173 Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 173)

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	Contributory Parent (Temporary) subclass 173
Stay	Up to 2 years
Cost	From AUD33,375; two instalments
Apply from	Inside or outside Australia
Decision location	Must be outside Australia
Eligibility timing	Apply before subclass 143 lodgement deadline
Work rights	Work permitted
Study	Study permitted; no government support
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Travel facility	Multiple entry during validity
Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Family sponsorship	Eligible child usually sponsors
Visa record	Digitally linked to passport
Application method	Paper application only
Permanent pathway	Apply for subclass 143 before expiry
Processing	Capped, queued, long processing times

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Purpose

This temporary visa allows a parent of a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen to live in Australia temporarily.

It can be the first stage of a two-step pathway to the permanent Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143), spreading visa costs across several years.

Stay and travel

• Stay in Australia for 2 years.
• The visa period starts when you enter Australia after grant.
• You can leave and return as often as you want while the visa is valid.
• You cannot extend or reapply for this visa to stay longer.
• To pursue permanent residence, apply for subclass 143 before the subclass 173 visa expires.
• You must enter Australia before the date in your grant letter.

Rights and obligations

You can:

• Live in Australia for up to 2 years.
• Work in Australia.
• Study in Australia.
• Apply for a permanent subclass 143 visa.

You will not receive government support for work or study.

You and included family members must:

• Meet all visa conditions.
• Obey Australian laws.
• Keep valid travel documents.
• Tell the Department about changes to contact details, passport, relationship status or family composition.

Use VEVO to check visa expiry, conditions, work rights and study entitlements.

Eligibility

You must:

• Have an approved eligible sponsor.
• Usually be sponsored by an eligible child.
• Meet the balance of family test.
• Meet health and character requirements.
• Repay Australian Government debts, or have an approved repayment arrangement.
• Not have applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870).
• Be assessed as eligible despite any relevant cancellation or refusal history.
• Sign the Australian Values Statement if aged 18 or over.
• Be outside Australia when the Department decides the application.

If your child is under 18, an eligible relative or community organisation may sponsor you.

The visa will not be granted if this is not in the best interests of an applicant under 18.

Balance of family test

You meet the 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.

Family members

You may include family members in the application.

You must declare all family members in the application, including those not migrating.

Applicants must meet health and character requirements. Non-migrating family members may also be required 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 a dependent aged 18 or over, provide evidence of at least 12 months’ financial dependency before applying.

For applicants under 18, obtain consent from any non-migrating person with legal authority over where the child lives, unless an applicable court order or home-country law permits migration.

Cost

The visa costs from AUD33,375 for one applicant.

• Pay the first instalment when applying.
• Pay the second instalment when requested.
• Additional charges apply for included family members.
• Health checks, police certificates and biometrics may create extra costs.
• Failure to pay the second instalment results in refusal.

From 1 July 2026, eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens may receive a lower visa cost when lodging a valid application.

Eligible primary applicants must hold a valid passport from:

• Federated States of Micronesia
• Fiji
• Kiribati
• Nauru
• Palau
• Papua New Guinea
• Republic of the Marshall Islands
• Samoa
• Solomon Islands
• Timor-Leste
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu

Included family members may also receive the lower cost based on the primary applicant’s passport.

Processing

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

Applications are capped and queued, then processed in order received:

1. The Department makes an initial eligibility assessment for queueing or refusal.
2. Applications released from the queue receive final assessment as places become available.

Processing may take longer if the application is incomplete, documents are missing, further information is needed, or information takes longer to verify.

Do not arrange permanent residence or travel to Australia until the visa is granted in writing.

Required documents

Provide documents for yourself, included family members and your sponsor.

Key evidence includes:

• Current passport identity pages.
• National identity card, if available.
• Name-change evidence, if applicable.
• Four recent passport-size photographs for each applicant.
• Sponsor’s completed Form 40.
• Evidence of relationship to each child.
• Evidence of each child’s citizenship or permanent residence.
• Evidence supporting the balance of family test.
• Partner and dependent-child relationship evidence.
• Dependency evidence for adult dependent children.
• Child-migration consent, court orders or relevant legal evidence.
• Police certificates, if requested.
• Translations for all non-English documents.

All non-English documents must be translated into English.

Send:

• Original police certificates.
• Certified copies of all other documents.
• Certified copies of translations.

Do not arrange police checks until requested.

How to apply

You must apply on paper. Online lodgement is not available.

You can apply inside or outside Australia, but not while in immigration clearance.

1. Complete Form 47PA — Application for a parent to migrate to Australia.
2. Have your sponsor complete Form 40 — Sponsorship for migration to Australia.
3. Have each family member aged 18 or over complete Form 47A, including non-migrating family members.
4. Complete all forms in English.
5. Include required documents, certified copies and payment evidence.
6. Pay the first visa instalment.
7. Send the application by post or courier to the address on Form 47PA.

You cannot apply in person.

If the forms, payment or required material are incomplete, the application may be invalid and will not be processed.

After applying

After receiving an acknowledgement letter, you can import the paper application into ImmiAccount using your application ID, date of birth and identity document number.

ImmiAccount can be used to:

• Upload additional documents.
• View Department messages.
• Update your details.
• View application status.

The Department may request health examinations, biometrics, character documents or further information.

You may be able to add family members before a decision by submitting Form 1436 with relationship evidence and a passport copy.

Report application errors using Form 1023.

Important warnings

• Do not apply if you have applied for or hold subclass 870.
• If you have an undecided application for another Parent visa, withdraw it when applying using Part B of Form 47PA.
• A no further stay condition may make an onshore application invalid unless waived.
• You are not entitled to a bridging visa associated with a subclass 173 application.
• If in Australia while the application is processed, maintain a valid visa.
• If outside Australia, remain outside unless you hold another valid visa.
• You must be outside Australia when the decision is made.
• Visa application charges are not refunded if the application is refused.
• Providing inaccurate or incomplete information can have consequences, including visa refusal.