parent visa (subclass 103) page — see its Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870) page	Visit their children in Australia for up to 3 or 5 years at a time, for a maximum total of 10 years

Read across those rows and the shape of the choice appears: the 103 is the cheap, permanent, slow route; the 143 buys speed with permanence at a higher price; the 173 stretches that price across two applications; and the 870 buys time together without permanence at all.

Is the 103 permanent, and what does permanent really deliver?

Yes. The Department describes the 103 as a permanent visa, and holders can stay in Australia indefinitely, work and study, enrol in Medicare, sponsor their own family members, and — if eligible — attend free English classes under the Adult Migrant English Program and apply for Australian citizenship.

The one condition that catches people later is travel. The visa carries a travel facility of 5 years from the date of grant. After that, re-entering Australia as a permanent resident requires a Resident Return visa (subclass 155 or 157), unless the parent has become an Australian citizen and travels on an Australian passport instead. Whether the travel facility is still valid can be checked through VEVO.

For citizenship purposes, permanent residence starts either on the day the visa is granted, if the applicant is in Australia, or on the day they enter Australia on the visa, if they are outside Australia. Because the Department generally has to have the applicant outside Australia when it decides a 103 application, the entry date is the usual starting point.

How long does a 103 take, and what does "capped and queued" mean?

The Department states plainly that demand for parent visas exceeds the number of places available each year, so applications are subject to capping and queueing and are processed in the order they are received.

Assessment happens in two stages. The first is an initial assessment of eligibility, after which the application is either added to the queue or refused. The second happens only as places become available, when applications are released from the queue for final assessment. The current position of the queue is published on the Department's Parent visa queue release dates page.

Other things are, unsurprisingly, within the applicant's control. An application takes longer if it is completed incorrectly, if documents are missing, or if information takes a long time to verify. The Department will also only process an application if the correct visa application charge has been paid; if it hasn't, the applicant is notified and the application may be returned. The second instalment must be paid before grant, and failing to pay the invoice leads to refusal. There is no refund of the application fee if the visa is refused.

Why would anyone pay more for the 143 or the 173?

Because the queue is the binding constraint, not eligibility. The Department's own framing is that Contributory Parent visas may be processed faster than the 103, but cost more.

The 173 exists to soften that trade-off. It is the temporary half of a two-step route ending in the permanent 143. The Department describes the two-step option as faster than the 103 and dearer than applying directly for the 143 — but with the cost spread across the two visas over a longer period. For a family that wants the contributory timetable without funding the whole amount in one go, that spreading is the point of the subclass.

The Department of Home Affairs does not publish either amount on its Parent visa (subclass 103) page, so no figure is given here. Use the Department's current visa pricing page.

When is the 870 the honest answer?

When the objective is presence rather than settlement. The 870 is described as a temporary visa that lets parents visit their children in Australia for up to 3 or 5 years at a time, up to a maximum of 10 years in total. It does not lead to permanent residence, and it does not give the parent the indefinite stay that the 103 and 143 do.

There is one structural trap worth knowing before you plan around it: the Department states that you cannot apply for a subclass 103 if you have already applied for, or hold, a subclass 870 visa. The 870 is not a holding pattern you later convert into the queue.

For the 103, prior applications elsewhere in the parent stream also matter. If a different parent visa application is still undecided, the Department requires it to be withdrawn when the 103 application is lodged.

Which eligibility gates apply before any of this matters?

These are documented in full for the 103 and should be read on the official page for whichever subclass you are actually applying for. For the 103, an applicant must have an eligible sponsor — usually an eligible child, or an eligible relative or community organisation if the sponsoring child is under 18 — and the sponsorship itself has to be approved. Applicants must meet the balance of family test, be able to obtain an Assurance of Support, meet health and character requirements, have repaid any debt to the Australian Government or have an approved arrangement to do so, and, if 18 or over, have read the Life in Australia booklet and signed the Australian Values Statement. Any dependant under 18 must not be granted the visa against their best interests.

What is the balance of family test?

