Renewing or Extending Your Subclass 870 Sponsored Parent Visa

The Subclass 870 is a temporary visa, but it can be renewed. Your parent is not limited to a single three-year or five-year stay. Understanding how the renewal process works, what the 10-year cap means in practice, and what you need to qualify are essential before you commit to this visa as part of a long-term plan.

Can you renew or extend an 870 visa?

Yes. The 870 can be renewed, provided the parent has not yet reached the 10-year total stay cap and both the parent and sponsor continue to meet the eligibility requirements. There is no automatic renewal, and there is no mechanism to simply extend the existing grant. Each renewal is a new two-step application: the sponsor applies again and the parent applies again.

This is an important distinction. “Renewal” in the context of the 870 means starting the process largely from scratch, including fresh health examinations, updated financial evidence, and new application fees. Plan for this in advance, not at the last minute.

How 870 renewals work

The 3-year and 5-year grant options

Each time a parent applies for the 870, they can be granted either a three-year or five-year visa. The choice of grant length affects the application fee and the timing of the next renewal. A five-year grant costs more in government fees (approximately $5,175) but delays the next renewal cycle. A three-year grant has a lower upfront cost (approximately $1,045) but requires renewal sooner.

Most families prefer the five-year grant where possible. It reduces the administrative burden and means fewer renewal cycles within the 10-year maximum. Unless the parent’s circumstances suggest a shorter stay is more appropriate, the five-year grant is generally the better option.

The 10-year total cap

The 870 has an absolute maximum of 10 years total stay in Australia across all grants. This cap applies to the individual parent, not the sponsor. The Department tracks how much of the 10-year cap has been used.

Combinations that stay within the cap include: two five-year grants; one five-year grant followed by one three-year grant followed by one two-year grant; or other combinations that total no more than 10 years. Once 10 years is reached, the parent is permanently ineligible for further 870 grants, regardless of their age, health, or family circumstances.

Time spent outside Australia does not count toward the 10-year total. The cap is calculated based on actual time in Australia on the 870.

What you need to renew

Updated sponsor requirements

The sponsor must re-apply and demonstrate they still meet the eligibility requirements at the time of each renewal. This means providing updated evidence of income. The current sponsor income threshold is $83,454.80 per year. If the sponsor has a partner, their combined income can be used.

If the sponsoring child’s circumstances have changed (changed jobs, reduced hours, partnership ended), the income evidence will need to reflect the current situation. A sponsor who met the threshold at the original application but no longer does at renewal will cause the renewal to fail.

If the original sponsor is no longer available or willing to act as sponsor (for example, due to a family breakdown or the sponsor having moved overseas), a different eligible child of the parent may be able to act as the new sponsor, provided they meet the requirements.

Continued health insurance coverage

Private health insurance covering hospital treatment in Australia remains a mandatory condition of the 870 at renewal. The parent must hold a compliant policy at the time of grant and must maintain it throughout the new visa period.

Critically, health insurance arrangements that worked at the first application may not be available at renewal. Insurers may impose new exclusions as the parent ages or as pre-existing conditions are identified. Some insurers limit their parent visa policies to specific age bands. Families should confirm health insurance availability and cost as part of renewal planning, well before the current visa expires.

A health examination is also required at each renewal. The same medical criteria apply. If the parent’s health has changed significantly since the last examination, this is worth discussing with a registered migration agent before lodging the renewal.

What happens when you reach the 10-year limit?

When the parent has exhausted their 10-year total stay on the 870, there are no further 870 options available. The parent will need to leave Australia when their final 870 grant expires, unless they have another visa to remain on.

The most common scenario where the 10-year limit becomes critical is when the parent is using the 870 as a bridge while waiting for a Subclass 143 to be processed. If the 143 has not yet been granted when the 870’s 10-year cap is reached, the parent faces a gap period. During that gap, options are limited. The parent could use visitor visas, but visitor visas are short-term and subject to the Department’s assessment of genuine temporary entrant intentions. This is not a comfortable position to be in.

Families using the 870-as-bridge strategy should plan for this gap from the start, particularly if the 143 was lodged recently and the queue wait is 12 to 15 years. The arithmetic does not always work out.

Timing your renewal application

Do not wait until the current 870 visa is about to expire before starting the renewal process. The two-step sequence takes time: the sponsor application must be lodged and approved before the parent can lodge their application, and the parent application itself typically takes around seven months to process.

A practical timeline: begin the sponsor’s renewal application at least 12 months before the current visa expires. This gives enough buffer for the sponsor approval, the parent application, and the processing time, while leaving margin for unexpected delays.

If the parent’s visa expires before the renewal grant is issued, they may need to leave Australia or hold another visa while the new application is processed. Getting the timing right avoids this disruption entirely.

Frequently asked questions

Can a different child sponsor the renewal compared to the original application?

Yes. The sponsor does not need to be the same person for each 870 application. Any eligible child of the parent who meets the sponsorship requirements can act as sponsor, including for renewals. This can be useful if the original sponsor’s circumstances have changed. Each sponsoring child is subject to the same eligibility and income requirements.

Does the parent need to be in Australia when they apply for the renewal?

No. The parent can apply for a renewal of the 870 from outside Australia, provided they meet the eligibility requirements. The process is online through ImmiAccount. Being offshore at the time of lodgement does not disqualify the application.

What if the parent’s health deteriorates and they fail the health examination at renewal?

If the parent cannot meet the health requirement at renewal, the renewal application will likely be refused. There is no automatic waiver of the health requirement for 870 renewals. In some circumstances, a health waiver may be available, but these are not granted routinely. This is one of the real risks of relying on the 870 as a long-term strategy for parents with declining health.

Is there a grace period after the current 870 expires if the renewal is pending?

If the parent lodges a renewal application before the current visa expires, a bridging visa may apply while the new application is processed. However, bridging visa conditions can differ from the 870 conditions, and this is not a straightforward situation. It is much better to time the renewal so the new visa is granted before the old one expires. If you are approaching this situation, get specific advice from a registered migration agent promptly.