10 Year Parent Visa: Your Guide to the Subclass 870 Sponsored Parent Visa

Living in Australia while your parents are overseas can be hard. Visitor visas often feel too short, and each trip ends before your family has settled into a routine together.

Many families tell us they want their parents here for longer visits, without a waiting list of many years. The subclass 870 sponsored parent visa, often called the 10-year parent visa, was created for exactly this situation.

With this visa, your parents can stay in Australia for 3 or 5 years at a time. They can apply again for further visas, up to a total of 10 years in Australia.

This guide explains how the visa works, what you and your parents need, what it costs as of October 2026, and how to apply. It also explains what this visa cannot do, so you can plan with confidence.

If you would like help with your family’s situation, you can book a consultation with our registered migration agents.

What is the subclass 870 sponsored parent visa?

The Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870) lets parents visit their children in Australia for up to 3 or 5 years per visa. It is a temporary visa managed by the Department of Home Affairs, the government department that handles visas in Australia.

The child in Australia acts as the sponsor. A sponsor is the person who supports the application and agrees to look after the parent during their stay. The sponsor must be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident (PR) or an eligible New Zealand citizen.

The visa 870 is a visitor visa for family, not a permanent visa. If your parents want to live in Australia permanently, you can read our guide to parent visa options in Australia.

How does the 10-year parent visa work?

Each sponsored parent temporary visa lasts for up to 3 or 5 years. Your parents can then apply for further visas until they reach a total of 10 years in Australia. The Department of Home Affairs calls this a “cumulative maximum stay of 10 years” (as at October 2026).

Your parents can travel in and out of Australia as many times as they want while the visa is valid. You cannot extend the visa itself. To stay longer, your parents need to apply for a new visa.

What happens between two 870 visas?

• Your parents must apply for the next visa from outside Australia, unless the Department permits them to apply in Australia.
• Your parents must spend at least 90 days in a row outside Australia after their last visa ends. Only then can the Department of Home Affairs grant the next visa (as at October 2026).
• After a total of 10 years on 870 visas, your parents cannot apply for another visa 870.

Should your parents choose 3 years or 5 years?

• The 3-year option costs less and suits families who want to test how long visits work for everyone.
• The 5-year option costs more but means fewer applications and fewer 90-day breaks over the 10 years.
• To learn more about the shorter option, read our guide to the 3-year multiple entry visa in Australia.

Our team can help you choose the length that suits your family’s plans.

What are the 10-year parent visa subclass 870 requirements?

Both the parent and the sponsor must meet separate requirements, and the sponsor must be approved before the parent can apply. The lists below follow the official subclass 870 visa requirements (as at October 2026).

What does the parent need?

• The parent must be the biological, legal (including adoptive) parent, step-parent or parent-in-law of the sponsor.
• The parent must be at least 18 years old. There is no upper age limit.
• The parent must have an approved sponsor before applying.
• The parent must meet the health requirement and the character requirement.
• The parent must have, or have access to, enough money to support themselves in Australia.
• The parent must intend to stay in Australia temporarily.
• The parent must hold adequate health insurance from an Australian health insurance provider for the whole stay.

Good news for many families is that this visa has no balance of family test and no Assurance of Support. These are 2 requirements that apply to some permanent parent visas.

What does the sponsor need?

• The sponsor must be at least 18 years old and be the parent’s child, or the child’s spouse or de facto partner.
• The sponsor must be an Australian citizen. A permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen can also sponsor if they have usually lived in Australia for at least 4 years.
• In the last 4 years, the sponsor must not have been unlawful or held a bridging visa other than a Bridging visa A, B or C. A bridging visa is a short-term visa that keeps a person lawful while another application is being decided.
• The sponsor must earn a taxable income of at least AUD 83,454.80 in the last completed income year. This is the income test set by the Department of Home Affairs (as at October 2026).
• A sponsor who cannot meet the income test alone can combine income with their partner or an eligible sibling. In that case, the sponsor must still earn at least 50% of the required amount.
• The sponsor must not owe money to the Australian Government, or must have an approved plan to repay it.

What does the sponsor agree to?

• The sponsor agrees to provide financial support and accommodation for the parent while the parent is in Australia.
• The sponsor agrees to repay any public health debt the parent builds up in Australia, even after the parent leaves.
• The sponsor agrees to tell the Department about certain changes, such as a criminal charge.

One sponsorship can cover up to 2 parents per household at a time. For example, you can sponsor both of your parents, or one of your parents and one of your partner’s parents.

How much does the 870 visa cost?

As at 1 July 2026, the 870 visa costs AUD 6,370 for up to 3 years. The 5-year option costs AUD 12,440. The sponsor also pays an AUD 420 sponsorship fee. You can confirm the current price with the official Visa Pricing Estimator.

