The aged parent visa subclass 804 is a permanent visa for an eligible older parent who is already in Australia and has a settled child who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. Applicants must meet the age, sponsorship and Balance of Family Test requirements. They also need to plan for a long wait: Home Affairs caps and queues Aged Parent applications.
Quick Answer
The Aged Parent visa (subclass 804) lets an eligible parent stay permanently in Australia once the visa is granted. The parent must generally be old enough to qualify for Australia’s Age Pension, be in Australia when applying and when the visa is decided, have an eligible sponsor, and pass the Balance of Family Test. A valid onshore application may result in a bridging visa that permits lawful stay during processing, but the bridging visa’s conditions and Medicare eligibility need separate checks.
Why This Matters
For a family already spending time together in Australia, the 804 visa may seem like a straightforward way for a parent to remain. Its onshore application rules and permanent outcome can make it relevant, but the waiting period has a major effect on long-term plans.
A parent may spend years on a temporary bridging visa before Home Affairs reaches their application for final assessment. During that time, lawful stay, overseas travel, work rights and healthcare access must be considered separately. A pending permanent visa application does not give the parent the rights of a permanent resident.
Subclass 804 is an onshore permanent Parent visa. It is intended for an eligible parent who has reached the required age and whose qualifying child is settled in Australia. The parent and any family members included in the application must be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when they apply and when Home Affairs makes its decision.
The permanent outcome distinguishes it from a short visit. A parent using an Visitor Visa must still comply with that visa’s stay period and conditions; holding a Visitor visa alone does not establish eligibility to lodge an 804 application. In particular, a No Further Stay condition can prevent most further visa applications from inside Australia unless a waiver is available.
For families comparing broader Permanent Residency options, subclass 804 has requirements and a queue specific to Parent migration.
Who Can Apply for an Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 804)?
The principal applicant must be an eligible parent who has reached the age required for this visa. That age follows the age at which a person can qualify for Australia’s Age Pension, currently 67 or older. Meeting the age threshold does not mean an applicant is entitled to receive Age Pension payments.
The parent generally needs a sponsor who is a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. The application must also satisfy requirements including the Balance of Family Test, health and character criteria, and an Assurance of Support where required. Home Affairs assesses these requirements as part of the visa process.
Being in Australia with an adult child does not, by itself, make a parent eligible. The child’s immigration status and the location and status of the parent’s other children can change the result.
How Does the Balance of Family Test Work?
A parent passes the Balance of Family Test if at least half of their children and stepchildren are eligible children, or if they have more eligible children in Australia than children living in any other single country. Home Affairs does not waive this test, even in compelling or exceptional circumstances.
The meaning of eligible child is precise. It includes an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident usually living in Australia, or an eligible New Zealand citizen usually living in Australia. A child living in Australia on a Temporary Graduate visa is still a temporary visa holder and is not counted as usually resident in Australia for this test.
New Zealand citizenship also needs a closer check. Home Affairs uses a specific definition of eligible New Zealand citizen for Parent visas. Holding a Special Category visa does not, on its own, establish that a child meets that definition.
For example, a parent with three children does not necessarily pass simply because one child is an Australian citizen. The status and usual country of residence of the other two children, including any relevant stepchildren, must be counted.
How Do You Apply for a Subclass 804 Visa?
The practical sequence is to check eligibility before lodging, then prepare the parent’s and sponsor’s evidence.
- Check the parent’s age, location and current visa conditions. Confirm that the parent can make a valid application in Australia, particularly if their current visa has a No Further Stay condition.
- Work through the Balance of Family Test. List all relevant children and stepchildren, their status and where they usually live.
- Prepare sponsorship and supporting evidence. This may include identity, family relationship and sponsor status documents, along with evidence needed for health, character and other visa requirements. The sponsor has a separate sponsorship role.
- Lodge the application through ImmiAccount. Home Affairs states that subclass 804 applications must now be lodged online. Pay the applicable first visa charge instalment and retain the application records.
- Plan for both assessment stages. Home Affairs first assesses whether the application meets core criteria for a queue date. It releases queued applications for final assessment when places become available.
An Assurance of Support is distinct from the child’s visa sponsorship. It is a financial undertaking assessed through Services Australia when required in the process.
Can a Parent Stay in Australia While the 804 Visa Is Processed?
A parent who makes a valid application in Australia may be granted a bridging visa allowing them to remain lawfully while the Parent visa is being processed. The type of bridging visa, when it takes effect and its conditions depend on the parent’s circumstances. Check the grant notice rather than assuming the parent can work or travel on the same terms as their previous visa.
Travel requires particular care. Home Affairs says only a Bridging visa B permits departure from and re-entry to Australia while waiting for a decision. A parent considering travel should check both their bridging visa arrangements and the subclass 804 requirement to be in Australia when a decision is made.
Understanding bridging visas early is useful when the expected Parent visa wait is long.
