Subclass 173

Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 173)

The subclass 173 is a two year temporary visa for a parent of a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. It is the first stage of a two stage route to the permanent subclass 143: about two thirds of the contributory charge is paid at the 173 stage and the rest at the 143 stage. It sits in the same 15 year queue as the 143, so it spreads the cost rather than shortening the wait.

Book a consultation Test eligibility in the pathfinder

Key facts

Outcome: Two years in Australia, then a cheaper subclass 143 application
Where to lodge: In or outside Australia, on paper
Where at grant: Outside Australia
Parent's age: Any
Government charge: $33,375 per parent: $4,245 at lodgement and $29,130 before grant. The later 143 costs about $19,920 more
Wait: About 15 years, the same queue as the 143
Assurance of Support: None at this stage; $10,000 at the 143 stage
Medicare and work: Yes, while holding the 173
Bridging visa: None if lodged onshore

Verified against Home Affairs on 8 September 2026

Fit

Who the 173 is for, and who it is not

Usually the right visa for

Families who want to spread the contributory charge over two stages
Parents who would value two years onshore with Medicare and work rights before permanent residence
Parents who expect to be outside Australia when the visa is decided
Families planning a 143 in any case, who prefer a smaller second instalment

Usually the wrong visa for

Anyone hoping the 173 is quicker than the 143: it is the same queue
Parents already in Australia and over 67, who can lodge the onshore 884 and stay on a bridging visa
Families that would rather pay once: the two stages together cost a little more than a direct 143
Anyone who has applied for or holds a subclass 870

Eligibility

What the 173 requires

These are the requirements that decide most applications. Each has detail and exceptions that we work through in the consultation.

A settled sponsorUsually the parent’s child, aged 18 or over, who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen and has lived in Australia lawfully for around two years. If the child is under 18, their partner, a relative or a community organisation may sponsor instead.
The balance of family testAt least half of the parent’s children must be Australian citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens usually resident in Australia, or more of the children must live in Australia than in any other single country. All children of the parent and their current partner count, including step and adopted children, with narrow exceptions.
Health and characterA medical examination with the Department’s panel provider, police clearances from every country the parent has lived in for 12 months or more in the last ten years, and the usual character rules. Health is checked when the application is queued and again before grant.
No Subclass 870 on the recordHome Affairs states that the applicant must not have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870) when applying. Families considering an 870 as a stopgap should get advice first.
Location at grantThe parent must be outside Australia when the 173 is granted. Lodging in Australia is allowed but no bridging visa follows.
The 143 stageThe 143 must be applied for while the 173 is still valid, or within a short period after it ceases. The parent can be in Australia at grant of the 143 if they hold the 173 at the time.

Cost

What the 173 costs, and when each amount is due

Government charges from 1 July 2026 for the main applicant. The Department adds a surcharge for card payments. Use the cost calculator to model one or two parents and the waiting years.

Item	Amount
First instalment, main applicantPaid at lodgement	$4,245
First instalment, second parentAbout half of the main charge, confirmed at lodgement	approx. $2,125
Second instalment, each applicantRequested when the application is released from the queue	$29,130
Subclass 143 stage, each applicantReduced first and second instalments for 173 holders, confirmed by the Department at the time	approx. $19,920
Assurance of Support bondAt the 143 stage: $10,000 main applicant plus $4,000 per adult dependant, refundable	$10,000
Health examinations and police checksTypical 2026 cost per person, done for each stage	$600 to $900
Skyline professional feeFixed, quoted in writing at the consultation, staged across both applications	On request

Timeline

How a 173 application runs

Weeks 1 to 8

Strategy and lodgement

Balance of family, sponsor and budget confirmed, then the paper application lodged with the first instalment.

Months 1 to 6

Queue date assigned

Core criteria checked and a queue date assigned. The 173 shares the contributory queue with the 143.

Years 1 to 14

The queue

The parent lives overseas or visits on visitor visas. Skyline keeps the file current and forecasts the second instalment.

Final 12 months

Release and grant of the 173

Fresh health and police checks and the $29,130 second instalment. The parent must be outside Australia at grant, then enters.

Years 15 to 17

Two years onshore, then the 143

The parent lives, works and holds Medicare on the 173. Before it expires the 143 is lodged at the reduced charge, and can be granted while the parent is in Australia.

How we manage the whole timeline

Alternatives

Visas to compare with the 173

143

Contributory Parent visa

One application and one queue. Slightly cheaper overall, but the whole second instalment is due at once.

Read the 143 guide →

884

Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa

The onshore aged equivalent for a parent already in Australia and over 67.

Read the 884 guide →

870

Subclass 173 questions we are asked most

Is the subclass 173 faster than the 143?

No. The 173 and the 143 are processed from the same contributory parent queue and released on the same dates. Home Affairs estimates about 15 years for a new application. The 173 changes how and when the money is paid, not the wait.

How much does the 173 cost?

From 1 July 2026 the government charge is $4,245 at lodgement and $29,130 before grant, a total of $33,375 for the main applicant. The later subclass 143 application by a 173 holder attracts reduced charges of roughly $19,920 per applicant, which the Department confirms at the time.

Can a 173 holder get Medicare?

Yes. Holders of the subclass 173 can enrol in Medicare under a Ministerial Order, and they have full work rights for the two years of the visa.

What happens if the 143 is not lodged in time?

The 143 must be lodged while the 173 is in effect, or within the short window the regulations allow after it ceases. Missing it means starting again at the full 143 charge, so we diarise it from the day the 173 is granted.

Does the 173 have to be granted offshore?

Yes. The parent must be outside Australia when the 173 is granted. The later 143 can be granted onshore if the parent holds the 173 at that time.

Sources: Department of Home Affairs, Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 173) and Parent visas queue release dates (as at 31 May 2026); Services Australia for Assurance of Support amounts. Checked 8 September 2026. Charges change every 1 July. General information only, not advice on your circumstances.

Skyline Migration Lawyers

How we help with the 173

Melbourne migration lawyers who run parent visa matters from the first strategy letter to grant, however long the queue.

A written strategy that tests all seven parent visas against your family before anything is lodged
Balance of family and sponsor evidence prepared so the application is queued on the first assessment
An annual review through the queue: addresses, passports, sponsor, health, and the second instalment forecast
Release day handled in advance: health, police, the Assurance of Support and the payment
A fixed fee, quoted in writing, staged across lodgement and release

Next Step

Talk to us about the subclass 173

One consultation, by phone, video or at 470 St Kilda Road, Melbourne. You leave with the visa confirmed, the costs by year and a fixed fee in writing.

Book a consultation Call 03 8108 8748