All posts by Alan Collett

Parent visa numbers are capped – Program year ended 30 June 2025

103 visa, 143 visas, 173 visas, 804 visas, 864 visas, 884 visas, ,

As is customary – although perhaps not this early in the year, which is maybe indicative of the Federal Election being called imminently – Australia’s Immigration Minister has capped the number of parent visas that can be granted by the Department of Home Affairs in the program year, which for 2024_25 ends on 30 June 2025.

In summary:

  • A maximum of 6,800 Contributory Parent visas can be granted between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025
  • Of this number no more than 112 can be granted to what are known as pathway applicants, being applicants who hold subclass 410 or 405 visas
  • A maximum of 1,700 non-Contributory Parent visas can be granted between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025
  • Of this number no more than 13 can be granted to pathway applicants, these again being those applicants who hold subclass 410 or 405 visas

These numbers do not include subclass 870 Sponsored Parent Temporary visas, and are in line with the capped number of parent visas in the last couple of years.

Our last blog at the end of January advised details of the number of parent visas granted; we will be posting again in the next few weeks with updated details of the number of parent visas that have been granted.

Number of Parent Visas Granted to date – Program year to 30 June 2025

870 visas,

We have received details of the number of parent visas granted up to 31 December 2024 from the Department of Home Affairs.

These are as follows (the number of visas refused is in italics):

  • Subclass 143, Contributory Parent – 4,475 – 206
  • Subclass 173, Contributory Parent (Temporary) – 103 – 17
  • Subclass 864, Contributory Aged Parent – 190 – 11
  • Subclass 884, Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) – 5 – fewer than 5

Total Contributory Parent Visas granted to 31 Dec 2024 = 4,773

  • Subclass 103, Parent – 921 – 117
  • Subclass 804, Aged Parent – 25 – 22

Total non-Contributory Parent Visas granted to 31 Dec 2024 = 946

Total of the above = 5,719

The Department of Home Affairs planning number for these visas for the year to 30 June 2025 is 8,500.

Separately, we have been advised that the number of subclass 870 visas granted in the current program year up to 31 December 2024 is 1,554.

 

Parent Visa Grant Numbers – Year to 30 June 2024

103 visa, 143 visas, 173 visas, 804 visas, 864 visas, 870 visas,

We have received details of the number of Australian parent visas granted during the year to 30 June 2024.

The number of visa grants (with the number of visa refusals in brackets) was as follows:

Contributory Parent visas – 7,111 (535)

Non Contributory Parent visas – 1,709 (240)

TOTAL – 8,820 (775)

The total number of Contributory Parent visa applications cleared in the year to 30 June 2024 (ie granted plus refused) was therefore 7,646 – which is less than the total number of such applications lodged in May and June 2017.

As those who closely watch Contributory Parent visa processing will know, a large number of applications for these visas were lodged in May and June 2017, with most of the last processing year taken up with clearing just those two months of visa applications.

The Department of Home Affairs is now substantially through processing June 2017 applications, with applications held over into this month now being granted (we have had a 21 June 2017 subclass 143 visa application granted today, after the main Visa Application Charge was paid on 17 June 2024).

With the non Contributory Parent visa applications it is noteworthy that most of the visa grants were to subclass 103 applicants (1,581); only 128 visas were granted to subclass 804 visa applicants.

The number of subclass 870 visa applications granted in the year to 30 June 2024 was 3,734, with 110 refusals.

Note: Contributory Parent visa applications are made under subclasses 143, 173, 864, and 884.

The number of grants in the year to 30 June 2024 for each subclass was:

143 – 6,438

173 – 292

864 – 374

884 – 7

 

New Visa Application Charges for 2024_25

143 visas, 804 visas, 864 visas, 870 visas,
New Visa Application Charges are effective from today (1 July 2024).
 
Charges for 1st VACs (payable when the visa application is submitted) have been increased in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), rounded to the nearest $5.
 
New VACs for the most commonly encountered parent visa subclasses are:
 
  • 143 – $4,895 for the main visa applicant, plus $1,650 for a secondary visa applicant.
  • 864 – $4,895 for the main visa applicant, plus $2,445 for a secondary visa applicant.
  • 804 – $5,125 for the main visa applicant, plus $2,565 for a secondary visa applicant.
  • 870 – $1,180 for each visa applicant
There is no increase in the 2nd VAC (which is payable immediately prior to visa grant) for 143s, 864, and 804s.
 
The 2nd VAC for subclass 870 visas has been increased to $10,605 for a 5 year visa, and to $4,715 for a 3 year visa.
 
These VACs apply to parent visa applications lodged from 1 July 2024.

Parent Visa Numbers are Capped for the Year to 30 June 2024

103 visa, 143 visas, 173 visas, 804 visas, 864 visas, 884 visas,
A Legislative Instrument has been published by Australia’s Immigration Minister that caps the number of visas that can be granted to parents in the program year to 30 June 2024 as follows:
  • Contributory Parent visas – 6,800
  • Non Contributory Parent visas – 1,700
Of these totals some 112 Contributory Parent visas can be granted to Retiree pathway applicants; 13 can be granted to non-Contributory Parent visa applicants by Retirees.
 
Retiree pathway applicants are those who are applying under the pathway that is available to subclass 410 and 405 visa applicants.