Last updated: 30 March 2026

Parent Visa Processing Time: Wait Times Explained

Parent visa waiting times are among the most significant in the Australian migration system. The difference between subclasses is not months — it is decades. Understanding exactly what drives these queues, what to expect for each subclass, and how to manage the wait is essential for any family planning a parent visa application.

Current Processing Times by Subclass

The Department of Home Affairs publishes processing time estimates on its website, typically expressed as the time within which 50% and 75% of applications are finalised. These are estimates, not commitments, and they change as annual program allocations and queue volumes shift.

As of early 2026, approximate processing times are:

The subclass 870 (temporary parent visa) is processed much faster because it is a temporary visa with no permanent residency pathway. It provides a practical short-term solution while permanent applications are pending.

Why Parent Visa Queues Are So Long

Parent visas are subject to a managed queue system. Every year, as part of the annual Migration Program announcement, the government sets the number of places available for the Family stream — and within that, for parent visas specifically.

In a typical migration year, approximately 8,500 to 8,675 places are allocated to the parent visa category. Demand consistently and substantially exceeds this number. The result is a queue that only moves at the pace the program allows, regardless of how many applications are lodged.

The contributory parent visa (subclass 143) has a much shorter queue because it receives a larger share of the available places and generates more government revenue per visa granted. The non-contributory parent visa (subclass 103) receives a much smaller share of annual places — sometimes fewer than 1,500 — meaning the effective queue extends far beyond any realistic timeframe.

Annual allocation affects your personal wait: If you lodged a subclass 143 application and the government increases parent visa places in a subsequent year, your processing time shortens. If places are cut, your wait extends. Families cannot control this variable.

Subclass 143: How the Queue Works

When you lodge a subclass 143 application, your application is placed in the contributory parent visa queue. The Department works through this queue in broadly chronological order, though not strictly first-in-first-out in every case.

What happens while your 143 is pending:

• Your first instalment (approximately $4,640 for the primary applicant) is paid at lodgement and is not refundable
• Health examinations and police clearances are completed (usually before or at lodgement)
• The Assurance of Support (AoS) process is initiated with Services Australia; the bond is paid when the AoS is approved
• The parent remains outside Australia unless they obtain a visitor visa or the subclass 173 bridge visa

When the Department is ready to grant the visa, it issues a request for the second instalment — approximately $43,600 for the primary applicant. This must be paid within the specified timeframe or the application can be finalised without a grant.

Subclass 103: What “30+ Years” Actually Means

The subclass 103 queue of 30+ years is not a projection or an estimate under optimistic assumptions — it reflects the actual rate at which the Department is currently processing lodged applications in the non-contributory queue versus the number of applications sitting in that queue.

In practical terms: a subclass 103 lodged today is unlikely to be decided within most parents’ remaining lifetimes under current program settings. Applications lodged in the 1980s and early 1990s are still in the queue.

This does not mean the 103 is useless in all circumstances. Some families lodge it as a secondary backup application alongside the 143, accepting that the 143 will be the primary pathway. Others lodge it for completeness or because they have already lodged the 143 and want a secondary option at lower cost.

However, the 103 should not be the primary or sole strategy for families who genuinely want to be together in the foreseeable future.

Subclass 804: Aged Parent Visa Processing

The subclass 804 is lodged onshore (while the parent is in Australia) and has a similarly long queue to the 103. Current estimates put 804 processing at 25–30+ years.

However, there is one important practical difference: because the 804 is lodged while the parent is in Australia, the parent receives a bridging visa upon lodgement. This allows them to remain in Australia lawfully while the application is pending — potentially for the duration of the very long queue.

Bridging visa conditions for the 804 typically include:

• Permission to remain in Australia
• Limited work rights (generally not automatic; work permission must be requested separately)
• Access to Medicare for citizens of countries with a reciprocal healthcare agreement
• No automatic permission to travel and return

For an older parent already in Australia, this bridging visa arrangement can be a practical way to remain in Australia long-term, even if the permanent visa grant itself is many years away.

