Who qualifies for the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) in 2026?
A clause-by-clause check of who meets the subclass 143 contributory parent criteria in 2026, before paying the fee.
You qualify for the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) if you are the parent of a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, you have an approved eligible sponsor, you pass the balance of family test, you can obtain an Assurance of Support, and you and any migrating family members meet the health and character requirements — the retiree pathway removes the sponsor, Assurance of Support and balance of family test requirements, and subclass 173 holders are taken to have already met the balance of family test. This follows the Australian Department of Home Affairs official page for the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) as at July 2026, together with Schedule 2 of the Migration Regulations 1994 published on the Federal Register of Legislation, which sets out clause 143.211 (eligible child), 143.212 (sponsorship) and 143.213 (balance of family test). It is general information about published criteria rather than personalised advice, so confirm your own circumstances against the current official pages or a registered professional.
What has to be true before you lodge?
| Requirement | What the criteria actually say |
|---|---|
| Eligible child | You are the parent of a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen |
| Sponsor | You have an approved eligible sponsor, usually your eligible child |
| Balance of family test | At least half your children and step-children are eligible children, or more eligible children live in Australia than in any other single country |
| Assurance of Support | You must be able to obtain one, unless you apply as a retiree |
| Health and character | You and any family members applying with you must meet both |
| Debts to government | Any debt must be repaid or covered by an approved repayment arrangement |
| Existing parent visa | You cannot apply if you have applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visa |
Holding or having applied for a subclass 870 visa is an absolute bar, so a parent already in Australia on that temporary visa cannot switch by lodging a 143.
Do you have an eligible child?
Clause 143.211 requires you to be the parent of a person who is a settled Australian citizen, a settled Australian permanent resident, or a settled eligible New Zealand citizen. The department's overview page describes this the same way: you need an eligible child who is settled in one of those three categories.
"Settled" is doing real work in that sentence. A child who holds permanent status on paper but has not established themselves in Australia may not meet the test, and this is one of the criteria most often argued about after lodgement rather than before it.
One narrow exception matters: if you hold a Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa or a substituted Visitor (subclass 600) visa and your original child has died, the requirement can be met on the basis that the child previously satisfied it.
Who can sponsor you?
You must have an eligible sponsor and the department must approve that sponsorship. Usually the sponsor is your eligible child. If your child is under 18, an eligible relative or a community organisation can sponsor instead.
Sponsorship is a separate approval from the visa itself, and it is not a formality — the sponsorship has to be approved for the application to succeed. If your sponsor dies and you hold a subclass 173 visa at the time, there are provisions that may still allow you to be granted the 143; the regulations also treat the sponsorship requirement as met in that scenario where no other eligible sponsor is available.
If you apply as a retiree, you do not need a sponsor at all.
Do you pass the balance of family test?
This is the criterion that ends most enquiries. You meet the test 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.
Two routes skip it entirely. If you hold a subclass 173 visa, Home Affairs treats the test as already met and you will not need to meet it again if you apply for the 143 before your temporary visa ceases. If you apply as a retiree, the test does not apply.
Suppose an applicant has three children: two live in Australia as permanent residents and one lives overseas. Half of three rounds up in the applicant's favour on the "at least half" limb, and Australia also holds more eligible children than any other single country. Suppose instead that there are four children, one in Australia and three in the same overseas country — that applicant fails both limbs.
What does the Assurance of Support cover?
An Assurance of Support is a guarantee to the Australian Government that you will not need to rely on government assistance after you enter Australia on this visa, for the period of the assurance. It covers you and any family members who come to Australia with you.
The sponsor does not have to provide it. It can be given by an individual, more than one person, or an organisation, and the department tells you when it needs to be provided. Retiree applicants under the Retirement visa pathway do not need one.
Which health, character and history rules apply?
You and any family members applying with you must meet the health requirement and the character requirement. Home Affairs may also ask non-migrating family members to meet both.
Three further conditions sit alongside them: any debt you or a family member owe the Australian Government must be repaid or covered by an approved arrangement; your immigration history is considered, so a cancelled visa or a refused application can make you ineligible, with some limited circumstances in which you may still apply; and if you are 18 or over, you must have read or had explained to you the Life in Australia booklet and sign the Australian Values Statement. The visa also cannot be granted if doing so would not be in the best interests of an applicant under 18.
Are you exempt through the 173 route or the retiree pathway?
Subclass 173 two-stage route. You can apply for the 143 as a second-stage permanent application if you hold a subclass 173 visa when you apply, held it at any time in the 28 days before applying, or more than 28 days have passed since it ended and you can demonstrate compelling and compassionate circumstances for regaining your previous status — with evidence, and the Minister must be satisfied. If none of those apply, your 143 is processed as a standard application rather than the two-stage pathway. This is also why the department encourages lodging the second stage immediately after the 173 is granted: it locks in the lodgement criteria you have already met, including the balance of family test.
Retiree pathway. You can apply as a retiree if, on 8 May 2018, you held or had previously held an Investor Retirement (subclass 405) or Retirement (subclass 410) visa, you have not held any other substantive visa between 8 May 2018 and the date you apply, and you are in Australia. Retiree applicants do not need to meet the balance of family test, do not need an Assurance of Support, and do not need a sponsor. They do have to maintain adequate health insurance, covering medically necessary treatment including transport, until the Parent visa is granted, because they are personally liable for their healthcare costs during processing. Retiree applicants can include a partner who is also a Retirement or Investor Retirement visa holder, but cannot include their children.
What does it cost, and what happens after you lodge?
The visa costs from AUD49,900 for a single applicant, with additional charges for each family member who applies with you and concessions in limited circumstances. Costs may be lower for subclass 173 holders and substituted Visitor (subclass 600) visa holders. You pay in two instalments — the first when you apply, the second when the department asks. Health checks, police certificates and biometrics are additional per applicant. From 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid application, based on the primary applicant's passport.
Demand for Parent visas exceeds the places available each year, so applications are subject to capping and queueing and are processed in the order received. Assessment runs in two stages: an initial assessment to decide whether to add the application to the queue or refuse it, then a final assessment as places become available. Applications take longer if they are incomplete, missing documents, or slow to verify.
You and any family members applying with you can be in or outside Australia when you apply and when the decision is made, but not in immigration clearance. Retiree applicants must be in Australia when they apply. Because it is a permanent visa, permanent residency starts on the day of grant if you are in Australia, or the day you enter Australia on the visa if you are outside it — which also sets the clock for any later citizenship application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply for a subclass 143 if I already hold a subclass 870 visa?
No. You cannot apply for the 143 if you have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visa.
Do I still need to meet the balance of family test if I hold a subclass 173 visa?
No, Home Affairs treats it as already met. You will not need to meet it again provided you apply for the subclass 143 before your subclass 173 visa ceases.
Who can provide the Assurance of Support?
Any individual, more than one person, or an organisation can provide it. Your sponsor is not required to, and does not have to be the one who does.
Does the sponsor have to be my child?
Usually yes — sponsorship normally comes from your eligible child. If your child is under 18, an eligible relative or a community organisation can sponsor instead, and retiree applicants need no sponsor.
Can my partner and children be included in the application?
Family members can be included, but they must meet the health and character requirements, and you must list all family members in the form even if they are not migrating. Retiree applicants can include a partner who is also a Retirement or Investor Retirement visa holder, but cannot include children.
Is the subclass 143 faster if I go through the subclass 173 first?
The two-stage process is described by the department as faster than the Parent visa (subclass 103), though it costs more overall than applying directly for the 143 — with the cost spread across the two visas over a longer period.