Aged Parent Visa 804 Australia
Cost, Bridging Visa, and Processing Time (2026)

Aged Parent Visa 804 Requirements

The primary applicant must meet the requirements that apply to the Subclass 804 visa.

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Have an eligible sponsor

The applicant must have an eligible sponsor. This is usually the applicant’s child, who must be a settled:

• Australian citizen

• Australian permanent resident, or

• eligible New Zealand citizen

The Department must approve the sponsorship.

If the child has not turned 18, sponsorship may be provided by an eligible relative, the child’s eligible spouse or de facto partner, or an eligible community organisation.

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Home Affairs policy generally treats at least two years of lawful residence in Australia as a reasonable period for determining whether a sponsor is settled. However, a shorter period may be accepted in limited circumstances, and the assessment depends on the facts of the case.

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Meet the age requirement

The applicant must have reached the age at which a person is eligible to receive the Australian Age Pension. The current Age Pension age is 67.

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Reaching Age Pension age is an eligibility requirement for the visa. It does not mean the applicant automatically qualifies to receive Age Pension payments.

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Be in Australia when applying

The applicant and any family members applying with them must be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when the application is lodged.

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Being physically present in Australia does not automatically mean a person can submit a valid application. The applicant should check:

• the conditions attached to their current visa

• whether their visa has a condition that prevents a further onshore application

• whether a previous visa refusal or cancellation affects their eligibility

• whether any other limitation on applying in Australia applies to them

Applicants can check their current visa and conditions through VEVO.

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Not hold or have applied for a Subclass 870 visa

A person cannot apply for the Subclass 804 if they have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 870).

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The Subclass 870 is a separate temporary pathway and does not provide permanent residence. Learn about the available options in our Parent Visa Australia guide.

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Pass the Balance of Family Test

The applicant must pass the Balance of Family Test. Home Affairs states that this requirement cannot be waived, even in compelling or exceptional circumstances.

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Be able to obtain an Assurance of Support

The applicant must generally be able to obtain an accepted Assurance of Support before the visa can be granted.

The assurer does not have to be the sponsor or a member of the applicant’s family. An eligible individual, more than one person acting jointly, or an eligible organisation may provide the Assurance of Support.

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Meet the health requirement

The applicant and family members applying with them must meet Australia’s health requirement.

In some circumstances, Home Affairs may also require non-migrating family members to complete health examinations.

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Meet the character requirement

The applicant and family members applying with them must meet Australia’s character requirement.

Home Affairs may request police certificates and other character documents during processing.

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Repay Australian Government debt

Any debt owed to the Australian Government must be repaid, or an approved repayment arrangement must be in place.

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Sign the Australian Values Statement

Applicants aged 18 or older must read, or have explained to them, the Life in Australia booklet and sign the Australian Values Statement.

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Best interests of a child

Home Affairs will not grant the visa if doing so would not be in the best interests of an applicant under 18.

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Is There a Retirement Visa Pathway for the Subclass 804?

The separate Retirement Visa Pathway does not operate through the Subclass 804.

Home Affairs lists the following visas as the available permanent residence options under the Retirement Visa Pathway:

• Parent visa (Subclass 103)

• Contributory Parent visa (Subclass 143)

This pathway is limited to certain long-term holders or former holders of the Retirement visa (Subclass 410) or Investor Retirement visa (Subclass 405) who meet the specified historical requirements.

The Retirement Visa Pathway should not be confused with an ordinary Subclass 804 application.

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Aged Parent Visa 804 Bridging Visa

Home Affairs states that when a person applies for the Subclass 804 in Australia, they are likely to be granted a bridging visa.

A bridging visa is separate from the Subclass 804 application. It does not provide permanent residence and does not mean the 804 application will be approved.

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The bridging visa grant notice will state:

• when the bridging visa starts

• how long it remains valid

• whether the holder can work

• whether any study conditions apply

• whether travel is permitted

• any other conditions attached to the visa

For a complete explanation of the different subclasses, read our Bridging Visa Australia guide.

