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Contributory Parent (Permanent) Visa 
(Subclass 143)

What Is A Permanent Contributory Parent Visa?

The Contributory Parent (Permanent) (subclass 143) visa provides an opportunity for parents to permanently settle in Australia.  Eligible Australian children – who are at least 18 years old and have been living in Australia for at least 2 years – can Sponsor their parents on this visa if they are settled in Australia as Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens.

If a child is not yet 18 years old then the following can Sponsor the parent of that child:

  • A child’s spouse (if the spouse is at least 18 years old and is a settled eligible Sponsor); or

  • A guardian or a relative of the child (if that guardian/relative is at least 18 years old and is a settled eligible Sponsor); or

  • If the spouse is also under 18 years of age then a guardian or a relative of the child’s spouse who has turned 18 and is a settled eligible Sponsor); or

  • A community organisation. (Proof of commitment to support the applicant(s) upon their arrival in Australia will be required).

A Contributory Parent (Subclass 143) visa has a shorter processing and queuing time as compared to some other parent visas. However, an applicant for this visa will have to pay a significantly higher visa application fee.

A Sponsor may not be required for lodging a Contributory Parent (Subclass 143) sponsorship application if the parent/applicant already holds a Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa.

The Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa allows an applicant to live in Australia for two years. However, this temporary visa cannot be renewed or extended. Instead, the parents (applicants) can apply for a Contributory Parent (subclass 143) within 2 years of living in Australia on a Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa if they plan to permanently live in Australia.​
 

 

Main Benefits of This Visa​
 

  1. Live, work, and study in Australia as permanent residents of Australia

  2. Enrol in a world-class Medicare scheme

  3. Sponsor other eligible family members to come to Australia (such as your spouse and dependant children)

  4. Travel to and from Australia for five years

  5. Apply for Australian Citizenship upon becoming eligible​

What Are The Requirements For a Permanent Contributory Visa?​
 

  • You must not hold, or have applied for, a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (Subclass 870) visa when applying for this visa.

    • (However, if you wish, you can apply for a Subclass 870 visa after your Subclass 143 application is formally acknowledged).

  • You have an eligible Sponsor/child who is a settled Australian citizen  or a Permanent Resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen; OR

  • You hold a Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa at the time of lodging this visa application.

  • If you do not hold a Subclass 173 visa, then you must be able to satisfy the balance of family test.

  • You are able to provide an Assurance of Support (unless you are applying for the Retirement Pathway).

  • You meet the health and character criteria.

Things You Should Know About Permanent Contributory Parent Visa
 

  • You can directly apply (paper application) for a subclass 143 visa application (without going through Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa pathway).

  • There is no Bridging visa for Contributory Parent (Subclass 143) visa applicants, even if you apply for your Contributory Parent (Subclass 143) visa onshore. It is because this visa application is deemed an offshore application, irrespective of your location at the time of application.

  • Beware of the visa Condition 8515: The holder of the visa must not marry or enter into a de facto relationship before entering Australia.

  • A partner may be added to a Contributory Parent (Subclass 143) visa application while it is still under process (if not already included). Adding a partner to an existing application does not affect/alter the processing times of this application. 

  • A combined application may be made even if the Main Applicant for Contributory Parent (Subclass 143) visa is onshore while the spouse is offshore. Likewise, a combined application from Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa to Contributory Parent (Subclass 143) visa can be lodged even if the Applicants are in a different location.

  • If you are granted a Contributory Parent (Subclass 143) visa as a Primary applicant you will NOT be able to apply to sponsor your spouse on a 309/100 visa for 5 years from the date of grant of your Contributory Parent (Subclass 143) visa. However, if you were granted this visa as a dependent child but later you got married then the Sponsorship limitation does not apply to you.

  • Applicants (parents) can include their dependant children in their Contributory Parent (Subclass 143) visa application. However, included children must ideally be under 18 years of age at the time of decision. If the child is over the age of 23 then you will have to satisfy additional requirements with regards to that child, (for example, completing a Form 47A-Details of the child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over). Otherwise, it is unlikely that a dependant child who is 23 years or older will be granted a visa as an ‘additional applicant’.

  • If you hold a Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa at the time of lodging your Contributory Parent (Subclass 143) visa application – you must be in Australia.

  • Unlike subclass 870 visa – The Sponsor does not need to meet a certain income threshold.

  • If you are in Australia and hold a substantive visa which is subject to the 8503 visa condition then you will need a waiver of this condition before you can apply for this visa. A response from the Department to your waiver request may take 4-8 weeks.

    • [If you leave Australia to lodge this application offshore (e.g., because of 8503 conditions), you must wait offshore until you receive the IMMI acknowledgement of your application (which may take about 6 weeks)].

    • In some circumstances, you can email the Parents Visa Processing team of the Department to request an urgent receipt/acknowledgement. You should bring it to the Department's notice that your matter is urgent (e.g., your current visa is expiring in the next few days).

Cost of This Visa

AUD $47,825

In contrast to a Sponsored Parent (subclass 870) visa, there is no fee for the Sponsor to pay for Contributory Parent (subclass 143) visa.

Note: at the time of lodging a subclass 143 visa application, the Applicant will have to pay only the base application charges (also known as ‘first instalment’) as follow:

  • Main Applicant: AUD 370

  • Any additional applicants – 18 years and over: $190 (per applicant).

  • Any additional applicants – 18 years and under: $90 (per applicant)

 

  • For most other applicants:

    • Main Applicant: AUD 4,225

    • Any additional applicants – 18 years and over: $1425 (per applicant).

    • Any additional applicants – 18 years and under: $715 (per applicant)

 

The following amounts in ‘Second Instalment’ are payable before this visa could be granted:

  • AUD 19,420 (per applicant) - For an Applicant who was the holder of a Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa at the time of application

  • AUD 2,095 - for a dependant child who was less than 18 years at the time of application

  • AUD 43,600 (each applicant) – For most other applicants

 

Where a ‘Second Instalment’ is required to be paid before the visa grant, the visa will not be granted unless the required amount has been paid. The visa may be refused unless the amount owing is paid within the required period.

 

Estimated Processing Time
 

14 Years.

The Department of Home Affairs is likely to advise you via a letter/email about the estimated processing time of your Contributory Parent (Subclass 143) visa.

If you have already lodged a Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa application and later decide to lodge a Contributory Parent (Subclass 143) visa application then your place in the ‘queue’ will not be lost as per the current Departmental policy guidelines.
 

See Our Blog(s) On This Visa To Learn More

Should you wish to discuss your circumstances and options with us, please feel free to Contact Us. We are here to help you with your Parent visa application.

Warning! Please note that Australian immigration laws and policies are highly complex and dynamic. Therefore, no information provided on this website in relation to Australian immigration laws and policies (or on any other matter) is intended to be legal advice. Please read our Terms and Conditions.

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