Contributory Parent (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 173)

Visa Eligibility

• You can be inside or outside Australia when you apply for the visa. You must be outside Australia when DoHA decides on your application. If you apply in Australia, any family members who apply with you must also be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when you apply. If you apply outside Australia, any family members who apply with you must also be outside Australia when you apply.
• You must not have a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visa.
• You must be sponsored by an eligible sponsor. Usually, you would be sponsored by an eligible child. If your child is under 18, you can be sponsored by an eligible relative or community organisation. DOHA must approve the sponsorship.
• The visa you currently hold must not have an any further stay condition on it.
• You must meet the balance-of-family test. You meet the balance of family test if: at least half of your children and step-children are eligible children, OR there are more eligible children living in Australia than in any other single country.
• You must meet all the health and character requirements.
• If you are 18 years of age or older, you must: have read, or had explained to you, the Life in Australia book AND sign an Australian Values Statement that confirms you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws.
• You must not have any debt to pay to the Australian government.
• With under 18 applicants, it must be in the best interest of them.

Note: If you have had a visa cancelled or previous application refused, you may not be granted a visa.

Visa Benefits

• live in Australia for up to 2 years
• work and study in Australia (you will not receive government support)
• enroll in Australia’s public health care scheme, Medicare
• apply for a permanent Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143)

Notes for Sponsors

• Your sponsorship covers the main visa applicant and any family members who apply for the visa with them. You can sponsor more than one parent for this visa.
• To sponsor your parent for this visa, you or your partner must be settled in Australia, 18 years of age or older, and either: an Australian citizen OR an Australian permanent resident OR an eligible New Zealand citizen.
• There is no cost to apply to sponsor a visa applicant, but you must agree to financially support the main visa applicant and their dependants for their first two years in Australia.
• Sponsorship obligations last for two years from the date when the applicant first enters Australia on the visa.

General Notes

• If you apply for this visa in Australia while on a temporary visa with a no further stay condition, your application will be invalid, unless you apply for a waiver of this condition.
• You can include members of the family unit in your application when you apply.
• You can’t stay in Australia longer by extending or reapplying for this visa. You can apply for a different visa. See Contributory Parent (subclass 143) visa.
• You can spread the cost of the permanent visa over a number of years by applying in 2 steps: first, apply for the temporary Contributory Parent (Temporary) (subclass 173) visa, then apply for the permanent Contributory Parent (subclass 143) visa.
• DOHA assess applications for this visa in 2 stages:
  • Check eligibility and either add the application to the queue or refuse it.
  • Continue assessing the application when a place becomes available and make a decision.

The processing time for the parent visa subclass 173 can take at least 12 years.

Make sure to complete your application form completely and accurately, and submit all required documentation promptly to avoid any unwanted delays in your application.