Can I Bring My Parents to Australia on a Long-Stay Visa Without a Permanent Visa?
This is one of the most emotionally weighted questions in Australian migration, and it deserves an honest, complete answer. The permanent parent visa program has become notoriously slow, with waiting periods that stretch into decades for some categories. But permanent residency is not the only route. There are genuine long-stay temporary options that let your parents live with you in Australia for months or years at a time, without waiting for a permanent visa grant. This article maps the four practical pathways, the eligibility hurdles that apply to each, and the honest cost comparison so you can decide which one actually fits your family's situation.
Quick Answer
Yes. Australia offers several long-stay temporary options for parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents, and eligible New Zealand citizens. The most useful are the Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa Subclass 870, which allows stays of up to 10 years, and the Visitor Visa Subclass 600 Sponsored Family stream, which offers up to 12 months per visit with three-year multiple-entry validity. Both require you to meet the "Balance of Family" test or have sponsorship options in place. Costs range from a few hundred dollars for basic visitor visas up to $10,000+ for the Sponsored Parent visa, and $53,000+ for contributory parent pathways that lead to permanent residency.
Trying to Bring Your Parents to Australia? Get the Right Long-Stay Option Mapped
The right pathway depends on your parents' age, your Balance of Family position, your budget, and how much continuous stay you actually need. Speak with a migration professional early so you do not spend $10,000+ on the wrong subclass.
The Four Practical Long-Stay Options for Parents
Before choosing, it helps to see all four options in context. They differ substantially in cost, stay length, eligibility, and whether they lead to permanent residency.
Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa - Subclass 870
This is the most useful long-stay option specifically designed for parents. Introduced in 2019, it allows parents to live in Australia for a continuous stay of 3 or 5 years at a time, with the option to renew for a total combined stay of up to 10 years. It requires an approved family sponsor (the child in Australia) and does not require passing the Balance of Family test. It does not include work rights and does not lead directly to permanent residency, but it is the most flexible long-stay option currently available. This is the strongest choice for families who want extended time together but where a permanent parent visa is either unaffordable or unrealistic in timing terms.
Visitor Visa - Sponsored Family Stream (Subclass 600)
The Sponsored Family stream of the Visitor 600 is a flexible option for parents who want to visit for extended periods rather than continuously reside. It offers up to 12 months of stay per visit and can be granted with multiple entries valid for up to 3 years. Applications require a sponsor in Australia (usually you) and may require a bond, typically between $5,000 and $15,000, refundable when the parent departs Australia within visa conditions. Processing times are much faster than the 870, and the total cost is lower.
Contributory Parent (Temporary) Visa - Subclass 173
The Contributory Parent Temporary visa allows a 2-year stay in Australia, with the option to transition to the permanent Subclass 143 Contributory Parent Visa. This route is faster than the standard permanent parent stream but comes with a substantial financial cost, currently around $53,000+ in total application charges (split across the 173 and 143 stages). It is designed for families who want a definite permanent residency outcome and who can afford the substantial contribution. This pathway also requires meeting the Balance of Family test.
Parent Visa (Subclass 103) and Aged Parent (804)
These are the traditional non-contributory parent visas. The Subclass 103 is applied for offshore, while the Subclass 804 is available onshore for aged parents (generally 65+). Both lead to permanent residency, but processing times are currently in the range of 30+ years due to annual capping and demand. Both require passing the Balance of Family test. For most families, this is not a realistic short-term or medium-term option, but the application is significantly cheaper (around $5,125) than the contributory routes.
The Balance of Family Test Explained
Several of the pathways above hinge on this test, so understanding it is worth doing early. Your parents must have at least half of their children living lawfully and permanently in Australia, or more of their children living in Australia than in any other single country.
For example, if your parents have three children total and one is in Australia, one is in India, and one is in Canada, they pass the test. If they have four children, two in Australia and two in the UK, they also pass because equal counts satisfy the "at least half" rule. All children count, including stepchildren, adopted children, and children living in third countries.
The Balance of Family Test Trips Many Families
This is the eligibility hurdle that stops many families from proceeding on the permanent parent, contributory parent, and aged parent routes. Notably, the Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 870) and Visitor Visa (Subclass 600) do not require this test, which is why they are often the more accessible options for families who cannot meet it.
