Permanently join your child in Australia — faster than the 103 but at a significantly higher cost
The Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) is the faster permanent parent visa option.
It lets the parent of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen move to Australia permanently. The wait time is significantly shorter than the standard Parent visa (subclass 103), but the cost is much higher.
IMMI's current estimate for new 143 applications is around 15 years from lodgement to grant. That's still a long wait, but it's roughly half the wait of the 103, which sits at around 30 years.
The cost difference is the trade-off. The 143 is many times more expensive than the 103. Most of that cost is in the second instalment, which is paid years into the wait when the application moves toward decision.
The eligibility rules are essentially the same as the 103.
The child in Australia has to be settled (usually a permanent resident or citizen for at least 2 years). The parent has to meet the balance of family test. The parent needs a sponsor (the child or the child's partner). And an Assurance of Support has to be in place.
The 143 also has the same outside-Australia rule for lodgement, with one exception described below.
There's a useful alternative path called the 2-step approach. Instead of applying directly for the 143, the parent first applies for a Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 173). The 173 is a 2-year temporary visa that lets the parent live in Australia while the permanent 143 is being processed.
The 173 is cheaper to start, but the combined 173-plus-143 cost is higher than going straight for the 143. The benefit is that the cost is spread across two visas over years, which makes it more manageable for families that can't pay the full 143 fee in one go.
A parent who has already held the 173 doesn't need to redo the balance of family test for the 143.
Once granted, the 143 gives full permanent residency: live, work, and study anywhere in Australia, access to Medicare, and a 5-year travel facility. Holders are eligible for citizenship after meeting the standard residence rules (typically 4 years in Australia, with at least the last 12 months as a permanent resident).
These are the published requirements for the 143. Check each one applies to your situation.
The 143 currently runs at around 15 years from lodgement to grant for new applications.
That's a long wait by any normal standard, but it's roughly half the 103's wait of around 30 years.
For families weighing the two visas, the key question is whether they can pay the much higher 143 cost.
The 143 will not get the parent to Australia next year, but it will get them here within an adult working lifetime. The 103 may not.
That's the trade-off most families are actually making, and it's the reason the 143 stays in demand despite the cost.
Most parent-visa coverage frames the choice as 103 versus 143.
The third option is the 2-step path: apply for the 173 (temporary) first, then apply for the 143 (permanent) before the 173 expires.
The total cost is higher than the direct 143, but the payments are split across two visa applications over years. The bigger benefit is that the parent lives in Australia on the 173 while the 143 processes.
For families who can manage the cost-spread but want the parent in Australia sooner rather than later, the 2-step path is the way the system is genuinely designed to work.
It's worth costing out with a registered migration agent before deciding.
Beyond the visa fees, the Assurance of Support (AoS) is a separate financial commitment that families often underestimate.
The person giving the AoS has to meet an income test, and the bond they lodge with Services Australia can be tens of thousands of dollars depending on family size. The bond is held for 10 years and refunded if no social security payments were claimed.
For a single-applicant 143 the AoS bond is smaller than the visa cost. But for couples and larger families, it adds significantly to the total outlay.
The income test is also strict. A typical Australian wage may not be enough for one person to give the Assurance alone.
Most 143 applicants have to be outside Australia when the visa is decided, which means a final overseas trip before the parent's permanent move.
There are two exceptions: 173 holders, and holders of a substituted Visitor visa (subclass 600), can be in Australia when the 143 is decided.
For families who do the 2-step path, this means the parent never has to leave Australia for the 143 grant.
For families going direct, the parent has to be offshore at decision. There's no flexibility on this, even after a decade of waiting.
