Parent Visa Processing Priorities
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'Parent visas' include visas in both the parent and the contributory parent categories.
Parent category visa applications have a lower processing priority than other family stream visa applicants such as partners, children and the contributory parent category.
Parent category queue
Parent category visa applications are assessed in order of lodgement and assigned a 'queue date'. This date is the day the application was assessed as meeting initial criteria for a parent visa. As places become available, applications are then considered for visa grant in order of their queue date.
In the 2008–09 Program year, within the parent category, there will approximately be 1400 visa places (subclass 103) available for offshore applicants and 600 visa places (subclass 804) for onshore applicants.
Contributory parent category queue
In 2007–08, high demand for the contributory parent visa category meant that a queue formed for the first time.
In the 2008–09 Program year, the number of contributory parent category visa places available for both offshore and onshore applicants has been increased to 6500. The additional places will reduce the queue for contributory parent visas. However, should high demand continue, applicants may again be subject to queuing.
To ensure equity, all contributory parent category visa applications are assessed in order of lodgement. If the number of contributory parent category visas allocated for the migration program year has been reached, applications are given a 'queue date' and placed in a queue.
The queue date is the date that the application was assessed as meeting the initial criteria for a contributory parent category visa. Once a queue date has been assigned it is a fixed date and cannot be given priority ahead of other applicants. Applications are then considered for grant in order of their queue date as places become available.
Using the queue calculator
You can determine how many people are ahead of you in the parent category queue.
See: Parent Visa Queue Calculator
Example: You have an application for an offshore subclass 103 Parent visa with a queue date of 12 June 2023. According to the queue calculator, there are approximately 5200 applicants ahead of you in the offshore queue. As there are approximately 1400 visa places available for offshore applicants, this means that you may be waiting around 4 years before being considered for grant.
Your place in the queue
The number of people ahead of you in the queue includes applicants being considered for visa grant this program year.
Numbers in the queue are subject to fluctuations due to visa grants, refusals, withdrawals, successful review cases and changes to planning levels.
