Applying for Australia Parent Visa 884 by Paper in 2026

Updated 2026-10-09 · General information, not migration advice · Run by the Arrivau team

According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs page for the Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 884), there is no online lodgement option for this visa. Temporary Contributory Aged Parent applicants must apply on paper, must be in Australia but not in immigration clearance when they submit, and cannot lodge in person. For families already together in Australia, the practical work is therefore about packaging the application correctly before it goes in the post.

This article is general information drawn from that official page, not personalised advice about your case; where your situation is unusual, rely on the current Home Affairs wording or on advice from someone who is lawfully able to give immigration assistance.

Who the paper route is actually for

Before worrying about envelopes, check that this is the right visa. The Subclass 884 is the temporary stage of a two-step contributory parent pathway, not a standalone permanent visa. Holders can live, work and study in Australia for up to two years, with multiple entry, and are expected to apply for the permanent Contributory Aged Parent visa (subclass 864) before the temporary visa expires. Spreading the cost across the two applications is the main reason families choose 884 first.

To be eligible, an applicant must have an eligible child who is a settled Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, and must be old enough to receive the age pension in Australia. There is also a hard bar: anyone who has already applied for, or who holds, a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870) cannot apply for the 884.

Can lodgement happen anywhere in Australia?

Location is a lodgement rule, not just a processing detail. Every applicant, and any family member included in the application, must be in Australia and must not be in immigration clearance, both when the application is submitted and when the decision is made. Being physically in Australia is not enough on its own; the point is not being in the clearance stream at airports and seaports.

Two consequences follow from this. First, if someone applies while in Australia on a temporary visa carrying a "no further stay" condition, the application will be invalid unless they have applied for a waiver of that condition. Second, travel during processing has to be planned: if an applicant leaves Australia they need a valid visa to come back, because a decision cannot be made while they are outside the country or in immigration clearance.

Which forms go into the parcel

A paper 884 application is a bundle, not a single form:

Form 47PA, Application for a parent to migrate to Australia, completed by the applicant. Part B of the same form is also used to withdraw an earlier Parent visa application that has not yet been decided, which the official page requires before lodging this one.
Form 40, Sponsorship for migration to Australia, completed by the eligible sponsor.
Form 47A, Details of a child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over, for each family member aged 18 or over.

Form 47A catches people out. It is required even for adult family members who are not migrating, because the application form must still list all family members. Suppose an applicant has a 30-year-old son overseas who intends to stay there and never join the application: a completed Form 47A for him still goes in the parcel. If that son were migrating, dependence would also need to be evidenced, including Form 47A details and proof of financial dependence for at least the 12 months before applying — through records such as shared residence, tax records, or current study.

All forms must be completed in English.

What does it cost, and when is each instalment due?

The visa costs from AUD 35,430 for a single applicant, with additional charges for each family member who applies and concessions available in limited circumstances. Payment is split into two instalments: the first is paid when applying, and the second is invoiced later and must be paid before the visa can be granted. Official payment options are set out separately by Home Affairs, and evidence of payment of the application charge goes into the parcel.

Failure around payment is expensive in both directions. If an applicant does not pay the second instalment invoice, the application will be refused. If they pay the wrong amount, the Department can only process the application once the correct visa application charge is paid, and may return the application if necessary. The application fee is not refunded if the visa is refused.

Separately, from 1 July 2026 a lower visa cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid application, identified by the passport of the primary applicant. Eligibility is based on that applicant holding a valid passport from a listed country, and family members are covered on the same basis; if this could apply to your family, confirm the current country list and amount on the official page before paying.

Certified copies: what goes in, what stays at home

The Department's rule is direct: do not send original documents, except police certificates. Everything else must be sent as certified copies made in line with the Home Affairs certified copy requirements.

Practical corollaries worth internalising:

Identity evidence — the passport pages showing photo, personal details, and issue and expiry dates — goes in as certified copies, along with any national identity card, and any name-change evidence such as a marriage certificate, divorce certificate, or registry documents.
Relationship evidence for the applicant and any partner, balance-of-family evidence for each child, sponsor material and dependency documents are all handled the same way.
The four passport-sized photographs (45mm x 35mm, less than six months old, good quality colour, not laser copies, full face against a plain light-coloured background) are physical items that sit in the parcel as photos, not as certified copies.
Keep a complete copy of the finished application and supporting documents for your own records, since the paper original is leaving your hands.

Identity is one area where the official page warns of disproportionate consequences: an applicant who cannot prove their identity will be refused, and may be barred from another visa for 10 years, with the same risk extending to family members listed on the application.

How the parcel is sent, and how valid applications turn invalid

Applications go by post or courier to the address printed on the form. They cannot be delivered in person, and there is no counter or online fallback.

An application may be invalid if any of the required steps are incomplete, and the Department does not process invalid applications. It will notify the applicant, and will return the application if asked to. Common triggers visible in the official steps are missing forms, missing documents, missing payment evidence, lodging while in immigration clearance, and lodging without waiving a "no further stay" condition.

What happens after the parcel arrives

Home Affairs confirms receipt, issues an acknowledgement letter, and then — usefully — allows the paper application to be brought into ImmiAccount. Once imported, using the application ID, date of birth and identity document number, the applicant can attach further documents, read messages, update details and check status online instead of relying on post. Both new and existing applications can be imported.

Beyond that, expect silence rather than progress reports: no updates are given within normal processing times, and the applicant will be contacted only if something more is needed. Parent visas are subject to capping and queueing, processed in the order received, and are assessed in two rounds — an initial eligibility check that either queues or refuses the application, then a final assessment as places are released. Health examinations and biometrics are requested when required, and additional documents can later be sent through ImmiAccount or the Parent visa processing centre form. Until a decision arrives in writing, applicants should not arrange their affairs as though permanent residence is certain.

While processing runs, staying lawful matters. Applying in Australia is likely to result in a bridging visa, which starts when the current visa expires and keeps the applicant lawful during processing. The current visa should not be cancelled — doing so risks unlawful status and loss of bridging visa eligibility. Changes of address, contact details, passport, relationship status or family composition, including the birth of a child, all need to be notified; mistakes on the form are corrected through Form 1023.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there any way to lodge subclass 884 online in 2026? No. Online lodgement is not available for temporary Contributory Aged Parent visa applicants; the application has to be made on paper. The only online element is ImmiAccount, used after lodgement to import and manage the paper application.

Can the application be handed in at an office? No. Applicants cannot apply in person and must send the application by post or courier to the address on Form 47PA. Everything required — forms, documents and payment evidence — has to be inside that single parcel.

Do original documents have to be posted? No, apart from police certificates, which may be sent as originals. All other documents go as certified copies, and it is sensible to keep your own copy of the full application and supporting material before posting.

Why does a non-migrating adult child still need a form? Every family member aged 18 or over must have Form 47A completed, even if they are not migrating, and all family members must be listed on the application form. The form records family composition so it can be assessed, not just who travels.

What makes a paper 884 application invalid? Incomplete steps can make it invalid, including missing forms, missing documents, missing or incorrect payment, applying while in immigration clearance, or applying without a waiver where a "no further stay" condition applies. Invalid applications are not processed; the applicant is notified and the application can be returned on request.

Is the fee refunded if the visa is refused? No. The application fee is not refunded on refusal, and Home Affairs will also explain at that point whether there is a right to review the decision.