Your Obligations on Australia Parent Visa 884 in 2026

Updated 2026-10-10 · General information, not migration advice · Run by the Arrivau team

If you hold a Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 884), your obligations come down to three things: you and every family member on the visa must meet all visa conditions and obey Australian law, you must tell the Department of Home Affairs when your situation changes, and you check your conditions, expiry and work rights in VEVO rather than on a passport sticker. That is how the Department of Home Affairs sets it out on its Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 884) page, as of the October 2026 official pages.

For a family, the practical point is that these duties are not limited to the parent who applied. A change in one household member's circumstances, or a condition breached by one person, sits on the same grant as everyone else's.

What exactly does the 884 require of you?

The Department states it plainly: you and your family members must meet all visa conditions and obey all Australian laws. That is the whole of the obligation in substance, and everything else in this article is a practical way of staying on the right side of it.

The conditions are not generic advice given to every holder. They attach to your grant, so the Department points holders to its visa conditions page for the conditions that might apply to this visa, and to VEVO for the conditions that actually apply to you. This article is general information only and is not advice on any individual case; the conditions on your grant, and the right response to a change in your situation, should be checked against the Department's current pages.

Does this cover the whole family, or only the main applicant?

It covers everyone included in the grant. Members of the family unit who apply with you are subject to the same requirement to meet visa conditions and obey Australian law.

Health and character requirements also reach family members who are not migrating: you must include details of all your family members in the application form even if they are not coming to Australia, and those not migrating might also need to meet health and character requirements.

Which conditions are on your visa, and how do you see them?

Your own grant is the authority, not a summary article. The Department's visa conditions page is where it lists what might apply to this visa, and VEVO is where your personal record shows what does apply.

This is why two parents in the same family reunion stream can hold the same subclass and still be working from different condition sets. Visas granted at different times, or on different circumstances, do not necessarily carry identical conditions.

How do you use VEVO as an 884 holder?

Open the Department's VEVO service.

Select the option to check your own visa details.

Have your passport details ready, because your visa is digitally linked to that passport and you will not get a label in your passport.

Read the visa expiry date, the conditions listed, and your work and study entitlements.

Save or print the result when you need to show your visa and conditions to someone, such as an employer.

VEVO is also the tool for two other recurring jobs: seeing the date you must leave Australia by, and checking your expiry and conditions before you travel.

When do you have to tell the Department that something has changed?

The Department's answer to this is short: see what to do if your situation changes. It maintains a set of change-in-situation pages covering different events, and having a baby is one of the named examples for visa holders.

Because the obligation is to keep your record accurate, treat the change-in-situation pages as the first stop whenever a household event could affect who is on the visa or what the Department holds about you. Do not wait until a visa decision is pending.

What about travel, and proving you were here?

Your visa allows multiple entry, so you can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want while it remains valid. Check your expiry and conditions in VEVO before you book.

You must hold a valid passport or other travel document to leave Australia. At the airport, the automated SmartGate process uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport, and may let you through faster.

If you later need proof of your travel in and out of Australia, you can request your international movement records.

Can you work and study on the 884?

Yes. The visa lets you live in Australia for up to 2 years and work and study here, and you will not receive government support. While working, you have Australian workplace law protections; the Fair Work Ombudsman publishes a fact sheet on visa holders and migrant workers' workplace rights and entitlements.

What happens as the two years run out?

The visa period runs for 2 years and starts on the date the visa is granted. You cannot stay longer by extending or reapplying for this visa; you must apply for a different visa.

If you want to stay permanently, you must apply for the permanent Contributory Aged Parent visa (subclass 864) before your subclass 884 visa expires, to ensure you meet all applicable lodgement criteria. In exceptional circumstances the Department might allow you to apply for the subclass 864 after that, and the subclass 864 page is where that is explained.

Two features of the queueing system are worth knowing while you plan: Parent visa applications are subject to capping and queueing and are processed in the order received, and the Department warns holders not to arrange to stay permanently until the visa is granted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do 884 visa holders get a visa label in their passport?

No. The Department digitally links your visa to your passport and you will not get a label. To prove you hold the visa and to show your conditions to someone, use VEVO.

How long can I stay, and when does the clock start?

The 884 is a temporary visa that allows a stay of 2 years. The visa period starts on the date the visa is granted, and it allows multiple entry during those 2 years.

Do my family members have to follow the visa conditions too?

Yes. The Department requires you and your family members to meet all visa conditions and obey all Australian laws. Family members who apply for the visa must also meet health and character requirements.

Can I extend the 884 to stay longer?

No. You cannot stay in Australia longer by extending or reapplying for this visa, and you must apply for a different visa instead. The permanent route is the Contributory Aged Parent visa (subclass 864), applied for before the 884 expires.

What should I do if I have a baby while holding the 884?

The Department lists having a child as a change of situation and provides a dedicated page on what to do. Use its change-in-situation pages to report the change and to confirm what it means for your application or grant.

How do I check my expiry date and conditions?

Use VEVO, which shows your visa expiry, conditions and work and study entitlements. It is also the tool to use before you travel and when you need to prove your visa to someone.