Aged Parent Visa — Onshore Permanent Residency for Eligible Parents
Subclass 804 Visa – Aged Parent Visa Australia
Reunite With Your Family in Australia Permanently — The Onshore Permanent Visa for Aged Parents
For many families spread across continents, the dream is simple — to be together. To have parents close to their children and grandchildren. To not spend years separated by oceans and visa limitations. To grow old with family nearby rather than alone in a country far from where the next generation has built their lives.
The Subclass 804 Aged Parent Visa exists to make that dream a permanent reality for eligible aged parents. It is an onshore permanent visa — meaning it is applied for from within Australia, and it leads to permanent residency in Australia for the parent who is granted it.
But it comes with a reality that every family needs to understand clearly from the outset. The Subclass 804 is one of the longest-waiting visas in the entire Australian migration system. The queue is measured in decades, not years. Navigating the process correctly from the very beginning — including the bridging visa arrangements that allow parents to remain in Australia lawfully while they wait — is absolutely critical. At Migration Republic, our MARA-registered agents help families understand this process honestly and completely.
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Current queue for new applicants
Two instalments — 2026
At time of visa grant
Period after visa grant
Visa Overview
What is the Subclass 804 Aged Parent Visa?
The Subclass 804 Aged Parent Visa is a permanent onshore visa that allows an aged parent of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen to live in Australia permanently. It is one of several parent visa options in the Australian migration system — distinguished by two key features: it is applied for from within Australia, and it is specifically for parents who meet the aged parent definition under Australian migration law.
The aged parent requirement means the parent must be of Australian pension age — currently 67 years for both men and women — at the time the visa is granted, not at the time of application. This means a parent who applies before reaching pension age but who will reach it during the processing period may still be eligible.
The Subclass 804 sits within Australia's capped and queued parent visa framework. The number of places available each year is limited by the Government's migration program allocation, and demand far exceeds supply — creating the extraordinarily long processing queues that define the practical reality of this visa.
Key Features of the Subclass 804 Visa
- Permanent onshore parent visa for aged parents — leads to permanent residency in Australia
- Applied for from within Australia — the parent must be in Australia when they apply
- Parent must be of Australian pension age (currently 67) at the time of visa grant
- Subject to the Balance of Family Test — at least half of the applicant's children must live in Australia
- Extremely long processing queue — wait times currently 20 to 30+ years for new applicants
- Bridging Visa A granted on lodgement — allows lawful stay and typically work rights in Australia while waiting
- Assurance of support required — bond lodged with state or territory authority, 10-year period after grant
- Health and character requirements apply — examinations may need to be repeated during the long wait
- Annual visa application charge payable in two instalments — at lodgement and at grant
- Sponsor must be a settled Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen
Eligibility Requirements
Who Can Apply for the Subclass 804 Visa?
Eligibility for the Subclass 804 is assessed across several distinct requirements. All must be satisfied for the visa to be granted. The most complex — and most frequently misunderstood — is the Balance of Family Test.
Aged Parent Threshold
The applicant must be of Australian pension age — currently 67 years — at the time of visa grant. Age is assessed at grant, not at lodgement. Parents not yet of pension age applying onshore should consider the Subclass 103 Parent Visa instead.
Eligible Sponsor
The parent must be sponsored by an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen who is a child of the applicant and who has been usually resident in Australia for the required period before application.
Balance of Family Test
At least half of the applicant's children must live lawfully and permanently in Australia — or more of the applicant's children must live in Australia than in any other single country. Applies to all children: biological, adopted, and step-children.
Assurance of Support
A formal assurance of support is required. The sponsoring child agrees to provide financial support for 10 years post-grant and lodges a bond with the relevant state or territory authority — typically AUD $10,000 for a single applicant.
Health and Character
Medical examination with an approved panel physician and police clearances from all countries of residence in the past 10 years. Given the long processing times, health examinations may need to be repeated as they expire during the wait.
Onshore at Application
The parent must be in Australia when the application is lodged. This is what triggers the Bridging Visa A — allowing the parent to remain lawfully in Australia throughout the long waiting period without needing to depart and re-enter.