Does an 804 Bridging Visa Give You Medicare?
No automatic Medicare entitlement follows from lodging a subclass 804 application or receiving a bridging visa.
Services Australia says a person can enrol in Medicare once their Parent visa is granted. While an 804 application is being assessed, the listed possible exception is for a person from a country with a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement who meets that agreement’s conditions. Families should confirm the parent’s individual eligibility with Services Australia and plan for healthcare costs during the wait.
How Much Does the Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 804) Cost?
As of September 2026, Home Affairs lists the subclass 804 government visa cost from AUD 8,665 for a single applicant, paid over two instalments. A lower charge may apply to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens. The total can rise if family members are included or other costs apply, such as health examinations, police certificates or an Assurance of Support bond. Check the current Home Affairs pricing before lodging and again when a later payment is requested.
The lower visa charge compared with a contributory Parent pathway should be considered alongside the much longer queue. It does not indicate that an 804 decision will be made soon.
How Long Does a Subclass 804 Visa Take?
Home Affairs currently estimates 33 years for a new Parent or Aged Parent visa application. This is a planning estimate, not a promised decision date. Applications are capped and queued, and the estimate can change as application numbers and annual visa places change.
Home Affairs’ published queue information, stated as at 31 May 2026, showed Aged Parent applications with queue dates around early 2014 being released for final processing. The page contains both a summary date and a detailed milestone table, so applicants should consult its latest update directly rather than treating either date as a personal processing forecast.
A queue date is assigned after an application meets the core criteria for queueing. It is not necessarily the day the family lodges the application. That distinction matters when a family compares its own application with the dates Home Affairs publishes.
How Is the 804 Visa Different From Other Parent Visas?
The most useful distinction is between where the parent applies, whether the intended outcome is permanent or temporary, and the balance between visa charges and queue time.
| Visa | Main distinction |
|---|---|
| Aged Parent (subclass 804) | Onshore permanent Parent visa for an applicant who meets the age requirement; lower visa charge than a contributory pathway, with a very long queue |
| Contributory Aged Parent (subclass 864) | Onshore permanent pathway for an eligible aged parent; higher visa charges and a separate contributory queue |
| Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) | Temporary stay with family for up to three or five years at a time; does not grant permanent residency |
An eligible family considering a higher-cost permanent option may compare the Contributory Parent visa and its related aged-parent route. If the immediate goal is an extended but temporary stay, a temporary Parent visa may raise different questions about sponsorship, timing and permitted stay. Neither should be treated as an automatic substitute for an existing 804 application.
Common Mistakes
- Assuming one child in Australia is enough. The Balance of Family Test counts relevant children and stepchildren, including those outside Australia.
- Counting a temporary visa holder as an eligible child. A child’s presence in Australia on a temporary visa does not make them usually resident here for the test.
- Assuming a bridging visa provides permanent resident benefits. Bridging conditions, travel rights and Medicare eligibility need separate checks.
- Budgeting only for the first visa payment. Subclass 804 has two visa charge instalments, and other application or support costs may arise.
- Treating the published queue estimate as a deadline. Home Affairs cannot give an exact individual processing timeframe for capped and queued Parent visas.
Where to Go Next
These pages can help you compare permanent and temporary options, understand a child’s status, and plan for the wait:
FAQs
Yes. If granted, subclass 804 is a permanent visa. An applicant waiting on a bridging visa has not yet been granted that permanent status.
No. The applicant must be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when applying and when Home Affairs decides the application.
You may be able to remain lawfully on an associated bridging visa after making a valid onshore application. Check your visa grant and conditions, particularly if you plan to work or travel.
Not automatically. Services Australia lists a possible exception for subclass 804 applicants from Reciprocal Health Care Agreement countries who meet the relevant agreement’s conditions. Otherwise, Parent visa applicants can enrol once the visa is granted.
Home Affairs’ current estimate for a new Parent or Aged Parent application is 33 years. This is an estimate, and individual outcomes cannot be predicted from it. Check the latest official queue release dates for a clearer view of the applications now reaching final assessment.
Conclusion
The Aged Parent visa (subclass 804) offers a permanent pathway for an eligible older parent who is in Australia and wants to remain with family.
Applicants need to check more than their age and relationship with a child. Sponsorship, the Balance of Family Test, current visa conditions, health and character requirements, Assurance of Support and both visa charge instalments can affect the application.
The queue is especially important to a family’s decision. Home Affairs currently estimates a wait of 33 years for new Parent and Aged Parent applications, while a bridging visa does not automatically provide Medicare or unrestricted travel. Families should use current official queue and visa information when planning for the years ahead.
If you’re unsure whether the Aged Parent visa or another Parent pathway suits your family’s circumstances, book a consultation with IC Australia to discuss your options.
Claire Dawson
Australian visa content specialist focused on skilled migration, employer sponsorship, partner visas, student pathways, and long-term options for moving to Australia.
