Subclass 864 vs 804 vs 870: How Cost, Waiting Time and Permanency Compare in 2026
Compares subclass 864, 804 and 870 parent visas on cost, waiting time and permanency, based on the official Home Affairs subclass 864 page.
If you are trying to choose between subclass 864, 804 and 870 for a parent, the decision comes down to three things: whether you need permanency, how much the family can pay, and how long you can absorb the wait. Subclass 864 (Contributory Aged Parent visa) is the permanent route with a published charge of AUD49,900 for a single applicant; subclass 804 (Aged Parent visa) is the route the Australian Department of Home Affairs official page describes as cheaper but slower than the two-step contributory pathway (subclass 884 followed by subclass 864); subclass 870 (Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa) is a temporary visa that lets parents stay for up to 3 or 5 years at a time, to a maximum of 10 years in total. This comparison is drawn from the Department of Home Affairs official page for the Contributory Aged Parent visa (subclass 864), as at the July 2026 official page.
How do the three subclasses differ on the three axes that matter?
| Subclass 864 | Subclass 804 | Subclass 870 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outcome | Permanent visa; stay in Australia indefinitely | Named on the official 864 page as the cheaper, slower alternative; its grant terms are set out on the subclass 804 page | Temporary visa; up to 3 or 5 years at a time, maximum 10 years in total |
| Cost | From AUD49,900 for a single applicant, paid in two instalments | Not stated on the official 864 page — read the current subclass 804 page | Not stated on the official 864 page — read the current subclass 870 page |
| Waiting time | Capped and queued; processed in the order received | Long processing times apply to parent visas; the 884 → 864 two-step route is described as faster than 804 | No queue described; it is a temporary sponsored visa |
| Effect on a later 864 application | — | — | You cannot apply for 864 if you have already applied for or hold an 870 visa |
One limit on scope is worth stating plainly: the cost and speed comparisons above are the ones the official 864 page itself makes. Where that page gives no figure for 804 or 870 — the visa application charge, the sponsorship arrangements, the grant conditions — none has been supplied here, and those items should be read from the current official page for that subclass.
Is subclass 870 a permanent visa?
No. The official 864 page describes subclass 870 as a temporary visa that allows parents to visit their children in Australia for up to 3 or 5 years at a time, for a maximum total of 10 years. It is a way of having parents physically present in Australia for a long stretch without a permanent outcome, which is why it appeals to families who are not yet sure that migration is the end goal, or who cannot meet the balance of family test or the cost of a contributory parent visa.
The trade-off is not simply "temporary versus permanent". Holding or having applied for an 870 visa closes off subclass 864: the eligibility page states that you cannot apply for the 864 visa if you have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visa. That makes 870 a decision with a long tail rather than a holding pattern you can exit later.
What does subclass 864 cost?
The visa costs from AUD49,900 for a single applicant, and it is paid in two instalments — the first when you apply, the second when the Department asks for it. Costs may be lower for Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) (subclass 884) and substituted Visitor (subclass 600) visa holders. On top of the visa application charge, each applicant may face separate costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.
From 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid application, recognised by a valid passport from a specified country. Family members are also eligible, based on the passport of the primary applicant or of the visa holder who satisfies the primary criteria. The specified countries listed on the page are the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
Where does subclass 804 fit, and what does "cheaper but slower" mean?
The official 864 page frames 804 through the two-step contributory pathway: applying for the Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) (subclass 884) visa first and then the permanent 864 visa is faster but costs more than the Aged Parent visa (subclass 804). In other words, the "cheap" end of the parent visa family is cheap in money and expensive in time, and the contributory end reverses that.
That framing is the whole decision in miniature. A family with limited funds but parents who can wait years in the queue has a different rational choice from a family that can raise AUD49,900 or more and wants the outcome settled sooner. Neither is a loophole; both routes run through the same capped parent visa program.
How long is the parent visa queue?
The Department does not publish a fixed timeframe on this page, and none should be assumed. It states that demand for parent visas is greater than the number of places available each year, that there are long processing times as a result, and that applications for subclass 864 are subject to capping and queueing and are processed in the order they are received.
Assessment happens in two stages: an initial assessment to check eligibility and either add the application to the queue or refuse it, then release from the queue for final assessment as places become available. Applications can take longer where the form is incomplete, documents are missing, or information takes a long time to verify; the Department also warns applicants not to arrange to stay permanently in Australia until the visa is granted, and notes that it can only process an application where the correct visa application charge has been paid.
Is there a way to spread the cost of subclass 864?
Yes, through the 884 → 864 two-step process. Applying for the Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) (subclass 884) visa first lets you spread the cost over several years, at the price of the total being higher than applying directly for 864. The Department encourages applying for the second stage immediately after the 884 visa is granted, to help ensure all lodgement criteria are met, and the 864 application must be lodged before the 884 visa expires.