Visa Benefits
Key Benefits of the Subclass 804 Visa
Permanent Residency in Australia
The Subclass 804 delivers permanent residency — not a temporary arrangement, not a renewable visa, but a permanent right to live in Australia. For an aged parent who wants to spend their remaining years close to their children and grandchildren, permanent residency provides the security and stability that temporary visas simply cannot match.
Full Access to Medicare
Permanent residents in Australia are eligible to enrol in Medicare — Australia's public healthcare system. For an aged parent who may have significant healthcare needs, access to Medicare is a genuinely life-changing benefit. It removes the financial burden of private health insurance that applies to temporary visa holders and provides access to Australia's world-class public health system.
Pathway to Australian Citizenship
After holding permanent residency for a qualifying period and meeting residency requirements, aged parents granted the Subclass 804 may become eligible to apply for Australian citizenship — providing the highest level of security and the full range of rights and entitlements available in Australia.
Lawful Stay in Australia While Waiting — Bridging Visa A
One of the most practically important features of the Subclass 804 is that lodging the application from within Australia triggers the grant of a Bridging Visa A. This allows the parent to remain in Australia lawfully — and in most cases to work — for the entire duration of the waiting period, which may span many years or even decades.
Work Rights on the Bridging Visa
The Bridging Visa A granted to Subclass 804 applicants typically includes work rights — allowing the parent to work in Australia during the waiting period. This is a meaningful practical benefit for parents who are still of working age or who wish to remain active and contributing during the years they spend waiting for their visa to be granted.
Permanent Family Unity
Being together. An aged parent living in Australia with their children and grandchildren — participating in family life, being present for milestones, providing and receiving the mutual support that families give each other — is the outcome that drives every Subclass 804 application. It is why families endure the long wait and manage the complex process.
Processing Reality — Read This First
Understanding the Subclass 804 Processing Reality
The single most important thing families need to understand about the Subclass 804 is the processing time. It is not a matter of months. It is not even a matter of a few years. The current processing queue for the Subclass 804 Aged Parent Visa is measured in decades.
What the Long Wait Means Practically
- Parents can remain in Australia on a Bridging Visa A for the entire duration of the wait — living with family, working if they wish, and participating in Australian life
- The wait is frustrating in terms of permanent residency status, but does not necessarily mean years of separation from family
- Health examinations expire and must be renewed during the waiting period
- Passports expire and updated details must be provided to the Department
- Any changes in family circumstances — births, deaths, relocations of children — must be properly notified and may affect the Balance of Family Test
- The Bridging Visa A must be managed carefully — if it lapses, the parent may need to leave Australia
The Contributory Alternative — Subclass 884 → 864
- The Subclass 884 Contributory Aged Parent Visa is an onshore temporary visa that leads to an application for the Subclass 864 Contributory Aged Parent (Permanent) Visa
- The contributory pathway has significantly shorter processing times than the Subclass 804
- However, the visa application charges for the contributory pathway are substantially higher
- We assess both pathways with every family to identify the most appropriate option based on their circumstances and financial capacity
- Use our free Visa Finder Quiz to compare parent visa pathways before deciding
Documents and Costs
Documents Required and Visa Costs
Documents Required
- Valid passport — noting passports must be renewed during the processing period and updated details provided to the Department
- Birth certificate and evidence of any name changes — marriage certificates, deed poll
- Sponsoring child's evidence of Australian citizenship or permanent residency — citizenship certificate, Australian passport, or permanent visa grant letter
- Birth certificate or other evidence establishing the parent-child relationship
- Evidence of the sponsoring child's usual residence in Australia for the required period
- Details and evidence for all of the applicant's children — biological, adopted, and step-children — including their countries of residence (for Balance of Family Test)
- Health examination results from an approved panel physician — may need repeating during the wait
- Police clearance certificates for all countries of 12+ months residence in the past 10 years — may need updating
- Assurance of support bond documentation from the relevant state or territory authority
- Evidence of the assurer's financial capacity
Cost Breakdown (2026)
| Cost Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Visa Charge — First Instalment (at lodgement) | AUD $4,640 |
| Visa Charge — Second Instalment (at grant) | AUD $4,640 |
| Total Visa Charge — Primary Applicant | AUD $9,280 |
| Assurance of Support Bond (single applicant) | ~AUD $10,000 |
| Assurance of Support Bond (couple) | ~AUD $14,000 |
| Health Examinations (may need repeating) | AUD $300–$450 each |
| Police Clearances (may need updating) | Varies by country |
How We Help
Our Visa Process
Full Family Assessment and Pathway Analysis
We begin every Subclass 804 case with a comprehensive assessment of the family's situation — the parent's age and circumstances, the sponsoring child's status, the Balance of Family Test position across all children, the financial capacity for the assurance of support, and the family's broader goals. From this we give an honest, complete picture of whether the Subclass 804 is the right pathway and how it compares to the contributory alternative.
