Importing a Paper Subclass 884 Application into ImmiAccount in 2026

How to bring a paper Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 884) application into ImmiAccount, and what you can manage online after importing.

Published: 10 October 2026

Yes — you can bring a paper Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 884) application into ImmiAccount once you have received your acknowledgement letter. According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs page Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 884), importing links the paper record to online services so you can attach documents, read department messages, update your contact details and see the application status. Three identifiers are needed: your application ID, your date of birth, and one identity document number.

This article is general information about that published process only; it is not personalised immigration assistance, and how the rules apply to your circumstances should be confirmed against the department's current published information or with a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person of your own choosing.

Why is the subclass 884 application lodged on paper in the first place?

Online lodgement is not available for temporary Contributory Aged Parent visa applicants. The subclass 884 must be applied for on paper, and you must be in Australia but not in immigration clearance when you submit it.

The paper application is Form 47PA Application for a parent to migrate to Australia, your sponsor completes Form 40 Sponsorship for migration to Australia, and each family member aged 18 or over completes Form 47A Details of a child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over — including those who are not migrating. You must also pay the first instalment when you apply, and send the application by post or courier to the address on the form rather than lodging it in person.

That paper-only start is why the import step exists. It is the bridge between a postal application and the same online management tools used by applications lodged through ImmiAccount.

What do you need before you start importing?

You need the acknowledgement letter first. The department's page states the import can be done after you receive it, and it does not describe an earlier pathway.

You will also need an ImmiAccount. You can create a new one or log into an existing one. The import itself asks for three pieces of information:

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

Have one of the accepted documents at hand — an ImmiCard, passport or Titre de Voyage — because the import asks for an identity document number from one of them. Both new and on-hand applications can be imported, so an application that has been with the department for some time is still eligible.

How do you import the application, step by step?

Step 1 — Create or open your ImmiAccount

Go to ImmiAccount.

Create a new ImmiAccount, or log into an existing one.

Step 2 — Start the import

Once logged in, locate the function for importing a paper application.

Step 3 — Enter the three identifiers

Enter your application ID.

Enter your date of birth.

Enter your identity document number — ImmiCard, passport or Titre de Voyage number.

Step 4 — Confirm the application appears in your account

Check that the application now appears in ImmiAccount before relying on it to send anything.

What can you do once the application is imported?

The listed online services are:

attach supporting documents to the application
view messages the department sends to you
update your details
view the status of the application

The "update your details" service matters during a long wait, because the department expects to be told about changes to your phone number, email, address, passport, relationship status, and family composition including the birth of a child.

What the page does not offer through ImmiAccount is progress reporting. The department states it cannot provide updates on an application's progress within normal processing times, and will contact you if anything further is required. Importing therefore changes how you manage and read messages about the application, not how quickly it moves through the queue. Published queue and processing information sits in the Parent visa queue release dates material.

Can you still use paper channels after importing?

Yes. Importing does not close the offline route, and several tasks give you a choice between ImmiAccount and the Parent visa processing centre form.

After importing, you can use ImmiAccount to upload additional documents that did not go in with the original application; otherwise those documents can be sent using the Parent visa processing centre form.

The same choice applies to later changes:

correcting mistakes — complete Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers, then send it through ImmiAccount or the Parent visa processing centre form
adding family members — complete Form 1436 Adding an additional applicant after lodgement, sent the same two ways, with evidence of your relationship and a copy of the family member's passport
appointing or withdrawing helpers — Form 956 Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person for immigration assistance, and Form 956A Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient for correspondence, both sent through ImmiAccount or the Parent visa processing centre form

Family members added to a subclass 884 application after lodgement must be in Australia at the time you add them.

What else must stay true while the imported application is being processed?

You must remain in Australia, and not in immigration clearance, when the department makes its decision, so tell the department if you intend to travel outside Australia during processing. If you leave, make sure you hold a valid visa to return.

You must also stay lawful while waiting. Applying for this visa in Australia means a bridging visa is likely to be granted; it starts if your current visa expires before a decision is made, and it lets you remain in Australia while the new application is processed. Do not cancel your current substantive visa — doing so may leave you in Australia unlawfully and make you ineligible for a bridging visa.

Health examinations and biometrics are requested by the department when required, so there is nothing to import or upload for those unless you are asked. A second instalment must be paid before the visa can be granted; an invoice is sent when it is due, and failing to pay it will result in refusal. The application fee is not refunded if the application is refused.

None of these steps is a substitute for advice on your own circumstances — treat what is set out here as a plain reading of published procedure and check it against the department's current pages before you act on it.

Frequently Asked Questions

When can I import my subclass 884 paper application into ImmiAccount?

You can import it after you receive the acknowledgement letter from the department. The Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 884) page sets no earlier point at which the import is available. Both newly lodged and on-hand applications are eligible.

Which identity document number should I enter?

You enter the number shown on the ImmiCard, passport or Titre de Voyage you hold. The page asks for "identity document number" and lists those three document types as the accepted options, alongside your application ID and date of birth.

Does importing into ImmiAccount speed up my application?

Importing is described as giving access to online services that make the application easier to manage, not as a way to accelerate a decision. The department states it cannot provide progress updates within normal processing times and will contact you if further information is needed.

How do I send extra documents after importing?

Use ImmiAccount to upload the supporting documents you did not include with the paper application. If you prefer the offline route, the Parent visa processing centre form can be used instead, and the same choice applies to Forms 1023, 1436, 956 and 956A.

What if I made a mistake on the paper form?

Tell the department as soon as you can by completing Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers. If your application has been imported, the completed form can be uploaded through ImmiAccount, or sent using the Parent visa processing centre form.

Do I need a bridging visa while the imported application is being processed?

Applying for this visa in Australia means a bridging visa is likely to be granted, and it starts if your current visa expires before a decision is made. Do not cancel your current visa, because doing so may leave you unlawful and remove your eligibility for the bridging visa.