103 Parent visa (subclass 103)

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	Parent visa (subclass 103)
Visa type	Permanent
Stay	Indefinitely
Cost	From AUD8,665
Payment	Two instalments
Apply online	ImmiAccount
Application location	In or outside Australia
Decision location	Usually outside Australia
Core eligibility	Eligible settled child sponsor
Family test	Balance of family required
Work rights	Work permitted
Study	Study permitted
Medicare	Eligible to enrol
Travel facility	Five years
Citizenship	May apply if eligible
Family sponsorship	May sponsor eligible relatives
Visa record	Digitally linked to passport
Processing	Long queue-based processing

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Purpose

This permanent visa allows a parent of a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen to move to Australia.

Stay and rights

You can:

• Stay in Australia indefinitely.
• Work and study in Australia.
• Enrol in Medicare.
• Sponsor eligible family members to come to Australia.
• Travel in and out of Australia for five years.
• Attend free Adult Migrant English Program classes, if eligible.
• Apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible.

Newly arrived residents may face waiting periods for certain Australian Government payments and benefits.

Eligibility

You must:

• Have an eligible sponsor, usually your eligible child.
• Have an eligible child who is a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen.
• Meet the balance of family test.
• Obtain an Assurance of Support when requested.
• Meet health and character requirements.
• Repay Australian Government debts, or have an approved repayment arrangement.
• Meet all visa conditions and obey Australian law.
• Sign the Australian Values Statement if aged 18 or over.
• Not have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870).

Your immigration history may affect eligibility if you have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused.

Balance of family test

You meet this test if either:

• At least half of your children and step-children are eligible children; or
• More eligible children live in Australia than in any other single country.

Sponsor

Your sponsor must be approved. Usually, your eligible child sponsors you.

If your child is under 18, an eligible relative or community organisation may sponsor you. The sponsor must complete Form 40 Sponsorship for migration to Australia.

Assurance of Support

You must be able to obtain an Assurance of Support unless applying through the Retirement visa pathway.

It guarantees that you and included family members will not rely on government assistance during the Assurance of Support period. It may be provided by an individual, multiple people, or an organisation.

Retirement visa pathway

You may apply as a retiree if, on 8 May 2018, you held or had previously held an Investor Retirement visa (subclass 405) or Retirement visa (subclass 410), have held no other substantive visa since that date, and are in Australia.

Retiree applicants:

• Do not need a sponsor.
• Do not need to meet the balance of family test.
• Do not need an Assurance of Support.
• Must maintain adequate health insurance until visa grant.
• May include a partner only if they also hold a Retirement or Investor Retirement visa.
• Cannot include children.

Family members

You can include eligible family members when applying. You must declare all family members, including those not migrating.

Included family members must meet health and character requirements. Non-migrating family members may also be asked to meet these requirements.

Dependent children may be included if they are:

• Under 18; or
• Aged 18 to under 23 and dependent on you or your partner; or
• Aged 23 or over, dependent due to physical or cognitive limitations.

For dependent children aged 18 or over, provide Form 47A and evidence of at least 12 months' financial dependency.

For applicants under 18, obtain parental consent using Form 1229, a statutory declaration, relevant court orders, or evidence of applicable home-country law.

Cost

The visa costs from AUD8,665 for one applicant.

• Additional charges apply for included family members.
• The visa application charge is paid in two instalments.
• Pay the first instalment when applying.
• Pay the second instalment when requested.
• Failure to pay the second instalment results in refusal.
• Additional costs may include health examinations, police certificates, and biometrics.

From 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible citizens of specified Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste who lodge a valid application using an eligible passport. Included family members may also receive the lower cost based on the primary applicant's passport.

Where and when to apply

You and included family members may be in or outside Australia when applying, but cannot be in immigration clearance.

You must usually be outside Australia when the Department decides the application.

Retiree applicants must be in Australia when applying, but not in immigration clearance. They may be in or outside Australia when a decision is made.

If applying on or after 22 April 2026, lodge online through ImmiAccount. If a technical issue prevents online lodgement, submit an ImmiAccount Technical Support Form. Paper lodgement may be considered only if technical support does not resolve the issue.

Processing

Parent visa demand exceeds available places, resulting in long processing times.

Applications are capped and queued, generally processed in receipt order:

1. The Department assesses whether the application can enter the queue or should be refused.
2. When places become available, queued applications undergo final assessment.

Processing may take longer if the application is incomplete, documents are missing, further information is required, information takes longer to verify, or the correct charge has not been paid.

Do not make permanent relocation arrangements until the visa is granted in writing.

Documents

Provide documents for yourself and all included family members, as applicable.

Identity

Provide:

• Current passport bio-data pages.
• National identity card, if available.
• Evidence of name changes.
• Four recent passport-sized photographs for each applicant.

You must have a valid passport before visa grant.

Warning: If you cannot prove your identity, the application will be refused. You and listed family members may be unable to receive another visa for 10 years.

Relationship and family evidence

Provide:

• Evidence of your relationship to each child.
• Evidence of each child's citizenship or permanent residence.
• Evidence supporting the balance of family test.
• Partner relationship evidence, where applicable.
• Birth, marriage, adoption, or dependency evidence for children.

For de facto partners, provide evidence such as joint financial records, joint bills, joint leases or mortgages, and shared residence evidence.

Other evidence

Provide when required:

• Form 40 from the sponsor.
• Assurance of Support.
• Police certificates, only when requested.
• Health examination results, when requested.
• Biometrics, if requested.
• Form 956A to appoint or withdraw an authorised recipient.
• Form 956 to appoint or withdraw an immigration assistance provider.

Translate all non-English documents into English. Submit original police certificates and certified copies of other documents and translations.

Application steps

1. Check passports and eligibility.
2. Gather identity, sponsor, relationship, family-test, and other supporting documents.
3. Create or log in to ImmiAccount.
4. Complete the online application.
5. Attach documents.
6. Pay the first visa instalment.
7. Respond to requests for health checks, biometrics, or further information.
8. Pay the second instalment when invoiced.
9. Wait for the written decision.

Keep copies of your application and all supporting documents.

After applying

Tell the Department promptly if your:

• Address, phone number, or email changes.
• Passport changes.
• Relationship status changes.
• Family composition changes, including a child’s birth.
• Application contains an error.
• You wish to withdraw the application.

Use Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers to report application errors.

You may be able to add an eligible family member before a decision by submitting Form 1436 Adding an additional applicant after lodgement with relationship evidence and the family member's passport copy.

Important warnings

• You cannot apply if you have applied for or hold a subclass 870 visa.
• Do not arrange permanent residence in Australia before grant.
• You are generally not entitled to a bridging visa through a subclass 103 application, unless applying through the Retirement visa pathway.
• If you are in Australia, remain lawful by holding a valid visa while the application is processed.
• You must enter Australia before the initial arrival date in your grant letter, if one is specified.
• The application charge is not refunded if the visa is refused.

Travel

You may travel to and from Australia multiple times for five years from visa grant, while the travel facility remains valid.

After the five-year travel facility expires, you need a Resident Return visa to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident, unless you become an Australian citizen.

Check travel-facility validity and visa conditions through VEVO.

Visa record and obligations

Your visa is digitally linked to your passport. You will not receive a visa label.

You and your family members must comply with all visa conditions and Australian laws. Use VEVO to check visa conditions, work and study rights, and travel-facility details.