Head to head · Checked 30 October 2026
864 Contributory Aged Parent (onshore) vs 143 Contributory Parent
The same contributory visa in two doors. The 143 is applied for from outside Australia, or inside, and the offshore applicant waits abroad; the 864 is applied for only inside Australia by a parent of Age Pension age, who then holds a bridging visa with work rights in the ordinary case for the whole wait and does not have to leave. The charge, the second instalment, the assurance of support and the balance of family test are the same. A parent old enough and already in Australia on a visa that allows it uses the 864 to wait here; a younger parent, or one abroad, uses the 143.
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed 30 October 2026
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - Who
- A parent of Age Pension age, in Australia, on a visa that allows an onshore application · Any parent who passes the balance of family test, in or outside Australia
- Where the parent waits
- In Australia on a Bridging Visa A, commonly with work rights · Abroad if lodged offshore; in Australia on a bridging visa if lodged onshore
- Charge
- $4,040 first instalment; $43,600 second instalment per parent · $4,040 first instalment; $43,600 second instalment per parent
- Medicare while waiting
- Not in the ordinary case; reciprocal cover or private insurance · Not in the ordinary case for onshore applicants; none abroad
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About the CPD →Side by side
| 864 Contributory Aged Parent (onshore) | 143 Contributory Parent | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | A parent of Age Pension age, in Australia, on a visa that allows an onshore application | Any parent who passes the balance of family test, in or outside Australia |
| Where the parent waits | In Australia on a Bridging Visa A, commonly with work rights | Abroad if lodged offshore; in Australia on a bridging visa if lodged onshore |
| Charge | $4,040 first instalment; $43,600 second instalment per parent | $4,040 first instalment; $43,600 second instalment per parent |
| Medicare while waiting | Not in the ordinary case; reciprocal cover or private insurance | Not in the ordinary case for onshore applicants; none abroad |
| Travel while waiting | Only on a Bridging Visa B, each trip | Free to travel if waiting abroad; a Bridging Visa B if onshore |
| Queue | The contributory queue; an 804 lodged earlier can carry its queue date | The contributory queue |
| Watch out | A visitor visa with condition 8503 blocks the onshore application unless waived | The parent abroad cannot visit on a visa with 8503 and then switch |
Charges are the current government application charges (from 1 July 2026, main applicant) — see the fee calculator for your family's total. Checked 30 October 2026.
The honest verdict
The same contributory visa in two doors. The 143 is applied for from outside Australia, or inside, and the offshore applicant waits abroad; the 864 is applied for only inside Australia by a parent of Age Pension age, who then holds a bridging visa with work rights in the ordinary case for the whole wait and does not have to leave. The charge, the second instalment, the assurance of support and the balance of family test are the same. A parent old enough and already in Australia on a visa that allows it uses the 864 to wait here; a younger parent, or one abroad, uses the 143.
Which side of that line you fall on depends on facts a table cannot hold — your age, score, occupation's lists, and what evidence you can actually assemble. That is consultation territory, not guesswork territory.
More head-to-heads: 482 vs 494 · 190 vs 491 · 189 vs 190 · 482 vs 186
General information only, not migration advice. Settings shown are the general rules; exemptions and stream variations exist. Migration advice is provided by Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536) after a paid consultation under the Migration Agents Code of Conduct.
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Questions we get asked first
864 Contributory Aged Parent (onshore) or 143 Contributory Parent — which is better?
The same contributory visa in two doors. The 143 is applied for from outside Australia, or inside, and the offshore applicant waits abroad; the 864 is applied for only inside Australia by a parent of Age Pension age, who then holds a bridging visa with work rights in the ordinary case for the whole wait and does not have to leave. The charge, the second instalment, the assurance of support and the balance of family test are the same. A parent old enough and already in Australia on a visa that allows it uses the 864 to wait here; a younger parent, or one abroad, uses the 143.
What is the main difference between the 864 Contributory Aged Parent (onshore) and the 143 Contributory Parent?
Who: 864 Contributory Aged Parent (onshore) — A parent of Age Pension age, in Australia, on a visa that allows an onshore application; 143 Contributory Parent — Any parent who passes the balance of family test, in or outside Australia. Where the parent waits: 864 Contributory Aged Parent (onshore) — In Australia on a Bridging Visa A, commonly with work rights; 143 Contributory Parent — Abroad if lodged offshore; in Australia on a bridging visa if lodged onshore. Charge: 864 Contributory Aged Parent (onshore) — $4,040 first instalment; $43,600 second instalment per parent; 143 Contributory Parent — $4,040 first instalment; $43,600 second instalment per parent.
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