Cost Comparison: What Each Option Actually Costs
The costs vary dramatically across these options. Rough figures for 2026, per parent:
| Pathway | Application Fee | Other Costs | Total (Approx) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subclass 870 (3-year) | Around $5,000 | Sponsorship application ($420), health checks, insurance | ~$6,000-$7,000 |
| Subclass 870 (5-year) | Around $10,000 | Sponsorship application ($420), health checks, insurance | ~$11,000-$12,000 |
| Visitor 600 (Sponsored Family) | Around $195 | Bond $5,000-$15,000 (refundable), health insurance | ~$5,000-$15,000 (bond returned) |
| Subclass 173 -> 143 (Contributory) | ~$53,000+ total | Health checks, Assurance of Support, insurance | ~$55,000+ |
| Subclass 103 or 804 (Non-Contributory) | ~$5,125 | Assurance of Support, health checks, insurance | ~$8,000-$10,000 (30+ year wait) |
Health Insurance Is Mandatory
Australian public healthcare (Medicare) is not available to visitors on 870 or 600 visas. Private health insurance is mandatory for the full duration of the stay, and typical costs range from $1,500 to $3,000 per parent per year depending on age and coverage. Any pre-existing condition can significantly increase premiums or lead to exclusions. For elderly parents, this is often the largest ongoing cost after the visa fee itself. Do not budget without factoring this in.
Which Option Actually Fits Your Family's Situation?
Cost, timing, and stay-length are the practical trade-offs. Here is how the options match to the most common family situations we see.
- Your parents want to stay for months at a time, not continuously. The Subclass 600 Sponsored Family visitor visa is usually the right first step. Faster to obtain, much cheaper, and the 3-year multiple-entry validity gives flexibility.
- Your parents want to live with you continuously for years. The Subclass 870 Sponsored Parent (Temporary) is the strongest option, offering up to 10 years combined. The 5-year grant is the more economical choice per year of stay.
- Your family can afford $55,000+ and wants a definite PR outcome. The Contributory Parent pathway (173 to 143) is the fastest permanent route, generally 4 to 6 years for grant.
- You have time and want to preserve the permanent option cheaply. Lodging a 103 or 804 secures a place in the queue, but plan around the 30+ year wait rather than expecting a grant soon. Some families lodge one of these while using the 870 or 600 for practical stays in the meantime.
What Do You (as the Sponsor) Need to Do?
Every long-stay parent visa requires you to sponsor. The specific requirements vary slightly by subclass, but the common threads are:
- You must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen aged 18 or over, and settled (usually with at least 2 years of residence)
- You must meet minimum income requirements, particularly for the Subclass 870, where the sponsor's household income threshold is around $86,606 (or higher if you have other dependants)
- You must pass character requirements and often provide an Assurance of Support, a legal commitment to reimburse the government for any social welfare payments claimed by the sponsored parent
- You will need to lodge the sponsorship application first (approved before the visa application can be lodged for the 870), which adds to the timeline
If you are still working out your own visa position (for instance, whether you qualify as an eligible New Zealand citizen for family sponsorship purposes), our guide on moving from a NZ Partner Visa to an Australian Partner Visa covers what "eligible NZ citizen" actually means, which is directly relevant to parent sponsorship as well.
What to Know Before You Apply
A few practical points worth internalising before committing to any of these pathways:
- None of the temporary options grant Medicare eligibility. Private health insurance covers the entire stay and is a substantial ongoing cost, particularly for elderly parents.
- None of the temporary options grant work rights. The 870 and 600 both prohibit paid employment during the stay. Only the Contributory Parent (173) and permanent parent visas provide work rights once granted.
- Only children in Australia count for Balance of Family purposes, so if your family is spread across countries, do the count carefully before assuming eligibility for the contributory or non-contributory routes.
- Multiple applications by the same sponsor for different parents may be treated together for cap purposes. If you plan to sponsor both parents, factor this into your budget and timing.
What to Have Ready Before You Get Advice
- Number of siblings and where each lives - the raw data for the Balance of Family test
- Your own income and household situation, to check the sponsor income threshold for the 870
- Your parents' ages and any significant health conditions, which affect both the visa health assessment and insurance premiums
- How long your parents actually want to stay in Australia - continuous residency, extended visits, or eventual PR
- Your budget realistically across the two costs: the visa application charge and ongoing private health insurance
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Choose the Right Parent Visa Pathway?
A migration professional can confirm your Balance of Family position, check your sponsor eligibility, and help you match the right subclass to your family's stay-length needs and budget.