Subclasses 864 and 884 visa: Contributory Aged Parent

Streams

864 Contributory Aged Parent (permanent)

The Contributory Aged Parent visa (subclass 864) is permanent. It can be applied for directly, or as the second step after an 884. Home Affairs treats an 864 as the second-stage application if the applicant holds an 884 when applying, held one in the 28 days before applying, or shows compelling and compassionate circumstances to the Minister's satisfaction.

884 Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary)

The Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 884) lasts 2 years and is the first step of the 2-step process. Home Affairs says it spreads the cost of the visas over several years. The 884 cannot be extended or applied for again, and the 864 must be applied for before it expires.

864 and 884 visa requirements

Home Affairs lists these on the Eligibility tabs of the 864 and 884 pages:

• Not hold an 870. Applicants cannot apply if they have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visa.
• Sponsor. An eligible sponsor, usually an eligible child. If the child is under 18, an eligible relative or community organisation can sponsor. Home Affairs must approve the sponsorship.
• Balance of family test. At least half of the applicant's children and stepchildren are eligible children, or there are more eligible children living in Australia than in any other single country. An 884 holder has already met it for the 864.
• Age. Old enough to receive the age pension in Australia.
• Assurance of Support (864). The 864 applicant must be able to obtain an Assurance of Support.
• Health. The applicant and family members applying must meet the health requirement.
• Character. The applicant and family members applying must meet the character requirement.
• Debts. Any debt to the Australian Government has been paid back, or there is an approved arrangement to pay it back.
• Immigration history. A past visa cancellation or refusal may affect eligibility.
• Australian values. Applicants 18 and over read the Life in Australia booklet and sign the Australian Values Statement.
• Best interests of the child. The visa is not granted if it is not in the best interests of an applicant under 18.

Sponsor requirements

The sponsor, or their cohabiting spouse or de facto partner, must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, settled in Australia, and 18 or over. The sponsor agrees to provide support, accommodation and financial help for the applicant's first 2 years in Australia. There is no fee to sponsor. An 884 holder might still be eligible for the 864 if their sponsor dies.

Balance of family test

Home Affairs' balance of family test page says an eligible child is an Australian citizen, or an Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen usually resident in Australia. Children on a temporary visa are not treated as usually resident in Australia. Home Affairs will not waive the test, even in compelling or exceptional circumstances.

Assurance of Support

Home Affairs says an Assurance of Support guarantees that the visa holder will not need to rely on government assistance for the Assurance of Support period. It is a legal commitment to repay the Australian Government any welfare payments made to the visa holder or their family members. An individual, more than one person or an organisation can provide it; it does not have to be the sponsor. The pricing table also lists an Assurance of Support bond as an "other cost".

What the visa lets you do

Home Affairs says the 864 lets the holder:

• stay in Australia indefinitely
• work and study in Australia
• enrol in Medicare
• sponsor family members to come to Australia
• travel to and from Australia for 5 years from grant
• attend free English classes through the Adult Migrant English Program, if eligible
• apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible

Home Affairs says the 884 lets the holder:

• live in Australia for up to 2 years, with multiple entries
• work and study in Australia, without government support
• apply for the permanent 864

The 884 visa period starts on the date it is granted (884 page).

Family members and cost

Family members, such as a partner and dependent children, can be included when applying, and details of all family members must be given. For the 884, family members added after lodgement must be in Australia when they are added. Both visas are paid in 2 instalments. Home Affairs' Visa Prices table lists:

Home Affairs states the totals as from AUD 49,900 for the 864 and from AUD 35,430 for the 884, for a single applicant. For the 864, the AUD 19,420 second instalment also applies to someone who held an 884 in the 28 days before applying. For an applicant whose 884 ended earlier and who satisfies the Minister of compassionate and compelling circumstances, the second instalment is AUD 16,545. A contributory parent newborn child pays a nil second instalment. A lower cost applies from 1 July 2026 to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens. Health checks, police certificates and biometrics cost extra.

Step by step

This follows the Step by step tabs of the 864 and 884 pages.

Before you apply

1. Check that everyone applying has a valid passport.
2. Anyone giving immigration assistance must be a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person.
3. Any undecided application for a different Parent visa must be withdrawn when applying.

Apply

1. 864: apply online in ImmiAccount. Home Affairs says applications made on or after 22 April 2026 must be lodged online.
2. 884: apply on paper. Complete Form 47PA, and the sponsor completes Form 40. Send it by post or courier with proof of the first instalment.

After you apply

1. Home Affairs first checks eligibility, then either adds the application to the queue or refuses it.
2. As places become available, applications are released from the queue for final assessment.
3. Tell Home Affairs before travelling outside Australia, and hold a valid visa to return.
4. Home Affairs asks for health examinations, biometrics and, for the 864, the Assurance of Support when needed.
5. Pay the second instalment when invoiced. If it is not paid, the application is refused.
6. Home Affairs gives its decision in writing. The charge is not refunded if the visa is refused.
7. 884 holders: apply for the 864 before the 884 expires.

Applying in or outside Australia

Home Affairs' About tabs say applicants and family members must be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when they apply. They must also be in Australia when the visa is decided. For the 864, Home Affairs is likely to grant a bridging visa when the application is made in Australia. An 884 application made in Australia while on a visa with a no further stay condition is invalid unless the condition is waived (884 page).

Capping and queueing

Home Affairs says the demand for Parent visas is greater than the number of places available each year, so processing times are long. Applications for the 864 and 884 are subject to capping and queueing, and Home Affairs processes them in the order it receives them (864 page). Home Affairs says Contributory Aged Parent visas may be processed faster than the Aged Parent visa (subclass 804), but cost more.

864 and 884 visa processing time

Home Affairs publishes current processing times in its visa processing times guide.

Compare: Australian parent visas