It is met if at least half of the applicant's children and step-children are eligible children, or if there are more eligible children living in Australia than in any other single country. Evidence is required of the relationship to each child and of each child's Australian citizenship or country of permanent residence; children who should not count in the test — a deceased child, for example — have to be evidenced as well.

What is an Assurance of Support?

It is a guarantee to the Australian Government that the parent will not need to rely on government assistance after entering Australia on the visa, for the period of the assurance, covering them and any family members who come with them. It does not have to be given by the sponsor or even by a family member: an individual, several people jointly, or an organisation can provide it. The Department says when it is required.

Is there a pathway that skips those requirements?

Yes, narrowly. Applicants who apply as a retiree under the Retirement visa pathway do not need the balance of family test, a sponsor or an Assurance of Support. To qualify, they must have held, or have previously held, an Investor Retirement (subclass 405) or Retirement (subclass 410) visa as at 8 May 2018, must not have held any other substantive visa between that date and the date they apply, and must be in Australia to lodge. The trade-offs are significant: they cannot include their children in the application, only a partner who also holds a Retirement or Investor Retirement visa, and they are personally liable for their healthcare costs while the application is processed, with adequate health insurance required until grant.

Can you start on the 103 queue and upgrade later?

Yes, and the Department has addressed the fear that switching costs you your place. Other parent visas — specifically the 143 and the two-step 173 followed by 143 — might be processed more quickly. If a parent switches to one of those Contributory Parent visas, the Department says it will take the date of the original subclass 103 application into account for the new application, and that switching will not disadvantage the applicant.

Two practical notes follow from that. First, one family member changing course does not disturb anyone else: if only one applicant on a combined 103 application changes their application, the other applications are unaffected. Second, the money still matters — the contributory routes cost more than staying in the 103 queue.

The reverse direction is less forgiving. Lodging a 103 while another parent visa application is undecided requires withdrawing that earlier application as part of the new one.

While waiting, staying in Australia is not automatic. With certain narrow exceptions, there is no bridging visa attached to a 103 application unless the applicant is applying under the Retirement visa pathway, and an applicant must generally be outside Australia while the application is processed unless they hold another valid visa. Applicants in Australia whose current temporary visa is about to expire need to remain lawful on some other basis while the queue moves.

The rules above describe how the subclasses are structured in general terms; they are not personalised immigration or legal advice, and any individual family's position should be tested against the official pages or with a registered migration agent or legal practitioner.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which parent visa gives permanent residence?

Both the Parent visa (subclass 103) and the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) are permanent visas. The Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 173) is temporary but is designed to be followed by a permanent 143, while the Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870) is temporary only.

Can I switch from the 103 queue to a 143 later without losing my place?

The Department states that if you switch to a Contributory Parent visa, it takes the date you originally applied for the 103 into account for the new application, and that switching will not disadvantage you. The change costs more, and only affects the applicant who makes it.

Does holding a subclass 870 visa stop me applying for the 103?

Yes. The Department states that you cannot apply for the subclass 103 if you have already applied for, or hold, a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870).

How much does the 103 cost and when is it paid?

The visa costs from AUD 8,665 for a single applicant, with additional charges for each family member who applies with you. It is paid in two instalments — the first when you apply and the second when the Department asks for it, before it will grant the visa. Budget separately for health checks, police certificates and biometrics, which are charged per applicant.

What is the Assurance of Support actually for?

It guarantees the Australian Government that the visa holder will not need to rely on government assistance after entering Australia on the visa, for the assurance period, covering them and accompanying family members. It can be provided by an individual, several people jointly, or an organisation, and does not have to come from the sponsor.

Do I get a bridging visa while my 103 application is queued?

Generally no. The Department states there is no entitlement to a bridging visa associated with a subclass 103 application unless the applicant is applying under the Retirement visa pathway. Applicants must otherwise be outside Australia while the application is processed unless they hold another valid visa.

Is the 173 just a slower version of the 143?

It is the same destination by a different payment schedule. The two-step route is described as faster than the 103, but costs more than applying directly for the 143 — with the advantage that the cost is spread across two visas over a longer period.