The 173 visa allows parents of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen to live in Australia temporarily.
Applicants who want to stay in Australia permanently can then apply for a Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143). The benefit of applying for this visa before the permanent contributory parent visa subclass 143 is that the costs are spread over a number of years.
You must meet the following requirements to be able to apply for the Contributory Parent visa (Subclass 173):
Sponsor
18 years old or older
A settled Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen
Balance of Family Test
At least half of your children live permanently in Australia, OR more of your children live permanently in Australia than in any other country.
Family
You can include in your visa application:
Your partner
Your or your partner’s child or step-child
Health and Character
You must meet health and character requirements.
This visa is paid in two parts, called instalments.
First instalment
Pay the first instalment when you apply.
If you applied for a Parent visa (subclass 103) before 1 July 2003 and you withdraw the application: AUD Nil for all applicants
All other applicants — Main: AUD 2,595 / Additional 18+: AUD 1,300 / Additional under 18: AUD 650
Second instalment
Pay the second instalment when we ask you to.
Dependent child / step-child of an applicant: AUD 2,095
All other applicants: AUD 29,130
How long will it take to receive a decision on your application?
Information on processing times for the Contributory Parent Visa Subclass 173 is unavailable due to the low volume of applications.
