Contributory Parent visa

What this visa is for#

The Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) is a permanent visa in the Parent stream. It is for a parent of an Australian citizen or permanent resident. A key feature of this visa is the very large second instalment of the visa application charge.

If granted, this visa gives permanent residence. Permanent residents can live in Australia indefinitely, work and study, and enrol in Medicare if they meet the usual Medicare rules. The visa also includes a travel facility for a limited period, after which a Resident Return visa may be needed for re-entry as a permanent resident.

This is a capped and queued visa. That means there is an annual limit on how many can be granted, and applications are generally processed in date order within the available places.

Category: partner Stream: Parent

Who it is generally for#

This visa is for people who are the parent of an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident. It sits within the Parent visa program and is one of the contributory parent visas, which means it carries a much higher government charge than the non-contributory parent visas.

This visa is for people who want permanent residence rather than a temporary parent visa. It is commonly used by parents who want to settle in Australia on a permanent basis and who are prepared for a high visa application charge and a long queue.

This visa is for people whose family situation fits the parent visa framework used by the Department. In practice, parent visas usually involve detailed checks about family relationships, identity documents, police clearances, health examinations and updates over a long processing period.

What it costs#

The government visa application charge listed in our data is:

• Main applicant: $49,900
• Additional applicant 18 or over: $49,900

These are government charges. They are paid to the Department of Home Affairs, not to VisaBid, a migration agent or a law firm. The government charge is the same no matter who lodges the application.

A registered migration agent or Australian legal practitioner may also charge professional fees for preparing and lodging an application, communicating with the Department, checking documents and managing updates during processing. Those professional fees are separate from the government charge and can vary a lot from one provider to another.

Government charges are indexed and usually change on 1 July. If an application is lodged after a new pricing date, the charge payable can be different from the previous program year.

Because this visa is known for a very large second instalment, it is important to understand when different parts of the charge are due. The Department’s payment structure and timing can affect budgeting across a long application period.

How long it takes#

Published processing guidance: Queue and capping apply; commonly 4-8 years.

That guidance reflects the structure of the Parent program. A lodged application does not move straight to a decision in the way many other visa subclasses do. It usually spends a long period in the queue before active processing reaches the final stages.

Actual processing can vary. The number of places available in a program year, the date the application was lodged, whether documents are ready when requested, and whether health and character checks need to be updated can all affect the overall timeframe.

A long processing period also means some documents obtained early in the process will not still be current later on. It is common for the Department to request fresh police certificates, updated identity documents or new health examinations closer to decision time.

What the process involves#

The process usually starts with preparing the application forms and supporting documents. This commonly includes identity documents, birth certificates, family relationship evidence, sponsor-related documents where required, and civil documents such as marriage or change of name records if they apply.

The application is then lodged with the Department together with the required government charge at lodgement. After lodgement, the application enters the parent visa queue because queue and capping apply to this program.

During the queue period, the Department may not ask for much straight away. It is still important to keep records organised and to keep contact details current. If passports, addresses, names, family composition or contact details change while the application is waiting, those changes generally need to be notified to the Department.

Closer to active processing, the Department may ask for updated documents. These often include police clearances, health examinations and any civil documents that were missing, unclear or no longer current. If a document is not in English, a translation may also be needed.

The Department then assesses the application against the legal criteria for the subclass. If the application reaches finalisation and the required steps have been completed, the Department either grants or refuses the visa.

Many people use a registered migration agent or Australian legal practitioner because the process is document-heavy and runs for years. Others prepare and lodge their own application. Either way, the legal criteria, evidence requirements and government charges are the same.

What commonly goes wrong#

Incomplete evidence is one of the most common problems. Applications can be delayed if identity documents, birth records, family relationship documents or translations are missing or inconsistent. Even small differences in names, dates of birth or spellings across documents can lead to requests for more information.

Documents often expire during the long wait. Passports can expire, police clearances can become outdated, and health examination results may no longer be current by the time the Department is ready to make a decision. A document that was acceptable at lodgement may need to be provided again later.

People sometimes forget to tell the Department about changes during the queue period. A new address, a new passport, a change of email, a marriage, a death in the family or another major change can affect correspondence and processing. If the Department sends a request to an old address or email and the deadline is missed, the application can run into trouble.

Another common issue is assuming a bridging visa has the same rights as the substantive visa held before lodgement. It does not necessarily carry the same work rights, travel rights or Medicare position. Bridging visa conditions depend on the particular bridging visa granted and the person’s circumstances at that time.

Poor record keeping causes avoidable stress in long-running parent visa matters. Over several years, it is easy to lose receipts, acknowledgement letters, old passports, request letters and certified copies. Keeping a clear file of everything lodged and every Department message makes later updates much easier.

Translations and certification are also frequent problem areas. If the Department requires a document in English, an untranslated document can delay assessment. Copies that are unclear, cut off, or not properly certified where certification is needed can also trigger further requests.

Timing can create problems with police and health checks. Getting these too early can mean they expire before the application is finalised. Getting them too late can mean missing a Department deadline. In long-queue visas, requests are often best handled based on the Department’s timing rather than assumptions made years earlier.

Some applicants also underestimate the financial side of the visa. The charge structure is substantial, and the very large second instalment is a central feature of the subclass 143. Planning for fees, updated documents and related costs over a long period can reduce the risk of delays when the Department asks for the next step.

Frequently asked questions#

How much is the Contributory Parent visa 143 government charge?#

The government charge in our data is $49,900 for the main applicant and $49,900 for each additional applicant aged 18 or over. These are government charges set by the Department. They are separate from any professional fees charged by a registered migration agent or lawyer.

How long does the 143 parent visa take?#

Published processing guidance states: Queue and capping apply; commonly 4-8 years. This reflects the limited number of places in the Parent program and the queue system. Some applications can take longer depending on lodgement date, available places and whether updated documents are provided on time.

Is the subclass 143 a permanent visa?#

Yes. The subclass 143 is a permanent visa in the Parent stream. If granted, it gives permanent residence, with the usual permanent visa features and a travel facility for a limited period.

Can a migration agent change the government fee for a 143 visa?#

No. The government visa application charge is the same no matter who lodges the application. A registered migration agent or Australian legal practitioner may charge separate professional fees for their work, but those do not replace or alter the government charge.

Why does the 143 visa take so long?#

This visa is subject to both capping and queueing. That means only a limited number of visas can be granted each program year, and applications generally wait in line before active processing. The long timeframe also means some checks and documents need to be updated later in the process.

About this page. This is general information about how the Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) works. It is not immigration assistance and it is not advice about your situation. Under section 280 of the Migration Act 1958 only a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner can give you that. Charges are indexed and most change on 1 July, so check any figure against immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before you rely on it, and check any agent's registration on the OMARA register.