Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 173)
The 173 is the first half of a two stage route to the permanent 143. It costs $33,375 per parent, gives two years in Australia with work rights and Medicare, and is followed by a 143 at roughly $19,920 more. It sits in the same 15 years contributory queue as the 143, so it is a cash flow tool, not a shortcut.
Verified against the Department of Home Affairs on 8 September 2026.
Who the 173 suits, and who it does not.
Most wrong choices are made here, before any form is filled.
Usually the right visa for
- A family spreading the contributory chargeAbout two thirds at the 173 stage, the rest two years later.
- A parent who would value two years here with Medicare firstWork rights and Medicare come with the 173.
- A family planning a 143 in any caseA smaller final payment at the permanent stage.
Usually the wrong visa for
- Anyone expecting a faster resultSame queue, same release dates as the 143.
- A parent here and over 67The 884 does the same job onshore with a bridging visa.
- A family that would rather pay onceThe two stages together cost a little more than a direct 143.
What the 173 asks of the family.
Each requirement has detail and exceptions. These decide most applications.
- 01
The 143 gates
A settled sponsor, the balance of family test, health and character, and no 870 on the record, exactly as for the 143.
- 02
Outside Australia at grant
The 173 is granted offshore. Onshore lodgement is allowed but no bridging visa follows.
- 03
Paper lodgement
The 173 and 884 are still lodged on paper; the other parent visas are online.
- 04
The 143 lodged in time
While the 173 is in effect, or within the short window the regulations allow after it ceases. The 143 can then be granted while the parent is in Australia.
- 05
The Assurance of Support later
It is lodged at the 143 stage, not at the 173.
Every charge, and when it falls due.
Main applicant, from 1 July 2026. The Department adds a surcharge for card payments. Health, police and translation costs are extra. The cost stack models one or two parents and the waiting years.
| Item | When | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| First instalment, main applicant | Lodgement | $4,245 |
| First instalment, second parent | Lodgement, approximate | $2,125 |
| Second instalment, each applicant | Release, about 15 years later | $29,130 |
| 143 stage, each applicant | About two years after the 173 grant, approximate | $19,920 |
| Assurance of Support | At the 143 stage, refundable after ten years | $10,000 |
| Health and police checks, per person | Each stage | $600 to $900 |
| Our professional fee | Fixed, staged across both applications | On request |
- Weeks 1 to 8Lodgement on paper with $4,245 after the family count, sponsor and budget are confirmed.
- Months 1 to 6Queue date assigned in the contributory queue.
- Years 1 to 14The queue, spent overseas or on visits. Annual review, changes reported, second instalment forecast.
- Final 12 months173 granted after fresh checks and $29,130. Outside Australia at grant, then entry.
- Years 15 to 17Two years here on the 173. The 143 is lodged before it expires at about $19,920 and granted onshore.
One application and one queue. Slightly cheaper overall, but the whole second instalment at once.
Read the 143 guideSubclass 884Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visaThe onshore aged equivalent for a parent already here and over 67.
Read the 884 guideSubclass 870Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visaNo queue and no family test, but temporary only, and it can bar the contributory visas afterwards.
Read the 870 guideWhat families ask us about the 173.
What is the point of the 173 if it is not faster?
Cash flow, and two years in Australia with Medicare before permanent residence. Families who cannot fund $43,600 in one payment use it to split the contributory charge.
Can the 173 be lodged while the parent is in Australia?
Yes, but no bridging visa follows and the visa must be granted while the parent is outside Australia.
What happens after the two years?
The 143 must be lodged while the 173 is in effect, or within the short period allowed afterwards, at reduced charges of roughly $19,920 per applicant. We diarise that from the day of grant.
Is Medicare really available on the 173?
Yes. Holders of the 173 can enrol in Medicare under a Ministerial Order, and they have full work rights for the two years.
Does the second parent pay the same?
A second parent pays a lower first instalment, about $2,125, and the full $29,130 second instalment, then the same reduced 143 charges.
Sources: Department of Home Affairs, Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 173) and the Parent visas queue release dates page (as at 31 May 2026); Services Australia for Assurance of Support amounts. Checked 8 September 2026. Charges change every 1 July. General information as at 8 September 2026, not advice on your circumstances.
How we help with the 173.
- StrategyA written letter that tests all seven parent visas against your family before anything is lodged, with the costs by year and a fixed fee.
- LodgementBalance of family and sponsor evidence prepared so the application is queued on the first assessment.
- The queueAn annual review: addresses, passports, sponsor, health, and the second instalment forecast.
- ReleaseHealth, police, the Assurance of Support and the payment lined up before the Department's letter.
- Both practicesWhere the sponsor runs a business, our commercial team prepares the income and structure evidence alongside the visa file.
Talk to us about the subclass 173.
One consultation, in person on St Kilda Road or by video. You leave with the visa confirmed, the costs by year and a fixed fee in writing.