How to Apply for an Aged Parent Visa in Australia in 2026
The Australian Government is offering another opportunity to permanently relocate elderly parents to living with their children the elderly parent visa. Australia is an attractive place for parents, the prospect of a permanent relationship with your Australian child a life-changing positive outcome for the whole family. The elderly parent visa, officially the Aged Parent (Subclass 804) is one of the most complex Australian Family Visa procedures.
The rules, processes and potential for long waiting periods mean that it can also be frustrating, but it can be worth it.
GIEC Global UK can assist all families through every step of this extremely complex process. Helping to clarify which visa will eventually best suits your family, assisting with all required documentation and ensuring your application is processed to your advantage where ever possible. This will help avoid years spent waiting in the incorrect visa queue. Learn about the parent visa for Australia here – from the visa costs, to the full application process in 2026.
What Is the Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 804) in Australia?
The Subclass 804 is a non-contributory, permanent australian sponsored parent visa for parents who currently reside in australia and are close to the Australian Age Pension age of 67 by 2026. It’s one of the australian family visa types where a parent can live in Australia, sponsored by their child. One key benefit of the 804 is the lower financial cost.
Unlike the Subclass 864 contributory parent visa, no large amount of money is required upfront.
The disadvantage is time as the australian permanent parent visa is one of the largest visa backlogs in the system – sometimes over two decades. People still apply so that they can stay in Australia on Bridging Visa A whilst their application is processing, enabling them to stay close to family.
| Visa Feature | Subclass 804 (Aged Parent) |
|---|---|
| Visa Type | Onshore, permanent, non-contributory |
| Minimum Age | 67 years (Age Pension age) |
| Stay During Processing | Yes, on Bridging Visa A |
| Typical Queue | 25–30+ years Long wait |
Eligibility Requirements for Australia Family Visa Requirements in 2026
Before you go head into the process of apply for parent visa Australia, it may be prudent to ensure your family indeed fulfills the basic requirements. The Department of Home Affairs holds those to a tough stand and even slight oversight might lead to years in visa delay.
Age Requirement
Your parent must be a minimum of 67 years old when he or she apply.
Sponsoring Child Requirement
The sponsoring child has to be an Australia citizen (or at least a PR or an eligible New Zealand citizen) and also at minimum of 18 years of age.
Balance of Family Test
You must also be aware of the “balance of family” test. That means, your family must be based at least partially in Australia and it can’t be based in a single country (outside Australia) more than in Australia itself.
Location Requirement
The applicant (your parent) must already be in Australia for both the time of lodgment and the time of decision making.
Assurance of Support (AOS)
The sponsor (you or someone in Australia) must have a formal “Assurance of Support” (AOS) which promises the Australian government that the parent will not be a burden to society and the system.
Health and Character Requirements
You and your family must go through the required health and character checks (including a Police Clearance Certificate)
How to Apply for a Parent Visa in Australia: Step-by-Step Process
After establishing eligibility, the rest of the visa process isn’t incredibly dissimilar regardless of whether the standard 804 process is followed or a temporary option such as the temporary parent visa Australia Subclass 870 is used as a holding option first.
1. Gather Required Documents
Initially, you will be asked to acquire identity papers, relationship evidence and evidence of the sponsor’s residency.
2. Submit Sponsorship Approval
Then, the sponsoring son or daughter will need to submit sponsorship approval through ImmiAccount before the visa application for the parent is filed.
3. File the Visa Application
If sponsorship has been approved, the parent will file the visa application along with the Assurance of Support, and will also submit the first portion of the application fee.
4. Complete Health and Character Checks
Medical checks and a criminal background search take place and the parent is awarded a Bridging Visa A which allows them to be resident in Australia legally whilst their case gets processed through the queues at the government.
5. Submit the Second Portion of the Visa Application Fee
The second portion of the visa application fee only needs to be submitted when a decision is pending and is ultimately processed as part of the permanent residency grant.
6. Consider Professional Assistance
As there are quite a few interconnected processes in terms of family sponsorship visa Australia – sponsorship application, and then the visa application itself along with Assurance of Support and ongoing Compliance, many families decide to get the help of a registered migration agent to ensure they get it right from the first instance. GIEC Global UK manages this process entirely for their clients.
Aged Parent Visa Australia Cost and Processing Time in 2026
The deciding factor between 804 & 864 is generally the cost & knowing the numbers up front will also enable you to budget your costs correctly family visa Australia.
| Visa Subclass | Approx. Total Government Fee | Typical Processing Time |
|---|---|---|
| 804 (Non-Contributory) | AUD 7,000 – 8,700 per applicant | 25–30+ years |
| 864 (Contributory) | AUD 45,000 – 55,000 per applicant | 12–15 years |
| 870 (Temporary Sponsored Parent) | Lower fee, per year of stay | Weeks to a few months Fastest |
This figure excludes health checks, police clearance reports, translation and our representation fee, so it would be prudent to add a buffer. If travelling as a family, many will lodge an 804 as a long-term safety net whilst an 864 application or short-term bridge visa concurrently is also processing – care needs to be taken with ordering when to apply for visas to avoid conflicting conditions.
Start Your Australia Parent Visa Application Process
FAQs
Application criteria require applicants to be minimum 67 years of age at date of application, Australian Age Pension age at application.
No-the Subclass 804 specifies that the parent must be in Australia on date of lodgement and date of decision. Offshore parents need to review offshore options, i.e., Subclass 103, 143 etc.
The backlog of the current non-contributory 804 pathway is estimated at approximately 25 – 30 years, and the contributory 864 pathway is around 12 – 15 years
Yeah the temporary parent 870 visa lets you stay for five years at a time before having to get in the permanent queue queue..but you won’t actually become permanent (at least you don’t think so) on that visa itself.
It is basically a money back guarantee, often with a bond, to secure assurances that the parents won’t be claiming Centrelink (Australian Government welfare payments).
Certainly, GIEC Global UK helps you with your eligibility assessment, documentation submission, approval for sponsorship and end-to-end process on Aged Parent and Other Family Visa applications to Australia.
