The Aged Parent visa (subclass 804) allows older parents who are already in Australia on a temporary visa to live in Australia permanently, if their child is:
- An Australian citizen
- An Australian permanent resident
- An eligible New Zealand citizen
Your child must also be settled in Australia.
Processing queue (important)
There is currently a long queue for this visa, with waiting times of up to:
- 13 years before approval
Because of the long waiting period, some eligible aged parents may choose to apply for the Contributory Aged Parent visa, which has:
- Higher visa application fees
- An Assurance of Support (AoS) bond requirement
Am I eligible for an Aged Parent visa?
Subclass 804 – Main requirements
To be eligible, you must meet the requirements below.
1) Sponsorship requirement
You must have a sponsor
You must have a child who is either:
- An Australian citizen
- An Australian permanent resident
- An eligible New Zealand citizen
If your child is under 18
If your child is not over 18 years of age, you may also be sponsored by:
- Your child’s spouse
- Must be over 18
- Must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen
- A close family relative or legal guardian of your child
- A close family relative or legal guardian of your child’s spouse
- A community organisation
2) Age requirement
Male applicants
Aged parents who are men must be:
- 65 years or older
Female applicants
Aged parents who are female must check their Date of Birth (DOB) against the table below.
Female age eligibility table
| Date of Birth (DOB) | Minimum Age |
|---|---|
| Before 30 June 1944 | 63 years |
| 1 July 1944 – 31 December 1945 | 63.5 years |
| 1 January 1946 – 30 June 1947 | 64 years |
| 1 July 1947 – 31 December 1948 | 64.5 years |
| 1 January 1949 and later | 65 years |
3) Balance of Family Test
You must satisfy the balance of family test, which requires that:
- Half of your children must be permanent residents in Australia
OR - You have more children who are permanent residents in Australia than in any other overseas country
4) Assurance of Support (AoS)
You must have a commitment from a person or organisation prepared to provide you with an Assurance of Support.
What is an Assurance of Support?
Assurance of Support is a legal commitment to provide you with financial support so you do not have to rely on social security payments.
How many people can provide AoS?
You can have up to:
- 3 people who can provide an Assurance of Support for you
5) Health and character requirements
You must also meet:
- Health requirements
- Character requirements
Visa caps (Parent visas)
Visa caps for the 2023–2024 financial year
The maximum number of family visas that may be granted for Parent visas is:
- 1,700 visas
Subclasses included
- Parent (Migrant) Subclass 103
- Including 13 x Subclass 103 under the Retiree Pathway
- Aged Parent (Residence) Subclass 804
Aged Parent Visa Changes (2025 update)
What changed?
The Migration Amendment (Substituted Subclass 600 Visa Exemptions) Regulations 2025 introduced a key change affecting:
- Aged Parent (Subclass 804)
- Contributory Aged Parent (Subclass 864)
- Contributory Aged Parent (Subclass 884)
New rule
Holders of a substituted Subclass 600 (Visitor) visa granted via ministerial intervention under:
- Section 351
- Section 501J
- Former section 417
can now apply for an Aged Parent visa even if they do not meet the age requirement.
Retrospective start date
This change applies retrospectively from:
- 17 December 2024
Why this matters
This change:
- Provides a pathway for parents to stay in Australia
- Streamlines visa processing for affected families
- Ensures consistency in applying ministerial discretion
- Supports family reunification and aligns with human rights protections under international law
Subclass 804 Visa Fees
Government visa application charges (AUD)
| Fee type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Base application charge | $5,280.00 |
| Additional applicant charge (18 and over) | $2,640.00 |
| Additional applicant charge (under 18) | $1,325.00 |
| Non-internet application charge | N/A |
| Subsequent temporary application charge | N/A |
