Aged Parent Visa Australia: Subclass 804 and 864 Explained

If your parent is already in Australia and has turned 67, the visa options available to them are different from those for younger parents — and the most important difference is that they may be able to stay in Australia while waiting for the permanent visa, if the application and visa conditions permit a bridging visa.

This ability to remain onshore is the defining feature of the "Aged Parent" subclasses. Understanding how it works, what it costs, and how these visas compare to the regular parent visa pathway is the starting point for families in this situation.

What Makes a Visa an "Aged Parent" Visa

The term "aged parent" in Australian migration law refers specifically to applicants who meet the Australian Age Pension eligibility age, which as of 2026 is standardized at 67 years for all genders. Applicants below this age cannot use the 804 or 864; the relevant parent-visa options include the 143, 173, or 103, subject to the applicable location and grant rules.

This is a common source of confusion. A parent who is 65 and already living in Australia on a visitor visa cannot apply for the 804 or 864 — they can lodge an online 143 application while in or outside Australia, but the 143 must be granted while they are outside Australia; they can also consider the paper-lodged 173 staged pathway or wait until they reach 67.

Subclass 804 — Aged Parent (Non-Contributory, Onshore)

The Subclass 804 is the non-contributory aged parent visa. It mirrors the Subclass 103 in cost and processing timeline, but it is lodged onshore and may provide a Bridging Visa A (BVA) where the application and visa conditions permit, allowing the parent to remain in Australia while the application is processed.

Key features:

The 30-year wait makes the 804 impractical as a sole strategy for most families. A parent who is 68 in 2026 would not receive a grant until they are approximately 98 under current processing rates. The 804 may be considered alongside an 864 strategy, but do not assume both applications can be lodged and maintained simultaneously; confirm the applicable rules before relying on that plan. It can also serve as a "parking" mechanism for parents who are already in Australia and cannot afford the contributory fees.

Subclass 864 — Contributory Aged Parent (Onshore)

The 864 is the onshore contributory aged parent visa — the equivalent of the 143 but for parents aged 67+ who are already in Australia. It is the most appropriate pathway for parents who:

• Are 67 or older
• Are already in Australia (on a visitor visa or any other valid temporary visa)
• Do not have a "No Further Stay" (8503) condition on their current visa

Like the 143, it carries a two-instalment fee structure and processes in the contributory queue.

The processing time for the 864 is the same as the 143: 12 to 15 years from lodgment for new applications in 2026. Where the visa conditions permit, the application can provide a Bridging Visa A, allowing the parent to remain in Australia while that bridging visa is in effect and its conditions are met.

The Bridging Visa A: What It Means in Practice

The BVA is the practical reason most families with older parents in Australia prefer the 864 over the 143. Rather than requiring the parent to wait overseas for 12 to 15 years and then migrate, the parent may be able to remain in Australia under the bridging arrangement while the application is processed.

This has real implications for daily life:

• The parent is physically present to help with grandchildren, family support, and aged care.
• The family avoids the uncertainty of the parent's health declining in another country without local support.
• The parent does not need to navigate obtaining and renewing visitor visas repeatedly over a multi-year period.

Work rights depend on the conditions attached to the BVA; do not assume that an 864-related BVA permits work.

Medicare Eligibility on a Bridging Visa

This is one of the most misunderstood aspects of onshore aged parent visa applications, and the confusion causes real financial harm to families.

Medicare access on a Bridging Visa A depends on your home country, not on the visa subclass you hold. Parents from countries with a Reciprocal Healthcare Agreement (RHCA) with Australia — including the UK, Ireland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Belgium — may receive limited Medicare access while on a BVA. Parents from other countries generally do not receive full Medicare access while waiting.

For parents from India, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, and most other major source countries, there is no Medicare access on the Bridging Visa A. The parent must either maintain private health insurance or self-fund medical expenses until the permanent visa is granted and they become Medicare-eligible.

This changes the cost calculation considerably. A parent from India in their late 60s may need $2,000 to $4,000 per year in private health insurance premiums while on the BVA — an additional $24,000 to $60,000 over a 12-to-15-year wait on top of the visa fees.

The "No Further Stay" (Condition 8503) Problem

A parent who entered Australia on a visitor visa with a No Further Stay condition (Condition 8503) generally cannot apply for the 864 onshore unless the condition is waived. The 8503 condition prevents a substantive visa application while it remains in force, subject to a waiver request.

Families whose visitor-visa grant carries condition 8503 have two options:

1. Depart and use the offshore 143 (if eligible), or, if pursuing the 864, re-enter Australia on a visa without 8503 before lodging — the aged subclasses are onshore visas.
2. Apply for a waiver of the 8503 condition, demonstrating compelling and compassionate circumstances that justify allowing the parent to apply onshore.

Waivers of the 8503 condition are possible but not routine. A waiver request requires evidence of compelling and compassionate circumstances, and the outcome is discretionary.

Choosing Between the 804 and 864

For families with a parent aged 67+ already in Australia:

• If the family can fund the contributory fees (~$50,000 per parent), the 864 is the clear choice. The same 12-to-15-year wait, but the parent may be able to remain in Australia while a valid bridging arrangement is in effect and its conditions are met.
• If the family cannot fund the contributory fees, the 804 allows the parent to seek a bridging arrangement but faces the 30-year queue. The 870 is not a fallback that can be applied for or held alongside a permanent parent-visa application; treat it as a separate temporary alternative.
• Some families compare 804 and 864 strategies; do not assume both applications can be lodged and maintained simultaneously, and confirm the rules before relying on both queue positions.

The Australia Parent Visa Guide includes an aged parent decision framework with scenario modeling for different financial positions and family structures.

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