Aged Parent visa (subclass 804)
Aged Parent visa (subclass 804)
Visa Cost
AUD 5,280
2025-26 first-instalment base VAC (primary applicant) AUD 5,280; additional applicants aged 18 and over AUD 2,640 each, under 18 AUD 1,325 each. Second-instalment VAC of about AUD 2,065 per person before grant. This is a non-contributory queued type; the VAC is low but the queue is about 31 years; lodged onshore, usually held on a bridging visa while waiting. Credit cards add a surcharge of about 1.4%.
Processing Time
An extremely long queue, currently about 31 years
Eligibility
- The applicant is the parent of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen settled in Australia
- Must have reached Australian Age Pension age (aged)
- You must be in Australia at both application and grant (not in immigration clearance)
- There is an eligible sponsoring child
- Pass the balance-of-family test
- An Assurance of Support (AoS) and a bond are required
- You cannot hold a visa with an 8503/no further stay condition (unless waived); the 2025 amendment relaxed the age requirement for some substituted 600 visa holders
Key Information
Validity / Stay / Residence
Permanent residence, allowing indefinite residence; it must be applied for onshore, and during the wait you can usually reside on a Bridging Visa A (BVA); a Bridging Visa B (BVB) must be granted before departure to re-enter.
Eligible Dependants
Can include eligible family unit members such as the spouse/de facto partner in the application.
PR / Permanent Residence Pathway
This visa is permanent residence (PR). It is a non-contributory aged parent visa that must be applied for onshore; places are limited and queued (the wait can be up to about 30 years); after grant you can reside indefinitely, with citizenship possible later.
View provisional-to-permanent transition overview →Application Steps
Confirm age and onshore requirement
Confirm age and onshore requirement
Check pension age and lawful status in Australia
- Confirm you have reached pension age
- Confirm the current visa allows onshore lodgement (no 8503, or it has been waived)
- Check the balance-of-family test and sponsoring child eligibility
Lodge subclass 804 onshore
Lodge subclass 804 onshore
Apply onshore and pay the first-instalment VAC to obtain a queue place
- Complete the aged parent application form, with the child completing Form 40 sponsorship
- Upload identity, age, relationship and children's residence materials
- Pay the first-instalment VAC (primary applicant AUD 5,280)
Bridging visa during long wait
Bridging visa during long wait
Reside in Australia on a Bridging Visa A while waiting
- Onshore applications usually receive a Bridging Visa A (BVA)
- Because the queue is decades long, most applicants live in Australia long-term on a BVA to be with their children
- Apply for a BVB when you need to leave the country, to retain the right to return to Australia
Health, character and AoS when queue reached
Health, character and AoS when queue reached
Complete the pre-grant requirements close to grant
- Obtain a HAP ID and complete the immigration health examination
- Submit police clearances from each relevant country
- The assurer lodges the AoS and pays the bond
Pay second instalment and get PR
Pay second instalment and get PR
Obtain permanent residence after payment
- Pay the second-instalment VAC (about AUD 2,065 per person)
- You must be onshore at grant
- Obtain permanent residence on grant, with benefits such as Medicare
Required Documents
| Document Name | English Name | Required | Description | Tips |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aged parent visa application form | Aged parent visa application form | The main application form, setting out personal, age and family information | Complete online or on paper; emphasise reaching pension age and onshore status | |
| Sponsorship for migration to Australia (Form 40) | Sponsorship for migration to Australia (Form 40) | Completed by the sponsoring child, with proof of settlement in Australia | Attach citizenship/PR evidence and about 2 years of settlement proof | |
| Passport and proof of age | Passport and proof of age | Prove identity and that you have reached pension age | Check the current Services Australia pension age | |
| Onshore status / current visa evidence | Onshore status / current visa evidence | Prove you were onshore at lodgement with no 8503 restriction | If you have no further stay, apply for a waiver first; keep VEVO records | |
| Notarised parent-child relationship certificate | Notarised parent-child relationship certificate | Prove the relationship with the sponsoring child | Birth certificate/one-child certificate/household register + notarial kinship certificate, NAATI-translated | |
| Evidence of all children's residence | Evidence of all children's residence | Balance-of-family test materials | Identity/residence evidence for onshore and offshore children is complete | |
| Assurance of Support | Assurance of Support | The assurer undertakes financial support and pays the bond | For the permanent parent visa, the AoS period is usually 10 years; the bond is about AUD 5,000 for one person and AUD 7,000 for two (subject to the current rate) | |
| Health examination | Health examination | Meet health requirements (done close to grant) | Because the queue is extremely long, the health examination is usually done only when a place comes up; go to a panel clinic with the HAP ID | |
| Police clearance certificates | Police clearance certificates | Police clearances from each country of long-term residence | Notarised and translated Chinese police clearance, covering all countries where you have lived for a cumulative 12 months | |
| Bridging visa documentation | Bridging visa documentation | Materials needed for the BVA/BVB while waiting | During the long wait, manage the bridging visa carefully; apply for a BVB before leaving to retain the right to return | |
| Marriage / partner relationship evidence | Marriage / partner relationship evidence | Provided when the spouse applies together | Marriage certificate, notarised and translated, or de facto relationship evidence |
FAQ
What is the difference between 804 and 864?
With a 31-year queue, how do parents stay in Australia in the meantime?
Can you use Medicare while on a BVA waiting for 804?
How does the 2025 legislative amendment affect 804?
Common Refusal Reasons
- Not reaching the Australian Age Pension age requirement (some substituted 600 visa holders are exempt from the age requirement from 2024-12-17)
- Failing the balance-of-family test
- The sponsor is ineligible or the sponsorship is invalid
- The applicant failed the health or character requirement
- Having an outstanding debt to the Australian government with no arrangement to repay
- A prior refusal or visa cancellation in Australia affects eligibility
Can you appeal after a refusal? See the Visa Refusal & Review (ART) Guide.