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When Does the Bridging Visa Start?

A Bridging Visa A does not necessarily start immediately after it is granted.

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If the applicant still holds a substantive visa, that substantive visa generally remains in effect until it expires or otherwise ceases. If granted, the Bridging Visa A will generally come into effect when the applicant’s current substantive visa ceases, provided the Subclass 804 application has not been finally determined. The applicant must check the commencement details in the bridging visa grant notice.

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The applicant should continue complying with all conditions attached to their current visa while it remains in effect.

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Do not cancel the current visa simply because a bridging visa has been granted. Home Affairs warns that cancelling a current visa may leave a person unlawful and may affect their eligibility for a bridging visa.

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Read more about its commencement and conditions in our Bridging Visa A guide.

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Can an 804 Applicant Work on a Bridging Visa?

Work rights are determined by the conditions attached to the applicant’s bridging visa.

A Bridging Visa A does not automatically provide unrestricted work rights. Applicants must check their individual conditions in VEVO before starting or continuing work.

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Home Affairs states that a person whose BVA does not permit work may be able to apply for a further bridging visa without the work restriction if they can demonstrate financial hardship. Approval is not automatic and depends on the person’s circumstances and the applicable requirements.

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Never assume that lodging an 804 application automatically provides permission to work.

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Can an 804 Applicant Travel Overseas?

An applicant does not necessarily have to remain in Australia continuously throughout the entire 804 queue. However, they must:

• hold a valid visa that allows them to return to Australia

• comply with the conditions of that visa

• notify Home Affairs if they intend to travel while the application is processed

• be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when Home Affairs makes its decision

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A Bridging Visa A does not permit departure and return.

If a BVA is in effect when the holder leaves Australia, it ceases. The person cannot use that BVA to return.

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An eligible applicant relying on a bridging visa who needs to leave and return must obtain a Bridging Visa B before departure.

A BVB is granted with a defined travel period. The holder must check the authorised travel period and conditions in the grant notice or VEVO before booking travel.

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Read our Bridging Visa B travel guide before making overseas travel arrangements.

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Medicare While the Subclass 804 Is Processed

Lodging a Subclass 804 application does not automatically make every applicant eligible for Medicare.

Services Australia lists an applicant for the Aged Parent visa (Subclass 804) as eligible to enrol while waiting for permanent residence if the applicant:

• is from a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement country; and

• meets the conditions that apply to that RHCA country

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An applicant who does not meet this category should not assume that an outstanding 804 application provides Medicare eligibility.

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Once the Subclass 804 is granted, the visa holder becomes an Australian permanent resident and may enrol in Medicare, subject to Medicare’s enrolment requirements.

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The Balance of Family Test

The Balance of Family Test measures the applicant’s family connections with Australia.

The applicant passes the test if:

• at least half of their children and stepchildren are eligible children; or

• the number of eligible children is greater than the number of children living in any other single country

An eligible child is:

• an Australian citizen; or

• an Australian permanent resident usually resident in Australia; or

• an eligible New Zealand citizen usually resident in Australia

A child living in Australia on a temporary visa is not considered usually resident in Australia for this test.

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Which children are counted?

The test generally includes the applicant’s and their partner’s:

• biological children

• adopted children

• stepchildren

Certain children are not counted, including children who:

• are deceased

• have been removed from the parents’ exclusive legal custody through adoption, court order or operation of law

• are registered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees as refugees and live in a UNHCR-operated camp

• live in a country where they suffer persecution or human-rights abuse and cannot be reunited with their parents in another country

Home Affairs does not waive the Balance of Family Test for compelling or exceptional circumstances.

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Balance of Family Test example 1

A parent has four children.

Two children are Australian permanent residents usually living in Australia. One child lives in Country A and one lives in Country B.

