Is Australian Parent Migration Getting Harder? Rethinking 143, 864, 600 and 870

As checked on 2 September 2026, Home Affairs estimates about 15 years for new Contributory Parent applications, including subclasses 143 and 864, and about 33 years for new Parent and Aged Parent applications, including subclasses 103 and 804. These are estimates, not guarantees. Annual places, queue dates, demand and individual circumstances affect actual progress.

Does Direction 117 mean an onshore Parent visa will be decided quickly?

No. Ministerial Direction 117 replaced Direction 102 on 25 July 2026. Eligible Family visa applications lodged in Australia for a visa that can be granted in Australia receive a higher processing priority than applications requiring an offshore grant. Parent visas, however, remain capped and queued. The Direction changes relative processing order; it does not remove the queue or promise a quick onshore decision.

Why must condition 8503 on a Visitor visa be checked first?

Condition 8503, No Further Stay, prevents the holder from applying for most other visas while in Australia. Whether it applies must be checked in the individual grant letter or VEVO. It is not accurate to say every Visitor visa granted to a parent carries 8503. The Sponsored Family stream expressly includes it, and it may be imposed in other subclass 600 cases.

A waiver can be requested only in limited circumstances involving a major change after grant that was outside the person's control and is compelling and compassionate. Requesting a waiver does not extend lawful stay and does not guarantee approval. A family should therefore not build its plan around entering on a Visitor visa and later finding an onshore pathway.

What problem does the subclass 870 visa actually solve?

Subclass 870 is temporary and does not itself lead to permanent residence. It can allow an eligible parent to live with family in Australia for three or five years and, subject to further eligibility, for up to 10 years cumulatively. It has no Balance of Family test or Assurance of Support, but holders cannot work and must maintain adequate Australian health insurance.

Why does the order of an 870 and a 143 or 864 application matter?

Home Affairs states that a parent cannot apply for a permanent or temporary Parent visa after applying for, or while holding, a subclass 870 visa. By contrast, a person with a permanent Parent visa application already in progress may be able to use an 870 for temporary reunion while that application is decided. The same two visa ideas can therefore produce a very different outcome depending on sequence.

This does not mean everybody should lodge a permanent Parent visa first. Subclasses 143, 864, 103 and 804 have different age, location, Balance of Family, sponsorship and other requirements. Condition 8503 on the parent's current visa may also affect whether an onshore application can be made validly. The entire timeline should be checked before any application is lodged.

If a parent is already 70, should the family still wait 15 years for PR?

There is no universal answer. Some families prioritise the long-term rights of permanent residence. Others place greater value on living together during the years when parents are healthier or need more support. Subclass 870 may provide that time, but its cost, insurance, no-work condition and 10-year cumulative limit remain significant.

Which three costs should a family calculate?

1. Time: the estimated queue and the parents' likely age and health later;
2. Money: visa charges, insurance, healthcare, housing and ongoing living costs;
3. Reunion: where the parents should live during the next five to ten years and how much separation the family can accept.

What should be checked before planning begins?

1. Confirm the parents' current visa, any condition 8503 and their VEVO record;
2. check age, Balance of Family, application location and sponsorship criteria for the proposed permanent Parent subclass;
3. confirm subclass 870 sponsor income, household sponsorship limits and insurance budget;
4. map the order of Visitor stays, any 870 application and any permanent Parent visa application;
5. retain alternatives for changes in policy, health, care needs and family finances.