The parent pays the first instalment when applying and the second instalment when the Department sends an invoice. The Department grants the visa only after the parent pays the second instalment (Department of Home Affairs, as at October 2026).

From 1 July 2026, citizens of eligible Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste pay a lower visa cost. Our team can check whether this applies to your parents.

Can parents use Medicare on the 870 visa?

In most cases, parents on the 870 visa cannot use Medicare, Australia’s public health care system. This is why the Department requires them to hold private health insurance from an Australian provider for their whole stay.

Some countries have a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia, which gives visitors limited access to medically necessary care. This agreement does not replace the insurance requirement. To compare policies, see the government’s guide to health insurance for overseas visitors.

Good insurance also protects the sponsor, because the sponsor agrees to repay any public health debt the parent builds up in Australia.

How do you apply for the sponsored parent temporary visa?

The application has 2 stages: first the child applies to become a sponsor, and then the parent applies for the visa. The steps below follow the official process from the Department of Home Affairs (as at October 2026).

1. The sponsor applies. The child lodges a sponsorship application in ImmiAccount, the Department’s online application system, and pays the AUD 420 fee. The child can be in or outside Australia at this stage.
2. The parent gathers documents. These include a passport, identity documents and police certificates. The parent also shows they plan to visit temporarily, for example with 3 months of bank statements or proof of a pension. Non-English documents need an English translation.
3. The parent applies online. The parent applies in ImmiAccount from outside Australia within 6 months of the sponsorship approval and pays the first instalment.
4. The parent completes checks and pays the second instalment. The Department may ask for health checks or biometrics, which are fingerprints and a photo. The parent then pays the second instalment when invoiced.
5. The Department makes a decision. The visa is linked to the parent’s passport digitally, so there is no label to collect.

Processing times change every month. You can see the latest figures on the official global visa processing times page. A complete application with every document attached can help the Department decide faster.

We can prepare both the sponsorship and the visa application with you, so each stage is ready on time.

Can parents apply for the 870 visa from inside Australia?

Usually, no. Parents must apply from outside Australia, unless the Department gives “permission to apply in Australia” in exceptional circumstances.

Examples include a serious illness or an accident that stops the parent from travelling, or a natural disaster in their home country. If permission is approved, the parent must apply within 60 days of the sponsorship approval. To learn more, read our guide on whether you can apply for the 870 visa onshore.

What can parents do on the 870 visa?

Parents can visit, travel freely and spend time with family, but they cannot work in Australia on this visa. The full list of rules appears on the official visa 870 conditions page.

What is allowed?

• Parents can care for their grandchildren or other young relatives at home.
• Parents can volunteer for a charity in a non-commercial role.
• Parents can help at a local school that their grandchildren attend.

What is not allowed?

• Parents cannot take a job or do work in a business, even without a wage.
• Parents cannot apply for a temporary or permanent parent visa while they hold, or have applied for, a visa 870.
• The visa 870 does not lead to permanent residency on its own.

If your parents have already lodged a permanent parent visa application, they can still use the 870 visa to visit you while they wait. They cannot stay in Australia permanently on it.

Is the 870 visa the right choice for your family?

The 870 visa suits families who want long visits soon. Permanent parent visas suit families who want their parents to live in Australia for good. This table gives a simple comparison.

Every family is different, so we will look at your parents’ plans, your budget and your timeline with you before you choose.

How The Migration helps

We help families bring their parents to Australia with clear advice at every stage. Our team includes registered migration agents. The Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA) is the official body that licenses migration agents in Australia. You can check any agent on the MARA public register.

• Our MARA-registered agent (MARN 2518738) checks whether you and your parents meet the visa 870 requirements before you pay any government fees.
• We review the sponsor’s income test, including combined income with a partner or sibling.
• We prepare the sponsorship and the visa application, so the parent can lodge within the 6-month window.
• We help you plan the 3- or 5-year option, and the 90-day breaks, across the full 10 years.
• We explain how the visa 870 fits with a future permanent parent visa, if that is part of your plan.

With more than 7 years of experience in Australian migration, we understand how important this decision is for you and your family. You can meet our team before you book.

Final thoughts

The subclass 870 sponsored parent visa lets your parents spend long, meaningful time with you in Australia, for up to 10 years in total. It works best when the sponsor meets the income test, and the parent holds Australian health insurance. Planning each 3- or 5-year visa also helps.

If you are unsure whether this is the right visa, our MARA-registered agent (MARN 2518738) will review your situation with you. We will then guide you toward the pathway that suits your family best. You can book a consultation or contact our team to get started.

Frequently asked questions