Australian Family Visas: A Guide to Temporary Family Visas
Updated: Aug 25
If you have family in Australia who are Australian Citizens, Australian permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens, you may be eligible to apply for an Australian Family visa. Whichever pathway you are considering, Westralian Migration Services can assist you in identifying your optimal path forward. Book a Consultation today.
Currently, there are 19 separate subclasses of Family visas for entry to Australia. As you can see below, it gets complicated.
As is common with Australian visas, family visas are split between Temporary and Permanent visas. This Post explores Temporary Visas. If you are looking for Permanent Family Visas, check out Part 2.
Not Sure where to start? Take our free Pathways Quiz here.
Australian Temporary Family Visas
Temporary Family Visas are currently limited to parents and aged dependent relatives.
If you have reached the pension age.
If you have reached the Australian pension age (currently 67 years old), you may be able to apply for the following temporary Family Visas depending on whether you are in or outside of Australia.
Are you in Australia (Onshore)?
If you are in Australia, you may be eligible to apply for the following temporary family visa.
The subclass 884 Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) (Onshore) visa.
Are you outside Australia (Offshore)?
If you are not in Australia, you may be eligible to apply for the following temporary family visas.
The subclass 870 Sponsored Family visa (Temporary) (Offshore).
If you have not reached the pension age.
If you have not reached the Australian pension age (currently 67 years old), you may be able to apply for the following temporary Family Visas
The subclass 173 Contributory Parent (Temporary) (Onshore)Â visa, &
The subclass 870 Sponsored Parent  (Temporary) (Onshore) visa.
The Subclass 884 Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) (Onshore) Visa Explained
The 884 visa is a temporary visa that lets the aged parent of a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen stay temporarily in Australia for up to 2 years.
How much does it cost?
As of the 1st of July 2026, the 884 Contributory Aged Parent visa costs from AUD$35,430.00.
How long will I have to wait?
At the moment, we are seeing long delays in processing these visas, with wait times of between 3 and 6 years. The good news is that you will generally be eligible for a Bridging visa during this time, allowing you to stay in Australia with your family for much longer than the 2 years the visa will be granted for.
Westralian Migration Services can assist you to maximise your chances of success. Book a consultation with us today.
The Subclass 870 Sponsored Family visa (Temporary) (Offshore and Onshore) Visa Explained
The 870 is a temporary visa that allows a parent of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen to visit Australia for up to 3 or 5 years.
How much does it cost?
As of the 1st of July 2026, the Sponsored Family Visa costs from AUD$6,370.00 for up to 3 years or AUD$12,440.00 for up to 5 years.
How long will I have to wait?
At the moment, we are seeing extremely long delays in processing these visas, with wait times over 10 years. Unfortunately, there is generally no eligibility for a bridging visa to be granted for this visa.
Westralian Migration Services can assist you to maximise your chances of success. Book a consultation with us today.
The Subclass 173 Contributory Parent (Temporary) (Onshore) Visa Explained
The subclass 173 visa allows a parent of a settled Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen to stay temporarily in Australia for up to 2 years.
How much does it cost?
As of the 1st of July 2026, the 173 Contributory Parent visa costs from AUD$33,375 over 2 instalments for a single applicant.
How long will I have to wait?
At the moment, we are seeing long delays in processing these visas, with wait times of between 7 and 8 years. Unfortunately, there is generally no eligibility for a bridging visa to be granted for this visa.
Westralian Migration Services can assist you to maximise your chances of success. Book a consultation with us today.
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