The second-stage pathway is available if you hold an 884 visa when you apply, held one at any time in the 28 days before applying, or, where more than 28 days have passed since the 884 visa ended, you can demonstrate compelling and compassionate circumstances to regain your previous visa status — with evidence, and the Minister must be satisfied. If none of those apply, the application is processed as a standard application rather than the two-stage pathway. An 884 holder has already met the balance of family test.
Which requirements apply whichever contributory route you choose?
Several requirements cut across the 864 pathway and are worth checking before any cost comparison becomes real:
- Sponsorship. You must be sponsored and the sponsorship must be approved. Usually an eligible child sponsors; if that child is under 18, an eligible relative or community organisation can sponsor instead.
- Balance of family test. You meet it if at least half of your children and step-children are eligible children, or if there are more eligible children living in Australia than in any other single country. Holding an 884 (Temporary) visa means you have already met it.
- Age. You must be old enough to receive the age pension in Australia, per the Department of Social Services age pension page.
- Assurance of Support. Generally required, unless you apply as a retiree under the Retirement visa pathway. It guarantees the Australian Government that you will not need to rely on government assistance for the Assurance of Support period, and covers any family members coming with you. The sponsor does not have to provide it — an individual, more than one person, or an organisation can.
- Health, character and debts. You and any migrating family members must meet health and character requirements, and non-migrating family members may also be asked to. Any debt to the Australian Government must be repaid or be subject to an approved repayment arrangement.
- Where you lodge. You, and any family members applying with you, must be in Australia but not in immigration clearance when you apply.
- Immigration history and values. Previous cancellations or refusals can affect eligibility, and applicants aged 18 or over must have read, or had explained to them, the Life in Australia booklet and sign an Australian Values Statement.
What does an 864 grant actually deliver?
Subclass 864 is a permanent visa: you can stay indefinitely, work and study, enrol in Medicare, sponsor family members, and travel to and from Australia as many times as you like for 5 years from the date of grant. For citizenship purposes, permanent residency starts on the day the visa is granted.
Once the initial 5-year travel facility ends, re-entering Australia as a permanent resident requires a Resident Return visa (subclasses 155 and 157), unless the person becomes an Australian citizen and travels on an Australian passport instead. Current travel facility end dates can be checked through VEVO.
How should a family decide?
Start with permanency, because it is the axis that cannot be bought back later. If the goal is for a parent to settle in Australia with Medicare, work rights and a path to citizenship, subclass 864 is the route the official page confirms as permanent, with 804 sitting at the cheaper and slower end of the same parent visa family — its outcome is set out on the subclass 804 page — and with the 870 route ruled out as a stepping stone to 864 by the eligibility bar. If the goal is a long visit rather than migration, 870 is built for that, with the 10-year ceiling and the temporary status that follows from it.
Then check cost against waiting capacity. AUD49,900 or more, paid in two instalments, is a real constraint for most families, and the 884 → 864 two-step exists precisely to move that constraint through time rather than remove it. This article is general information only and is not personalised advice: parent visa settings, charges and queue positions change, so confirm the current position against the official page for the subclass you are considering, or get advice from a qualified immigration professional, before lodging anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of subclass 864, 804 and 870 is granted fastest?
The official 864 page does not publish processing timeframes, so no timeframe should be assumed. It says subclass 864 applications are capped and queued and processed in the order received, and that the 884 → 864 two-step contributory process is faster than the Aged Parent visa (subclass 804).
Can I apply for subclass 864 if I already hold or have applied for a subclass 870 visa?
No. The eligibility criteria state you cannot apply for the 864 visa if you have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visa. That makes the temporary visa a decision that closes the permanent contributory pathway rather than a reversible trial.
How much does the subclass 864 visa cost?
It costs from AUD49,900 for a single applicant, paid in two instalments — the first at lodgement and the second when requested. Costs may be lower for subclass 884 and substituted Visitor (subclass 600) visa holders, and separate costs apply for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.
Do my parents need to be in Australia to apply for subclass 864?
Yes. You and any family members applying with you must be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, at the time of application. Sponsorship must also be approved, usually by an eligible child, or by an eligible relative or community organisation where that child is under 18.
What is the balance of family test?
You meet it if at least half of your children and step-children are eligible children, or if there are more eligible children living in Australia than in any other single country. Applicants who hold a Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) (subclass 884) visa have already met the test.
What is an Assurance of Support, and who must provide it?
It is a guarantee to the Australian Government that the applicant will not need to rely on government assistance during the Assurance of Support period, and it covers family members entering Australia on the visa. The sponsor is not required to provide it — an individual, more than one person, or an organisation can — and it is not required where the applicant applies as a retiree under the Retirement visa pathway.
Can parents travel in and out of Australia after an 864 visa is granted?
Yes, for 5 years from the date of grant, as long as the travel facility remains valid. After that, they need to be granted a Resident Return visa (subclasses 155 and 157) to re-enter as permanent residents, or to become Australian citizens and travel on an Australian passport.