Bring Your Parents Home to Australia with the 864 Visa

What Is the 864 Visa?

Quick answer: The 864 visa is Australia’s Contributory Aged Parent visa. It lets a parent who has reached Australian Age Pension age live permanently in Australia with a settled child who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. The parent applies in Australia, pays a large “contribution” towards future health and welfare costs, provides a 10-year Assurance of Support and waits in a capped queue – currently estimated at about 18 years for new applications.

The word “contributory” is the key. Compared with the non-contributory Aged Parent visa (subclass 804), the 864 parent visa costs far more but moves through a much shorter queue. It is one of several options on our permanent parent visa Australia hub.

Latest Update on the 864 Visa (2026)

• Queue release: As at 31 August 2026, Home Affairs had released Contributory Aged Parent applications with queue dates up to November 2020 for final processing.
• Queue assessment: New 864 applications lodged around April 2023 were being assessed for a queue date.
• New estimate: Home Affairs now estimates about 18 years for a new contributory parent application, up from 15 years last year.
• Online lodgement: Since 22 April 2026, the 864 must be lodged online through ImmiAccount. The temporary 884 is still a paper application.

864 Visa Australia Eligibility

Applicant requirements

• Age: you must have reached Australian Age Pension age, which is currently 67. If you are younger, look at the Contributory Parent visa (173/143) instead.
• Location: you apply in Australia and must be in Australia when the visa is decided. If your current visa has a “No Further Stay” condition such as 8503, you generally cannot lodge in Australia unless the condition is waived.
• Balance of family test: at least half of your children must live permanently in Australia, or more of your children must live in Australia than in any other single country.
• Health and character: every applicant must pass health checks and provide police certificates.
• Assurance of Support: an assurer must sign a 10-year Assurance of Support and lodge a bond.

Sponsor requirements

Your sponsor is usually your child (or their partner). They must be 18 or older, an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, and “settled” – generally meaning lawfully living in Australia for at least two years.

Balance of family test examples

• Two children, both in Australia: passes – all children live in Australia.
• Three children – two in Australia, one in the UK: passes – at least half are in Australia.
• Four children – one in Australia, one in the UK, one in India, one in Canada: fails – Australia does not have more children than any other single country.

864 Visa Processing Time and Waiting Time

The 864 visa processing time is driven by the number of parent visa places available each year, not by how quickly your file is checked. Applications are queued in order and released for final processing when a place becomes free.

Is there an electronic queue date calculator? No. Home Affairs does not offer an official queue calculator. Your queue date is given to you in writing after the core criteria are assessed, and you can compare it with the release dates published on the Home Affairs website.

864 Visa Cost and Fees

The 864 visa cost is paid in two instalments. From 1 July 2026 the charge for a single applicant applying directly for the 864 is from AUD 49,900:

The second instalment is only requested once health, character and Assurance of Support checks are complete. Additional applicants pay their own first instalment, and dependent children under 18 pay a lower second instalment. Budget separately for medicals, police certificates, translations and professional fees, and confirm current amounts with the Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator because charges change every 1 July.

Spreading the cost with the 884 visa

Many families first apply for the Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa – subclass 884. It gives two years in Australia and part of the contribution is paid at that stage. The 884 holder then applies for the permanent 864 and pays the balance. The total is similar, but it is split across two stages, and 884-to-864 applications are processed separately from the main queue.

864 Visa, Bridging Visa and Medicare

When you lodge a valid 864 application in Australia you are usually granted a Bridging Visa A, which lets you stay lawfully until a decision. Before travelling overseas you need a Bridging Visa B, otherwise you may not be able to return on your bridging visa.

Medicare: according to Services Australia, holders of the temporary 884 visa can enrol in Medicare, but parents who apply directly for the 864 without holding an 884 are not eligible until the 864 is granted. Citizens of countries with a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia – including the UK – may have limited cover under that agreement. Private health insurance is strongly recommended during the wait.

Difference Between the 804 and 864 Visa (and the 143)

In short, the difference between the 804 and 864 visa is cost versus time: the 804 is far cheaper but the wait is more than twice as long. The difference between the 143 and 864 visa is mainly age and location – the 143 is for parents of any age and is usually lodged from outside Australia, while the 864 is for aged parents already in Australia. Home Affairs has a process for switching from a non-contributory to a contributory parent visa before a decision, which can let you keep your original queue date.

Which Visa Is Best for Parents in Australia?

There is no single best parent visa. It depends on your parents’ age, where they live now, health, budget and how long the family can wait:

• Aged parents already in Australia with funds: the 864 (or 884 then 864).
• Younger parents living overseas: the 173/143 Contributory Parent visa.
• Families needing visits while they decide: the 870 Sponsored Parent visa or an Australia visitor visa. UK passport holders can usually visit on the eVisitor visa (651) – check for a “No Further Stay” condition if you may later apply for the 864 onshore.
• Parents who rely on a child for support and have no other family overseas: compare the Aged Dependent Relative visa (838).

Retiring to Australia from the UK on an 864 Visa

Many of our enquiries come from UK parents whose son or daughter has settled in Australia. A few points are worth planning early:

• Australian Age Pension: holding an 864 does not mean an immediate pension. The Age Pension normally requires at least 10 years of Australian residence, and the Assurance of Support covers the first 10 years.
• UK State Pension: it can be paid to you in Australia, but annual increases are not applied to UK pensions paid there. Check your position with the UK Pension Service.
• Healthcare: plan for private cover until Medicare eligibility starts.

What You Can Do After the 864 Visa Is Granted

• Live in Australia permanently with your family.
• Work and study in Australia.
• Enrol in Medicare.
• Travel to and from Australia for 5 years from grant.
• Apply for Australian citizenship once you meet the residence requirements.

See our guide to Australian permanent residency for the full list of PR rights.

How GIEC Global’s Parent Visa Consultants Help

A contributory parent visa is a large, long-term investment, so getting it right at lodgement matters. As an Australia immigration consultant supporting families in the UK and Australia, GIEC Global’s immigration consultants:

• check age, balance of family and visa-condition issues before you pay anything;
• compare the 864, 884, 804, 143 and 870 so your family picks the right route;
• prepare and lodge the online ImmiAccount application with complete evidence;
• plan bridging visa travel and health cover for the waiting period; and
• guide your sponsor through the Assurance of Support and second instalment at final processing.

Explore more on our Migrate to Australia page or read our Australia immigration FAQs.

Reviewed by the GIEC Global Australia immigration team. Queue and processing data reflects Home Affairs figures as at 31 August 2026; Medicare information reflects Services Australia guidance. Last reviewed October 2026. Visa rules and charges change regularly – always confirm details on official government websites before applying.