Parent Migration

Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 173)

This visa lets parents of a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen live in Australia temporarily.

If you are granted this visa and want to stay in Australia permanently, you can then apply for a Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143).

Applying for this temporary subclass 173 visa before the permanent subclass 143 visa lets you spread the costs of your migration over a number of years.

Eligibility

You must have a child who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen.

At least half of your children must live in Australia or more of your children live in Australia than any other country.

Length of stay

2 years

Summary

Subclass 173

This is a temporary visa with an initial Australian government fee of $2,800 and $1,400 for any additional applicant. Before the visa is granted the second instalment of $29,130 is required to be paid. This visa takes approximately 3 to 3.5 years to process. The applicants are granted a 2 year temporary visa.

Before this visa expires they must pay an additional $19,420 and apply for the permanent visa subclass 143.

In all cases the second instalment of monies paid is only called for after each applicant has passed health and character tests and the AoS (Assurance of Support, see below for AoS details) has been lodged with the Australian government. In no case will a second instalment be paid and a visa not granted. Second instalments are non-refundable in all cases.

The process

Processing time

Sponsor

You must be sponsored. Usually, this will be your child who must be:

• 18 years old or older
• a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.

A sponsor can sponsor more than one parent for this visa.

Sponsors have financial and other responsibilities.

Balance-of-family test

You must meet the balance-of-family test. This means that:

• at least half of your children live permanently in Australia
  or
• more of your children live permanently in Australia than in any one other country.

Health

You must meet the health requirement.

Character

You must meet the character requirement.

Debts

You must have repaid, or have arranged to repay, any outstanding debts to the Australian government.

Cancelled visas

You might not be eligible for this visa if you have had a visa cancelled or refused while you were in Australia.

What you can do

This visa lets you:

• live in Australia for up to two years
• work and study in Australia (you will not receive government support)
• enrol in Medicare, Australia’s scheme for health-related care and expenses
• travel to and from Australia as many times as you want for two years from the date the visa is granted.
• apply for a permanent Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143).

You cannot extend or re-apply for this visa.

Location

You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for this visa.

You must be outside Australia when the visa is decided.

Extending your stay

You cannot extend or re-apply for this visa.

If you want to stay in Australia permanently, you can apply for a Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) before your subclass 173 visa expires.

Medicare

You can enrol if either:

• you’ve applied for a contributory parent visa and have a temporary 173 or 884 visa
• you have a permanent contributory parent visa subclass 143 or 864.

You may be able to enrol if you have a temporary contributory parent visa (173 visa).

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