The parent passes because half of their children are eligible children. The number of eligible children in Australia is also greater than the number living in any other single country.

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Balance of Family Test example 2

A parent has four children.

One eligible child lives in Australia. The other three children live separately in Country A, Country B and Country C.

The parent does not pass.

One out of four children is less than half. The eligible child in Australia also does not outnumber the child living in each other country. A tie is not sufficient under the second part of the test.

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When Should Health Examinations and Police Certificates Be Arranged?

Applicants should follow the timing provided by Home Affairs.

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Health examinations

The applicant and accompanying family members must meet the health requirement. Home Affairs may also request examinations for non-migrating family members.

Home Affairs will advise when examinations are required and provide the information needed to arrange them.

Health examination results are generally valid for 12 months. Completing them unnecessarily early may mean they need to be repeated.

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Police certificates

Home Affairs may ask an applicant to provide police certificates from countries, including Australia, where they have lived for a total of at least 12 months during the previous 10 years. The requirement generally applies to applicants over 17, and the certificate must cover the period since the person turned 16 or the entire period they lived in that country.

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Police certificates are generally valid for 12 months from their issue date. Home Affairs may ask for a new certificate if the applicant returns to the country or the document is no longer current.

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Do not assume that health examinations and police certificates will only be requested close to final grant. Parent visa applications undergo an initial assessment against core requirements before being assigned a queue date, and Home Affairs may request information when required during processing.

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How to Apply for an Aged Parent Visa 804

Step 1 — Check eligibility and current visa conditions

Confirm that the applicant:

• has reached the required age

• has an eligible sponsor

• can pass the Balance of Family Test

• is in Australia

• is not in immigration clearance

• does not hold or have an outstanding Subclass 870 application

• can make a valid application while in Australia

• does not have a visa condition or other limitation preventing the application

If the applicant first needs a visa to enter Australia, read our Visitor Visa 600 onshore guide. A Visitor visa is for genuine temporary visits and does not guarantee eligibility to lodge a Subclass 804 after arrival.

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Step 2 — Gather the documents

Documents may include:

• current passport and identity documents

• evidence of the relationship between the parent and sponsor

• sponsor’s citizenship or visa evidence

• evidence that the sponsor is settled in Australia

• Form 40 sponsorship documents

• Balance of Family Test evidence

• partner and dependent documents, where applicable

• photographs

• documents relating to previous visas, refusals or cancellations

• English translations of non-English documents

Home Affairs may later request health, character, Assurance of Support and other evidence.

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Step 3 — Apply online

Applications made on or after 22 April 2026 must generally be submitted online through ImmiAccount using the approved internet application.

A non-internet application is only available where Home Affairs gives written authorisation and provides specific directions.

The applicant and accompanying family members must be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when applying.

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Step 4 — After applying

After lodgement:

• monitor ImmiAccount for correspondence

• check whether a bridging visa has been granted

• check when the bridging visa starts

• continue complying with the current substantive visa

• do not cancel the current visa

• respond to Home Affairs requests within the specified time

• update changes to address, passport, contact details and family circumstances

• tell Home Affairs before travelling

• obtain a BVB before departure if relying on a bridging visa and intending to return

• complete health examinations when instructed

• provide police certificates when requested

• arrange the Assurance of Support when requested

• pay the second visa application charge when invoiced

Home Affairs states that failing to pay the second instalment when invoiced may result in refusal.

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Step 5 — Visa decision

The applicant must be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when Home Affairs makes its decision.

If the visa is granted, Home Affairs will provide:

• the visa grant number

• the date the visa starts

• the visa conditions

If the application is refused, Home Affairs will explain:

• the reason for refusal

• whether review rights are available

The visa application charge is generally not refunded following refusal.

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Aged Parent Visa 804 Cost

The Aged Parent Visa 804 currently costs from AUD 8,665 for a single applicant, paid in two instalments.

