Contributory Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 884 and 864)

The Contributory Aged Parent visa is for older parents of a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. Subclass 884 is the temporary visa in this pathway, while Subclass 864 is the permanent visa.

Subclass 884 is a temporary visa that lets an eligible aged parent stay in Australia temporarily. It cannot be extended or renewed. Subclass 864 is the permanent version, which lets the holder stay in Australia indefinitely, work and study without restriction, enrol in Medicare, and, if eligible, later apply for citizenship.

Usually, the sponsor is the applicant’s child who is an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen and is settled in Australia. If the child is under 18, an eligible relative or a community organisation may be able to sponsor instead, subject to approval.

The applicant generally must be old enough to receive the age pension in Australia, have a settled eligible child in Australia, have an approved sponsor, pass the Balance of Family Test, meet health and character requirements, and pay the relevant visa charges. For Subclass 864, an Assurance of Support is also a key requirement before grant.

A parent passes the Balance of Family Test if at least half of their children are eligible children living in Australia, or if they have more eligible children living in Australia than in any other single country. This test applies to both Subclass 884 and Subclass 864, and Home Affairs says it cannot be waived even in compelling or exceptional circumstances.

These visas involve significant charges. The current Home Affairs pricing page shows a base application charge of AUD 5,040 for Subclass 884 and AUD 445 for Subclass 864, with additional instalments and other costs potentially applying depending on the case. Because charges can change and family composition affects cost, applicants should always confirm the latest amount on the official pricing page.

Yes. These are onshore parent visas. Home Affairs treats Subclass 884 as the temporary onshore contributory aged parent visa, and the corresponding permanent onshore pathway is Subclass 864. From 2 April 2025, applicants for parent subclasses including 864 and 884 can also import their paper application into ImmiAccount for online management.

Yes. Home Affairs states that Subclass 884 allows the holder to work and study in Australia while it is valid, and Subclass 864 also allows work and study in Australia.

Yes. Eligible members of the family unit, such as a partner and dependent children, can generally be included if they meet the relevant requirements. The parent visa forms also provide for family unit members to be listed as part of the application.

Subclass 864 holders can enrol in Medicare, Australia’s public healthcare scheme. Some website copy also states Medicare access for 884 holders, but because healthcare access can depend on visa status and practical eligibility rules, it is safest to check the official visa page and Medicare rules at the time of application.

Yes. Subclass 864 includes travel rights for 5 years from the date of grant. Temporary Subclass 884 holders can also travel while their visa remains valid, subject to the visa conditions and validity period.

Yes, it can be quite detailed. Applicants must meet sponsorship, family relationship, balance-of-family, health, character, and payment requirements, and contributory parent applications are also subject to capping and queueing. The forms and supporting evidence requirements make the process relatively complex for many families.

Home Affairs does not provide a simple fixed processing time for these visas because parent visas are subject to capping and queueing. Once a valid application meets the core visa criteria, it is assigned a queue date and waits for a place to become available in a migration program year.

Potentially yes. If Home Affairs refuses a visa application, the applicant may have review rights, and the refusal notice will explain those rights and how to apply for review if the decision is reviewable.

The best source is the Australian Department of Home Affairs website, especially the official visa pages for Subclass 884 and 864, the Balance of Family Test page, the current visa pricing page, and the parent visa processing centre resources. Parent visa applications are paper-based, although eligible applicants can now import certain parent visa paper applications into ImmiAccount to manage them online.