Subclass 884

Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 884)

The subclass 884 is a two year temporary visa for a parent who is in Australia and old enough for the age pension (67). It is the first stage of a two stage route to the permanent subclass 864, splitting the contributory charge across the two applications. Like the 864 it comes with a bridging visa for the wait, and Home Affairs estimates about 15 years for a new application.

Book a consultation Test eligibility in the pathfinder

Key facts

Outcome: Two years in Australia with Medicare and work rights, then a cheaper subclass 864
Where to lodge: In Australia, on paper
Where at grant: In Australia
Parent's age: 67 or older at lodgement
Government charge: $35,430 per parent: $6,300 at lodgement and $29,130 before grant. The later 864 costs about $19,920 more
Wait: About 15 years, spent in Australia on a bridging visa
Assurance of Support: None at this stage; $10,000 at the 864 stage
Medicare: Not on the bridging visa; yes while holding the 884
Bridging visa: Bridging Visa A, usually with work rights

Verified against Home Affairs on 8 September 2026

Fit

Who the 884 is for, and who it is not

Usually the right visa for

A parent already in Australia and over 67 whose family wants to spread the contributory charge
Families who value two years of Medicare and work rights before the permanent stage
Parents who want to remain in Australia throughout, on a bridging visa then the 884
Families planning an 864 in any case

Usually the wrong visa for

Anyone expecting the 884 to be quicker than the 864: it is the same queue
A parent whose current visa carries condition 8503
A parent under 67, or outside Australia
Anyone who has applied for or holds a subclass 870

Eligibility

What the 884 requires

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

Age pension ageThe parent must be old enough to receive the Australian age pension, which is 67, on the day the application is lodged.
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.
A visa that allows the applicationThe parent must hold a substantive visa without condition 8503 at lodgement, or obtain a waiver.
The 864 stageThe 864 must be applied for while the 884 is in effect, or within the short window the regulations allow after it ceases, at reduced charges.

Cost

What the 884 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	$6,300
First instalment, second parentAbout half of the main charge, confirmed at lodgement	approx. $3,150
Second instalment, each applicantRequested when the application is released from the queue	$29,130
Subclass 864 stage, each applicantReduced first and second instalments for 884 holders, confirmed by the Department at the time	approx. $19,920
Assurance of Support bondAt the 864 stage: $10,000 main applicant plus $4,000 per adult dependant, refundable	$10,000
Private health cover while waitingNo Medicare on the bridging visa unless from a reciprocal country	per year
Skyline professional feeFixed, quoted in writing at the consultation, staged across both applications	On request

Timeline

How a 884 application runs

Before lodgement

Check the current visa

No condition 8503, parent aged 67, balance of family met. We compare the direct 864 on the family's cash flow.

Weeks 1 to 8

Lodgement and bridging visa

Lodged on paper with the first instalment. A Bridging Visa A is granted and takes effect when the current visa ends.

Years 1 to 14

Life on the bridging visa

The parent stays in Australia without Medicare unless from a reciprocal country. Changes and the second instalment forecast are managed by Skyline.

Final 12 months

Release and grant of the 884

Fresh health and police checks and the $29,130 second instalment. Granted while the parent is in Australia.

Years 15 to 17

Two years on the 884, then the 864

Medicare and work rights on the 884. Before it expires the 864 is lodged at the reduced charge and granted onshore.

How we manage the whole timeline

Alternatives

Visas to compare with the 884

864

Contributory Aged Parent visa

One application; slightly cheaper overall, but the whole second instalment at once.

Read the 864 guide →

804

Aged Parent visa

A fifth of the charge, a 33 year horizon, same bridging visa.

Read the 804 guide →

173

Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa

The offshore equivalent for a parent outside Australia or under 67.

Read the 173 guide →

Compare all seven parent visas side by side →

Questions

Subclass 884 questions we are asked most

Is the 884 faster than the 864?

No. Both are released from the same contributory queue on the same dates, currently about 15 years for a new application. The 884 splits the charge into two stages and gives two years with Medicare and work rights before permanent residence.

How much does the 884 cost?

From 1 July 2026 the government charge is $6,300 at lodgement and $29,130 before grant, a total of $35,430 for the main applicant. The later 864 application by an 884 holder attracts reduced charges of roughly $19,920 per applicant.

Does the 884 bridging visa give Medicare?

No. Medicare starts when the 884 itself is granted, about 15 years after lodgement on current estimates. Parents from a reciprocal health care country have limited cover while waiting.

Why choose the 884 over the direct 864?

Cash flow. The 864 requires $43,600 per parent in one payment at release. The 884 route pays $29,130 then roughly $19,920 about two years later, at the cost of a second application.

Can my parent leave Australia while waiting?

Only with a Bridging Visa B granted before departure. Leaving on a Bridging Visa A ends it. We plan any travel in advance.

Sources: Department of Home Affairs, Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 884) 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 884

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 884

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