The 103:$8,665 per parent,about 33 years,waited out overseas.
The cheapest permanent parent visa and the slowest. You pay $6,600 now and $2,065 at release, and the Department's own estimate for a new application is about 33 years. Files queued in March 2014 are being released now. Lodged and granted while the parent is outside Australia.
Subclass 103, the numbers
- First instalment, main applicantat lodgement$6,600
- Second instalment, each applicantat release$2,065
- Second parent, first instalmentadditional adult applicant$3,300
- Assurance of Support bondtwo years, refundable, plus $2,000 per adult dependant$5,000
- Wait, new applicationDepartment estimate at 31 May 202633 years
As at 1 July 2026. Our professional fee is fixed and quoted in writing.
A fifth of the contributory charge, for a queue measured in decades.
The Parent visa (subclass 103) is the permanent, non contributory parent visa. It must be lodged and granted while the parent is outside Australia, needs the balance of family test and a settled sponsor, and costs $8,665 per parent across two instalments plus a $5,000 refundable bond. Home Affairs estimates about 33 years for a new application, against about 15 years for the contributory 143.
Verified as at 1 July 2026 against the Department of Home Affairs visa pages and the Parent visas queue release dates page (as at 31 May 2026).
Is the 103 realistic? A 30 second check
Answer the questions to see where you stand.
A guide only, not legal advice. The consultation is where the real answer comes from.
Who it is for, and who should look elsewhere.
Most wrong choices happen here, before any form is filled.
- 01
Suits: families with time and a tight budget
$8,665 per parent against $49,900.
- 02
Suits: younger parents
A 33 years wait is at least conceivable for a parent in their fifties.
- 03
Suits: families that want a permanent application on foot
Lodged now, while saving for a contributory one later.
- 04
Not for: any family that wants the parent here within their lifetime
Applications from March 2014 are only now being released.
- 05
Not for: a parent who is already in Australia
The 103 cannot be lodged onshore. Over 67, the 804 can.
- 06
Not for: anyone who has applied for or holds an 870
Home Affairs treats it as a bar.
What the 103 requires.
The same core gates as every permanent parent visa, with the offshore rule on top.
- 01
A settled sponsor
The child, aged 18 or over, an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, lawfully resident around two years.
- 02
The balance of family test
At least half of the parent's children in Australia as citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens, or more here than in any other single country. Step and adopted children count.
- 03
Health and character
Panel medical and police clearances at queuing and again before grant, which over a 33 years queue means at least twice.
- 04
An Assurance of Support
$5,000 for the main applicant and $2,000 per adult dependant, held two years, refundable. Lodged before grant.
- 05
No 870 on the record
Home Affairs: not already applied for or holding a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa.
- 06
Offshore at lodgement and grant
The parent must be outside Australia at both points.
What it costs, in the order the money leaves.
Main applicant, from 1 July 2026. The Department adds a surcharge for card payments. Health, police and translation costs are extra.
| Item | When | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| First instalment, main applicant | Lodgement | $6,600 |
| First instalment, second parent | Lodgement | $3,300 |
| Second instalment, each applicant | Release, about 33 years later | $2,065 |
| Assurance of Support bond | Before grant, refundable after two years | $5,000 |
| Health and police checks, per person | At least twice over the queue | $600 to $900 |
| Our professional fee | Fixed, quoted in writing | On request |
Lodging a 103 does not reserve a place in the contributory queue. A later 143 gets its own queue date.
How a 103 runs.
On the Department's current estimate for a 2026 lodgement.
Weeks 1 to 8: lodgement
Family count and sponsor confirmed, then lodged in ImmiAccount from outside Australia with $6,600.
Months 1 to 6: queue date
Core criteria checked, queue date assigned in the non contributory queue.
Years 1 to 32: the queue
Overseas, with visitor visa visits. Every change reported. Many families lodge a contributory application later; the 103 does not carry its place across.
Final 12 months: release
Fresh checks, the bond and $2,065.
Grant
Outside Australia at grant, then first entry and Medicare.
Government charges for one or two parents.
Set the second parent line to 1 for a couple. Use the cost stack on the parent visas page for bonds, checks and health cover.
As at 1 July 2026. Bond, health, police and our fixed fee are extra.
The 103, answered plainly.
How long does the 103 take?
About 33 years for a new Parent or Aged Parent application on the Department's estimate at 31 May 2026. Applications with a queue date up to March 2014 are being released.
What does the 103 cost?
$6,600 at lodgement and $2,065 at release, $8,665 for the main applicant, plus a refundable $5,000 bond. A second parent adds $3,300 at lodgement and $2,065 at release.
Can the 103 be lodged in Australia?
No. The parent must be outside Australia at lodgement and at grant. A parent here and over 67 may be able to lodge the onshore 804 instead.
Can we switch from a 103 to a 143 later?
A contributory application can be lodged at any time with its own charges. It gets its own queue date when its core criteria are assessed. The 103 does not transfer its place.
Is there a bridging visa with the 103?
No. It is an offshore visa, so there is nothing to bridge. Visits happen on visitor visas.
Where this visa connects.
- 143Open
Contributory Parent 143
Permanent. $6,300 now, $43,600 at release, about 15 years.
- 804Open
Aged Parent 804
Onshore, pension age, bridging visa for a 33 years queue.
- 870Open
Sponsored Parent (Temporary) 870
Three or five years, no queue, no residence.
- All 7Open
Parent visas compared
The pathfinder, the cost stack and the queue timeline.
Is a 33 years queue the right call for your parents?
We will tell you what the release year and the parent's age look like, and what the 143, 804 and 870 would change. Fixed fee in writing.