Subclass 143 — Contributory Parent Visa — Australia — immi.wiki

The Subclass 143 Contributory Parent visa is a permanent visa for parents of settled Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens. It is the contributory parent visa — the application charge is significantly higher than the non-contributory Subclass 103 Parent visa, but the queue is considerably shorter, resulting in substantially faster (though still lengthy) processing times.

The contributory parent pathway is typically a two-stage process. Many parents first apply for and are granted the Subclass 173 Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa, which allows them to live in Australia for up to two years while their permanent Subclass 143 application is finalised. The second stage application for the 143 is lodged from within Australia after the 173 is granted.

The application charges for the Subclass 143 are among the highest of any visa in the Australian migration program, reflecting the government's policy of having contributory parents pay a greater share of the healthcare and social services costs expected to be incurred during their residence in Australia. For current application charges, refer to the DHA fee schedule. For current processing times, refer to the parent visa queue release dates.

The applicant must:

• Be the parent of a settled Australian citizen, settled Australian permanent resident, or settled eligible New Zealand citizen (the "sponsoring child")
• Pass the balance of family test (same test as for the Subclass 103)
• Meet health and character requirements

The balance of family test: The applicant passes if at least half of their children (counting all living children including step-children and adopted children, together with all of the applicant's partner's children) are settled in Australia, or if more of their children are settled in Australia than in any other single country.

The sponsoring child must:

• Be settled in Australia — an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible NZ citizen residing in Australia for a reasonable period
• Be aged 18 or over
• Lodge Form 47PA sponsorship

A parent aged 65 or over at the time of application may alternatively apply for the Subclass 864 Contributory Aged Parent visa (onshore) — the Aged Parent stream is relevant where the applicant is in Australia and meets the aged parent criteria. The standard Subclass 143 does not have an age requirement.

Stage 1 — Subclass 173 (temporary, optional): Many parents apply for the Subclass 173 Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa, which is processed faster and allows the parent to travel to and live in Australia for up to 2 years. This is lodged from outside Australia.

Stage 2 — Subclass 143 (permanent): The Subclass 143 application may be lodged from outside Australia (directly) or from inside Australia after the 173 has been granted. Lodging from inside Australia on a 173 is the more common pathway.

Key documents include:

• Birth certificates for all relevant children to demonstrate the balance of family test
• Evidence of Australian citizenship or PR status for each child settled in Australia
• Form 47PA sponsorship lodged by the sponsoring child
• Health examinations and police certificates

For current application charges (including the substantial second instalment of the visa charge payable before the 143 is granted), refer to the DHA fee schedule.

The Subclass 143 is a permanent visa. Holders are permanent residents of Australia and may work and study without restriction. Holders may apply for Australian citizenship after meeting the residence requirements under the Australian Citizenship Act 2007.

An assurance of support of 10 years is required for all Subclass 143 holders — including if the holder later becomes an Australian citizen. The assurance of support period is longer than for other visa subclasses, reflecting the higher likelihood of the holder accessing income support during the assurance period. The sponsoring child (or another eligible assurer) lodges the assurance and provides a security bond through Services Australia.

During the assurance of support period, the visa holder is not eligible for most Australian Government income support payments (including Age Pension, Carer Payment, and Disability Support Pension). The assurer is liable to repay to Services Australia any amounts paid to the holder in breach of the assurance.