Form 888: how to brief your witnesses so their declarations actually help
Form 888 allows someone familiar with the couple to explain what they know. Useful statements draw on specific events that the writer remembers and can confirm.
Parents and family
Parent visas and the decisions your family needs to make
Planning for parents to join you involves health, finances, time apart and the length of stay the family needs. The 870 allows a longer temporary visit but does not itself lead to permanent residence. Contributory parent visas include permanent options, with substantial costs and queues. We compare them against your family's circumstances before deciding on an approach.
The main options compared
| Visa | Type | Charge from 1 July 2026 | Key features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 870 Sponsored Parent (Temporary) | Temporary, 3 or 5 years, up to 10 years in total | A$6,370 (3 years) or A$12,440 (5 years) | Sponsor approved first, sponsor income test, health insurance required, no work rights, no permanent pathway, no balance of family test |
| 143 Contributory Parent | Permanent | From A$49,900 over two instalments per applicant | Balance of family test, ten-year Assurance of Support, multi-year queue |
| 173 Contributory Parent (Temporary) | Temporary, 2 years | From A$33,375 over two instalments | Splits the contributory charge into two stages before applying for 143 |
| 864 / 884 Contributory Aged Parent | Permanent / temporary, onshore | Indicatively, 864 from A$49,900 and 884 from A$35,430; confirm the applicable charges | Prescribed age and onshore application requirements |
| 103 / 804 Parent and Aged Parent | Permanent, non-contributory | Much lower | Waiting times measured in decades |
Sequence matters. Under the Department's criteria you cannot apply for the 143 while you hold, or have applied for, an 870 visa. Families who want both options therefore usually lodge the 143 first to secure a place in the queue, and only then use visitor visas or the 870 for longer stays while they wait.
Requirements that decide the outcome
The balance-of-family test compares eligible children in Australia with children elsewhere. Broadly, at least half must be eligible children in Australia, or there must be more eligible children here than children in any other single country. This involves immigration status and specific rules for including or excluding children, not simply counting current addresses.
Sponsorship. The sponsor is usually the Australian child, who must be settled in Australia. For the 870 visa the sponsor applies for approval first and must meet a household income threshold and have no outstanding public health debts; the parent must then lodge the visa application within six months of the sponsorship approval.
An Assurance of Support makes the assurer responsible for repaying certain recoverable social security payments. Permanent contributory parent cases generally involve a ten-year assurance and a bank guarantee under Services Australia requirements. The security is separate from the visa charge, and any amount returned at the end depends on recoverable debts.
Health. Older applicants are assessed carefully against the health requirement, and significant conditions can affect eligibility. This is discussed frankly at the start.
Costs and waiting times
Nov 2018
As at 31 May 2026 the Department was releasing Contributory Parent (143) applications with queue dates up to November 2018 for final processing, and assessing applications lodged in November 2023 for a queue date. An application lodged today will wait many years.
The permanent parent process includes acknowledgement, assessment for a queue date and eventual release for final processing. Each stage can take time; an acknowledgement estimate is not a processing promise. The 870 follows a different process after sponsorship approval. Check the applicable lodgement window, current processing information and costs before making plans.
How I help
- Comparing the options and checking a lawful application sequence, including whether a permanent parent application should precede an 870 application
- Sponsor approval applications for the 870 visa, including the income test
- Balance of family evidence, relationship and identity documents from Vietnam, with translations
- Responding to section 56 requests on health, insurance, character and genuine temporary stay
- Assurance of Support arrangements and communication with Services Australia
Frequently asked questions
Can my parents visit while the permanent application is queued?
They may be able to apply for a visitor visa or 870 if eligible. A pending permanent application does not remove the requirements for the temporary visa. We consider the order of applications, travel history, intended stay and visa conditions.
Do my parents need to be outside Australia when the 143 is granted?
Check the location requirement for the particular subclass, application stage and any applicable exception. Do not arrange travel solely from the label “offshore”. I review the relevant 143 or 173 provisions before a decision is expected; the onshore aged parent 864/884 visas have separate requirements.
Discuss your circumstances with a registered migration agent
Book a consultation to discuss the requirements that may apply to you, any concerns about your case and what needs to be prepared. You are welcome to speak in Vietnamese or English.
Next step
Have a visa question or need help getting started?
A 30-minute consultation gives us time to discuss your circumstances, consider initial options and identify the documents that need checking. Some matters require a further review of the records before I can give a complete assessment.