Subclass 804 / Permanent pathway for eligible aged parents
Aged Parent visa (subclass 804)
Family close by. The details made clearer.
Understand the aged-parent pathway before making plans to remain in Australia. We help you check the onshore requirements, long queue and practical implications for the years ahead.
- Visa type
- Permanent
- Application location
- In Australia
- Age threshold
- Age Pension age, currently 67
What this pathway offers
Consider the pathway. Plan for the practicalities.
The 804 is a permanent pathway for qualifying aged parents in Australia. The wait for new applications is substantially longer than the contributory parent queue.
Permanent residence if granted
The granted visa allows permanent residence, with work and study rights under that status.
Keep the family goal in view
Assess the pathway around your family circumstances, rather than relying on age alone.
Compare the financial picture
Consider the lower application charges alongside the lengthy queue, support commitments and arrangements needed while waiting.
The requirements in context
What needs to line up.
Onshore eligibility needs to be established before an application is planned. The main checks include:
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Age and location
The primary applicant must meet Age Pension age, currently 67. This pathway requires an application from in Australia, outside immigration clearance.
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Your child and sponsorship
Usually, an eligible settled adult child sponsors you. Check the sponsor's status, settlement and family relationship.
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Balance of family and support
A standard application requires the balance-of-family test and an Assurance of Support. These are separate from the visa charge and sponsorship.
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Current visa and personal requirements
Check conditions such as No Further Stay, previous refusals or cancellations, any 870 application or visa, and the health and character requirements.
The queue and your current status need separate plans.
A new 804 application faces a queue measured in decades under current estimates. Lodgement is not permanent residence or a promise of a grant.
Check any bridging visa's start date, work and travel conditions, and the health cover needed while waiting. Do not assume the permanent visa's benefits apply before grant.
A plan you can follow
From your family plans to the next step.
We help you review the current visa position first, then decide whether this long-term pathway fits your circumstances.
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Check the onshore starting point
Review age, current visa, conditions and application history before considering lodgement.
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Assess the family requirements
Work through sponsorship and the balance-of-family evidence, with realistic discussion of the queue.
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Prepare and lodge online
Complete the permanent parent application through ImmiAccount and make a separate plan for status while waiting.
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Keep the application current
Update relevant details and respond to requests. Prepare for support, checks and later charges when required.
Preparation that makes sense
The right records. A clearer application.
Your checklist should reflect the pathway and your circumstances. Depending on the application, it may include:
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Identity records, age evidence and current visa grant and conditions.
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Family relationship records and relevant details of children and stepchildren.
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Children's immigration status and residence evidence.
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Sponsor identity, status and settlement documents.
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Assurance of Support and health or character evidence when requested.
A little more clarity
Your 804 questions, made clearer.
Start with the essentials, then look at how the requirements apply to your family and circumstances.
Is being 67 enough to apply?
No. Age is one requirement. You also need to meet the family, sponsorship and other visa requirements, and be able to lodge a valid application in Australia. Your current visa, conditions and immigration history need checking. Applicants must also be in Australia, outside immigration clearance, at decision.
Can a visitor visa condition prevent an application?
Yes. A No Further Stay condition, such as 8503, can prevent a valid onshore 804 application unless it is waived. Check your grant letter and VEVO before lodging. Asking for a waiver does not extend your visa or itself provide a bridging visa.
Does the 804 application give me work or travel rights?
Lodgement alone does not establish work or travel rights. Check your current visa and any bridging visa grant, including when it starts. A Bridging visa A does not allow re-entry. If eligible, obtain a Bridging visa B before travelling. Work rights depend on the conditions of the visa in effect.
How does the 804 compare with the 864?
Both are permanent aged-parent pathways with onshore and family requirements. The 804 has lower application charges and a substantially longer queue. The contributory 864 has higher charges and still faces capping and queueing. The usual Assurance of Support periods are four years for the 804 and ten years for the 864.
How long will it take and what will it cost?
New 804 applications face waits measured in decades under current estimates. Check current queue guidance and visa charges. Plan initial and later instalments, the Assurance of Support bond and costs while waiting separately. We explain our professional fees and scope before you proceed.
Your next step starts with you
Understand your position before the next step.
Share your current visa, age and family circumstances. We will explain what needs checking and how the 804 compares with other relevant parent pathways.