The visa application charge is paid in two instalments:

• the first instalment is paid when the application is lodged

• the second instalment is paid when Home Affairs requests it

The amount may be higher when family members are included.

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Additional expenses can include:

• Assurance of Support bank guarantee

• health examinations

• police certificates

• biometrics, if requested

• English translations

• document certification

• professional migration assistance, if engaged

Visa application charges can change. The applicable charge generally depends on when Home Affairs receives the application.

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Check the Home Affairs visa pricing information before lodging.

Lower visa cost for certain passport holders

From 1 July 2026, a lower visa application cost may apply to an eligible primary applicant holding a valid passport from:

• Federated States of Micronesia

• Fiji

• Kiribati

• Nauru

• Palau

• Papua New Guinea

• Republic of the Marshall Islands

• Samoa

• Solomon Islands

• Timor-Leste

• Tonga

• Tuvalu

• Vanuatu

Eligible family members may also receive the lower charge based on the primary applicant’s passport.

Applicants should check the current concession requirements directly with Home Affairs.

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Assurance of Support for the Subclass 804

The Subclass 804 ordinarily requires a mandatory Assurance of Support before the visa can be granted.

An Assurance of Support is a commitment to support the visa applicant so they do not need to rely on certain Australian Government income-support payments during the Assurance period.

The assurer may be:

• one eligible individual

• two or more eligible individuals acting jointly

• an eligible organisation

The assurer does not have to be the applicant’s sponsor or family member.

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How long does the 804 Assurance of Support last?

The Assurance of Support for an ordinary Subclass 804 visa lasts for four years.

The period starts on the later of:

• the date the assuree arrives in Australia; or

• the date the visa is granted

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How much is the Assurance of Support bond?

For an individual assurer providing a four-year Assurance of Support, the current bank guarantee is:

• AUD 5,000 for one adult assuree

• AUD 7,000 for two adult assurees

For an organisation providing a four-year Assurance of Support, the current guarantee is AUD 10,000 for one or two adult assurees.

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The assurer must also satisfy the applicable income, residence, identity and financial-capacity requirements.

Do not arrange a bank guarantee or term deposit until Services Australia requests it in writing.

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Aged Parent Visa 804 Processing Time

Home Affairs currently estimates a processing time of approximately 33 years for new Parent and Aged Parent visa applications.

This is an estimate, not a guaranteed processing time for an individual application.

Processing times may change because of:

• annual Migration Program planning levels

• the number of applications submitted

• the number of applications withdrawn or refused

• Administrative Review Tribunal outcomes

• Ministerial Intervention cases

• changes to processing directions

• health, character and national-security checks

• the time taken to provide requested information

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Current 804 queue position

As at 31 May 2026, Home Affairs reported that it was:

• acknowledging new Aged Parent visa applications in approximately four weeks

• conducting queue assessments for 804 applications lodged in January 2023

• releasing 804 applications with queue dates up to April 2014 for final processing

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These three dates describe different processing stages.

An acknowledgement confirms receipt of the application. It does not mean the application has been assigned a queue date.

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Home Affairs initially assesses whether the application meets the relevant core criteria. If it does, the Department assigns a queue date and places it in the queue. If it does not meet the core criteria, the application may be refused instead of queued.

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The queue date is therefore not necessarily the same as the application lodgement date.

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Home Affairs assesses Parent visa applications in lodgement-date order and releases queued applications for final processing in queue-date order.

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What the Subclass 804 Allows After Grant

Once granted, the Subclass 804 allows the holder to:

• remain in Australia indefinitely as a permanent resident

• work in Australia

• study in Australia

• enrol in Medicare

• sponsor eligible family members, subject to the requirements of the relevant visa

• travel to and from Australia during the five-year travel facility

• apply for Australian citizenship if eligible

Permanent residence starts on the date the 804 visa is granted.

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The visa holder can travel to and from Australia as many times as permitted during the five-year travel facility. After that travel facility expires, a permanent resident who has not become an Australian citizen generally needs a valid Resident Return Visa to return to Australia as a permanent resident.