Balance of Family Test Analysis
The Balance of Family Test is often the most complex part of the Subclass 804 assessment. We conduct a thorough analysis of the family's full child structure — accounting for all biological, adopted, and step-children across all countries — to determine whether the test is met and to identify any issues that need to be addressed before the application is lodged. An incorrectly assessed Balance of Family Test means a visa that cannot be granted after years of waiting — getting this right at the start is essential.
Application Preparation and Lodgement
We prepare the complete Subclass 804 application — including all identity, sponsor, Balance of Family Test, health, and character documentation — and lodge it with the Department of Home Affairs. We coordinate the health examinations and assurance of support bond arrangements as part of the lodgement process to ensure everything is in order from day one.
Long-Term Application Management
This is where our approach genuinely differs. We do not simply lodge the application and consider the matter closed. We maintain an ongoing management relationship — tracking the queue position, renewing health examinations as they expire, updating the Department when circumstances change, and keeping families informed throughout the years-long waiting period. A Subclass 804 application needs to be actively managed, not filed and forgotten.
Bridging Visa Management Throughout the Wait
We ensure the parent's Bridging Visa A is properly in place and remains valid throughout the waiting period. We advise on travel considerations — including Bridging Visa B applications when the parent needs to travel — work rights, and other conditions. Managing this correctly throughout the wait is as important as the initial application itself.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Migration Republic
Why Choose Migration Republic?
The Subclass 804 is not a visa that benefits from a set-and-forget approach. It is a long-term commitment — for the family and for the migration agent managing the application. The decisions made at the outset — whether the Balance of Family Test is correctly assessed, whether the application is properly documented, whether the bridging visa arrangements are correctly managed — have consequences that play out over years and decades. An incorrectly assessed Balance of Family Test means a visa that cannot be granted after years of waiting. A poorly managed bridging visa arrangement means a parent who has to leave Australia and lose continuity of their stay.
Thorough Balance of Family Test Analysis
We conduct a detailed analysis of every family's full child structure — accounting for all biological, adopted, and step-children across all countries — before lodgement. Getting this right at the start is the single most important thing we do for Subclass 804 clients.
Long-Term Active Management
We maintain an ongoing management relationship with our Subclass 804 clients throughout the waiting period — renewing health examinations as they expire, updating the Department when circumstances change, and keeping families informed. Not just lodgement and goodbye.
Honest, Complete Guidance
We give families honest, clear information about the process from the very beginning — including the parts that are difficult to hear. Transparent process with regular updates throughout the waiting period. That honesty and long-term commitment is what Subclass 804 families need.
Ready to Start Your Subclass 804 Aged Parent Visa Journey?
The journey is long — genuinely, measurably long. But for families who want to be together permanently, who want their parents to have the security of permanent residency, access to Medicare, and full participation in Australian life — the journey is worth taking. It must be taken correctly. Use our free tools to check your eligibility first, or speak directly with our MARA-registered agents who will walk this journey with you — from initial assessment through to the day permanent residency is granted.
