Parent visa (subclass 103)
The 103 is the non contributory permanent parent visa. It costs $8,665 per parent, a fifth of the contributory charge, and is lodged and granted while the parent is outside Australia. The Department's own estimate for a new application is about 33 years; files queued in March 2014 are being released now. We recommend it only to families who understand that timeline and choose it anyway.
Verified against the Department of Home Affairs on 8 September 2026.
Who the 103 suits, and who it does not.
Most wrong choices are made here, before any form is filled.
Usually the right visa for
- A family with time and a tight budget$8,665 against $49,900 per parent.
- A younger parentA 33 years wait is at least conceivable for a parent in their fifties.
- A family that wants a permanent application on foot while savingLodged now, with a contributory application possible later.
Usually the wrong visa for
- A family that wants the parent here within their lifetimeApplications from March 2014 are only now being released.
- A parent already in AustraliaThe 103 cannot be lodged onshore. Over 67, the 804 can.
- Anyone who has applied for or holds an 870The Department treats it as a bar.
What the 103 asks of the family.
Each requirement has detail and exceptions. These decide most applications.
- 01
A settled sponsor
The adult child, an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, lawfully resident around two years.
- 02
The balance of family test
At least half of the parent's children here as citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens, or more here than in any other single country.
- 03
Health and character
Checked at queuing and again before grant, which over 33 years means at least twice.
- 04
An Assurance of Support
$5,000 for the main applicant and $2,000 per adult dependant, held two years, refundable.
- 05
No 870 on the record
The Department's position for every permanent parent visa.
- 06
Offshore at lodgement and grant
The parent must be outside Australia at both points.
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 | $6,600 |
| First instalment, second parent | Lodgement | $3,300 |
| Second instalment, each applicant | Release, about 33 years later | $2,065 |
| Assurance of Support | Before grant, refundable after two years | $5,000 |
| Health and police checks, per person | At least twice over the queue | $600 to $900 |
| Our professional fee | Fixed, quoted in writing | On request |
- Weeks 1 to 8Lodged in ImmiAccount from outside Australia with $6,600, once the family count and sponsor are confirmed.
- Months 1 to 6Queue date assigned in the non contributory queue.
- Years 1 to 32The queue, spent overseas with visits. Every change reported. A later contributory application does not inherit the 103's place.
- Final 12 monthsRelease. Fresh checks, the bond and $2,065.
- GrantOutside Australia at grant, then first entry and Medicare.
About 15 years instead of 33 years, for $49,900 per parent.
Read the 143 guideSubclass 804Aged Parent visaThe onshore equivalent for a parent already here and over 67, with a bridging visa.
Read the 804 guideSubclass 870Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visaLong temporary stays with no queue, and a bar on the permanent visas afterwards.
Read the 870 guideWhat families ask us about the 103.
Why is the 103 queue so much longer than the 143?
Both share the same capped pool of parent places, 7,060 for 2026 to 2027, but contributory applications are allocated the large majority. The non contributory queue is released a few months of lodgement dates each year.
Does lodging a 103 reserve a place for a later 143?
No. A contributory application receives its own queue date when its core criteria are assessed. The 103 does not carry across.
Can the parent visit Australia while the 103 waits?
Usually, on visitor visas. We plan the visits so that a No further stay condition or a pattern of long stays does not harm the application or a later onshore option.
What does a second parent add?
$3,300 at lodgement and $2,065 at release, plus $2,000 on the bond.
Is there any bridging visa with the 103?
No. It is an offshore visa, so there is nothing to bridge.
Sources: Department of Home Affairs, Parent visa (subclass 103) 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 103.
- 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 103.
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.