864Permanent
Contributory Aged Parent visa (subclass 864)
Contributory Aged Parent visa (subclass 864)
Visa Cost
AUD 5,040
2025-26 first-instalment base VAC (primary applicant) AUD 5,040; additional applicants aged 18 and over AUD 2,515 each. The second-instalment 'contribution' before grant is as high as about AUD 43,600 per person. Both instalments total about AUD 48,600 for one person. This is an onshore contributory aged parent permanent visa, requiring lodgement and grant within Australia. Credit cards add a surcharge of about 1.4%.
Processing Time
About 12-24 months (contributory, far faster than the queued 804)
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, about 66-67 depending on year of birth)
- You must be in Australia at both application and grant (not in immigration clearance)
- There is an eligible sponsoring child (usually settled for about 2 years)
- Pass the balance-of-family test
- An Assurance of Support (AoS) and a bond are required
- Meet health and character requirements; you can wait for processing in Australia on a valid bridging/substantive visa
- Holders of a visa with a 'no further stay' condition must obtain a waiver before applying onshore
Key Information
Validity / Stay / Residence
Permanent residence, allowing indefinite residence; the applicant must be in Australia at both application and grant (not in immigration clearance).
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 must be applied for and granted onshore; after grant you can reside indefinitely and use Medicare, with citizenship possible later.
View provisional-to-permanent transition overview →Application Steps
1
Confirm age and onshore requirement
Confirm age and onshore requirement
Check pension age and onshore status in Australia
- Confirm you have reached Australian Age Pension age (about 66-67 depending on year of birth)
- Confirm the current visa allows onshore lodgement (no 8503/no further stay restriction, or it has been waived)
- Check the balance-of-family test and sponsoring child eligibility
2
Lodge subclass 864 onshore
Lodge subclass 864 onshore
Apply onshore through ImmiAccount and pay the first-instalment VAC
- Complete the contributory aged parent permanent application form, with the child completing the sponsorship form (Form 40)
- Upload identity, age, parent-child relationship, and children's residence distribution materials
- Pay the first-instalment VAC (primary applicant AUD 5,040)
3
Bridging visa while onshore
Bridging visa while onshore
After a valid visa expires a Bridging Visa A is usually granted
- Onshore applications usually receive a bridging visa (BVA) automatically for lawful stay
- During the wait you can generally work and seek medical care, subject to the BVA conditions
- Maintaining onshore status is key for 864; mind the bridging visa arrangements before leaving the country
4
Health, character and AoS
Health, character and AoS
Complete the pre-grant requirements as notified
- Obtain a HAP ID and complete the immigration health examination
- Submit police clearances from each relevant country
- The assurer lodges the AoS with Centrelink and pays a bond at around the AUD 14,000 level (subject to the current rate)
5
Pay second instalment and get PR
Pay second instalment and get PR
Obtain permanent residence after paying the contribution
- Pay the second-instalment VAC as required by the Department (about AUD 43,600 per person)
- You must be in Australia at grant
- Permanent residence is obtained after grant, with benefits such as Medicare
Required Documents
| Document Name | English Name | Required | Description | Tips |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contributory aged parent (permanent) application form | Contributory aged parent (permanent) application form | The main application form, setting out personal, age, family and children's residence information | Complete online; 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 their settlement in Australia | Attach citizenship/PR evidence and about 2 years of settlement evidence | |
| Passport and proof of age | Passport and proof of age | Prove identity and that you have reached pension age | The passport date of birth must be clear; pension age varies by year of birth, so check the current Services Australia standard | |
| Current visa / onshore status evidence | Current visa / onshore status evidence | Prove you were in Australia at lodgement and the visa allows onshore application | If the current visa carries 8503 'no further stay', apply for a waiver first; keep entry stamps/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 amount is per the current Services Australia figures | |
| Health examination | Health examination | Meet health requirements | Older applicants have more examination items; complete them at 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 | |
| Second instalment (contribution) payment | Second instalment (contribution) payment | About AUD 43,600 per person, with the visa granted after payment | The amount is large, so plan funds in advance; pay after the Department's notice | |
| 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 864 and 143?
Both are contributory parent permanent visas; the difference is that 864 requires the applicant to have reached pension age and to apply and be granted onshore, while 143 has no age requirement and is usually applied for offshore. The advantage of 864 is that you can stay lawfully on a bridging visa while waiting onshore, suiting older parents already in Australia with their children.
Can 864 be applied for directly, or must you apply for the 884 temporary visa first?
You can apply for the 864 permanent visa directly, without applying for 884 first. But the 884 first instalment is lower, so those on a tight budget can apply for the 884 temporary visa to live in Australia first, then move to 864; applying for 864 directly does it in one step but means facing the roughly AUD 48,600 total cost at once.
Can you leave Australia while 864 is being processed?
864 requires you to be onshore at both lodgement and grant. During processing you usually hold a Bridging Visa A (BVA); if you need to leave the country you must first apply for a Bridging Visa B (BVB) to retain the right to return, otherwise the BVA ceases once you leave. Be sure to arrange this properly before departure.
Can the AUD 43,600 contribution be refunded?
The second-instalment contribution is non-refundable under any circumstances. But the Department only requires the second instalment after the applicant has passed health and character and lodged the AoS, ensuring that 'paying the second instalment means the visa will be granted', so you will not be refused after paying.
Common Refusal Reasons
- Not reaching the Australian Age Pension age requirement
- Failing the balance-of-family test
- The sponsor is ineligible or the Assurance of Support (AoS) is not in place
- The applicant failed the health (4005) or character requirement
- Having an outstanding debt to the Australian government with no arrangement to repay
- Not being onshore/being in immigration clearance at application or grant, or the bridging visa status held does not qualify
Can you appeal after a refusal? See the Visa Refusal & Review (ART) Guide.