Australia

Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143, via 173). Australia closed its investor visas to new applicants on 31 July 2024 and has no retirement visa; the real family-based option left is the expensive, faster-queue parent visa.

Free, with the law behind every answer

Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143, via 173)

Permanent residence in Australia for the sponsored parent, once granted.

Who qualifies

Applicant must have a child who is an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen who sponsors them, and must meet the balance-of-family test.
Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143)
A visa application charge of about AUD 49,900 per applicant (paid in two instalments, indexed each 1 July) plus an Assurance of Support bond; many applicants first take the 2-year temporary Contributory Parent visa (subclass 173) at about AUD 33,375 while the permanent visa processes.
Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143)

You keep your U.S. citizenship.

It could fit.

Australia closed its investor visas to new applicants on 31 July 2024 and has no retirement visa; the real family-based option left is the expensive, faster-queue parent visa.

Every option that fits your family

Not legal advice.

What it takes.

Time: The Department of Home Affairs’ own current estimate is about 15 years; as of the latest queue release (31 May 2026) it was still working through applications lodged in November 2018.
Cost: About AUD 49,900 (roughly $35,100) per applicant for the permanent visa, plus the Assurance of Support bond, plus the AUD 33,375 subclass 173 bridging visa fee if used — among the most expensive visas in the world. Fees are indexed and rise most years.
The hard part: The fee and the multi-year (sometimes multi-decade) queue, not the eligibility test itself.

Citizens by 2032.

If your first permit is issued in 2027 and you keep living there, this is the road.

2027
First residence permit
5 years, renewable for 5 years at a time.
2031
Apply for citizenship
With a language test and a civics test.
2032
Citizenship

Language: Basic English; there is no separate language exam, but the test and interview are in English.
Civics: The citizenship test: 20 multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes; pass with 75% overall and all 5 questions on Australian values right.
Time away: Four years living in Australia on a valid visa immediately before applying, the last 12 months as a permanent resident; no more than 12 months away in total in the four years, and no more than 90 days in the last year.
Two passports: Yes. You keep your U.S. citizenship.

Permanent from the grant (the visa’s travel facility lasts five years); if you go through the temporary 173 visa first, permanence waits up to two years. Citizenship after four years in Australia, the last one as a permanent resident.
How long the decision takes isn’t published; we allow a year.

The law behind these dates

Living there.

Time you must spend there: The program sets no minimum number of days. Renewal still expects it to be your home.
Tax: Once resident in Australia, worldwide income generally becomes subject to Australian tax.

We never file a tax return. We tell you what applies and brief the professional who does.

Start today.

Review the Contributory Parent visa with Australia’s Department of Home Affairs.Open immi.homeaffairs.gov.au ↗
Gather these documents.
- Proof of how you will support yourselves
- Request your FBI Identity History Summary
- Health cover for the move

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