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Does the 804 Automatically Qualify Someone for Age Pension?

No.

Reaching Age Pension age is a requirement for the Subclass 804, but receiving the visa does not automatically create an entitlement to Age Pension payments.

A person generally needs to have been an Australian resident for at least 10 years in total. At least five of those years must generally be continuous.

The person must also meet the applicable:

• Age Pension age requirement

• Australian residence rules

• income test

• assets test

Exceptions may apply, including under certain international social security agreements or specific residence exemptions.

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Frequently asked questions

How long does the Aged Parent Visa 804 take?

Home Affairs currently estimates approximately 33 years for new Parent and Aged Parent visa applications. This is an estimate and may change. As at 31 May 2026, Aged Parent applications with queue dates up to April 2014 had been released for final processing.

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Must I stay in Australia for the entire 804 processing period?

Not necessarily. The applicant must be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when applying and when Home Affairs makes its decision. If the applicant travels during processing, they must hold a visa that allows them to return and comply with all applicable travel conditions.

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Do I automatically receive a Bridging Visa A?

Home Affairs states that a person applying for the Subclass 804 in Australia is likely to be granted a bridging visa. The grant and conditions depend on the applicant’s circumstances. Check the bridging visa grant notice and VEVO rather than assuming it has been granted.

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When does the Bridging Visa A start?

If the applicant still holds a substantive visa, the BVA generally remains inactive until that substantive visa expires or ceases. The commencement details are stated in the BVA grant notice.

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Can I work while waiting for the 804?

Only if the visa currently in effect permits work. Work rights depend on the conditions attached to the applicant’s substantive or bridging visa. Check VEVO before working.

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Can I travel overseas on a Bridging Visa A?

No. A BVA cannot be used to leave and return to Australia. A BVA that is in effect ceases when the holder departs. An eligible applicant who needs to travel and return should obtain a BVB before departure.

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Does a Bridging Visa B permit only one trip?

Not necessarily. Home Affairs states that a BVB has a defined travel period. The permitted travel facility and dates must be checked in the individual BVB grant notice or VEVO.

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Can I access Medicare while the 804 is processing?

An 804 applicant may enrol while waiting if they are from a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement country and meet the conditions applying to that country. Lodging the 804 alone does not make every applicant eligible for Medicare.

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Is private health insurance compulsory?

Home Affairs does not list private health insurance as a standard eligibility criterion specific to an ordinary 804 application. However, an applicant who is not eligible for Medicare remains responsible for their health cover and medical expenses. Conditions attached to the applicant’s current visa must also be checked.

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What is the difference between the lodgement date and queue date?

The lodgement date is when Home Affairs receives a valid application. The queue date is generally assigned later, after the Department determines that the application meets the relevant core criteria. The dates may therefore be different.

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Is the Assurance of Support required for the 804?

Yes, an ordinary Subclass 804 applicant must generally be included in an accepted mandatory Assurance of Support before grant. The current AoS period is four years.

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When should I arrange the AoS bond?

Do not arrange the bank guarantee or term deposit until Services Australia requests it in writing.

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Is the Subclass 804 part of the Retirement Visa Pathway?

No. The separate pathway for eligible retirement visa holders operates through the Parent visa Subclass 103 or Contributory Parent visa Subclass 143.

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Can I apply for the 804 while holding a Subclass 870?

No. Home Affairs states that a person cannot apply for the 804 if they have already applied for or hold a Sponsored Parent Temporary visa Subclass 870.

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Can I apply before reaching Age Pension age?

No. The primary applicant must have reached the qualifying Australian Age Pension age. The current Age Pension age is 67.

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Does the 804 grant provide immediate Age Pension?

No. Visa eligibility and Age Pension payment eligibility are separate. The visa holder must satisfy the applicable residence, income and assets requirements.