For detailed information on the 804, see the aged parent visa 804 page.

Managing the Wait: Options for Families

The years between lodgement and a permanent visa grant are real time — sometimes a very long stretch of it. Here is what families typically do during that period.

Visitor visas:

For parents whose 143 or 103 application is lodged offshore (i.e., they are not in Australia), they can visit Australia on a visitor visa while waiting. Standard visitor visas allow stays of up to 12 months at a time. Some parents are granted a long-stay visitor visa allowing extended periods in Australia — these are assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Department.

Subclass 870 — Temporary Parent Visa:

The subclass 870 provides a temporary parent visa for up to three years on the first grant and up to two years on a subsequent grant (total five years across both grants). It allows the parent to be in Australia while the permanent application is pending.

The 870 does not lead to permanent residency. It must be renewed and it runs independently of any permanent visa application. It is a practical option for families who want the parent in Australia during the long contributory visa queue.

Important: holding a 870 does not affect the processing of a pending permanent parent visa application.

Subclass 173 — Contributory Parent Temporary Visa:

The 173 is a two-year temporary visa that is specifically designed to bridge the gap while a 143 is being processed. Unlike the 870, it is part of the contributory parent visa pathway and is lodged as a separate application. The parent must transition from the 173 to the 143 when the permanent visa is ready to be granted. The full second instalment is still payable at the 143 stage.

What Affects Your Position in the Queue

Within the queue, factors that can affect where your application sits relative to others:

• Lodgement date — applications are broadly processed in lodgement date order
• Application completeness — incomplete applications may be set aside pending documents, effectively extending your wait
• Health referrals — if the parent’s health examination results in a referral to the Department of Health for assessment, this adds time
• AoS delays — the Assurance of Support process runs separately through Services Australia; delays there do not pause the queue but can delay the final grant

There is no mechanism to pay for priority processing or to escalate a parent visa application within the normal queue. Ministerial intervention is available in rare circumstances involving compelling and compassionate circumstances, but it is not routinely available for processing delays alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the contributory parent visa (subclass 143) take to process?

The subclass 143 currently takes approximately 3–7 years for most applications. The Department publishes processing times at the 50th and 75th percentiles — at the 75th percentile, most applications are decided within five to seven years. This is significantly shorter than the non-contributory parent visa (subclass 103), which has a queue exceeding 30 years under current program settings.

Why does the parent visa take so long?

Parent visas are subject to an annual cap on the number of places granted, set as part of the Migration Program. Demand for parent visas — particularly the contributory subclass 143 — consistently exceeds the places available each year. This creates a managed queue rather than a first-in-first-out processing system. The contributory visa has more places allocated than the non-contributory visa, which is why its queue is much shorter.

What can my parent do while waiting for their visa?

While the parent visa application is pending, the parent can remain in Australia on a bridging visa if they lodged the application while in Australia (as with the subclass 804). If the application was lodged offshore (subclass 143 or 103), the parent can visit Australia on a visitor visa during the wait. The temporary parent visa (subclass 870) is another option, providing up to five years in Australia across one or two grants, with no pathway to permanent residency.

Planning Around the Wait

If you are planning a parent visa application, time is your most important variable. Key actions:

1. Lodge sooner rather than later — your queue position is broadly set by your lodgement date. The longer you wait to lodge, the longer you wait in the queue
2. Consider the 173 or 870 for keeping the parent in Australia while the permanent application processes
3. Keep application information current — update the Department if contact details or circumstances change; an outdated file can cause delays at the grant stage
4. Plan for the second instalment payment — for the 143, know that you will need to pay approximately $43,600 (primary applicant) at the decision stage; having this ready avoids missing a payment window

For a full overview of parent visa types, see the parent visa Australia overview. For the main permanent pathway, see the contributory parent visa 143. For parents already in Australia, see the aged parent visa 804.

Parent visa grants lead directly to permanent residency in Australia — and for most families, the beginning of the life they have been building toward across years of waiting.