Parent Visa Online Lodgement — What Changed in April 2026
From April 2026, permanent parent visa applications must be lodged online. Paper applications are gone. If you have been building a file for a parent visa, or your family has been waiting to lodge, this changes how you submit.
The process is not simpler. Documentation requirements, processing queues, and application charges are the same. What changed is where and how you submit, and the online system has its own failure modes that paper did not. This article covers what you need to know before you lodge.
Which Visas Are Affected
Four permanent parent visa subclasses moved to online lodgement in April 2026:
- Parent (subclass 103): For parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens, lodging from outside Australia.
- Contributory Parent (subclass 143): For parents lodging from outside Australia, under the contributory pathway with a higher application charge and faster processing.
- Aged Parent (subclass 804): For parents already in Australia at time of lodgement, under the non-contributory pathway.
- Contributory Aged Parent (subclass 864): For parents already in Australia at time of lodgement, under the contributory pathway.
The Temporary Sponsored Parent visa (subclass 870) was already online. This change covers the permanent pathways.
Step-by-Step: How to Lodge Online
All permanent parent visa applications are lodged through ImmiAccount at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au.
Step 1: Set up an ImmiAccount
Create one before you start. Each applicant needs their own account. The primary applicant submits the application; secondary applicants need accounts for identity verification.
Step 2: Select your visa subclass
Choose carefully. The subclass determines whether you need to be inside or outside Australia at lodgement, your processing queue, your application charge, and your bridging visa position. Selecting the wrong subclass is not a small error. More on this below.
Step 3: Complete the application form
Have everything ready before you start: travel history, residential history, employment history, personal details for all applicants, and your sponsor’s details. The form lets you save and return, but it is easier to work through it in one sitting once you are prepared.
Step 4: Upload your documents
Documents go directly into ImmiAccount. Check file formats and size limits before you scan. See the document list below.
Step 5: Pay the visa application charge
Paid by credit or debit card at lodgement. For subclass 143 and 864, the charge splits into two stages. The second payment triggers when the application is close to a decision. Charges are indexed annually, so confirm the current amount on the Department’s website before you lodge.
Step 6: Save your Transaction Reference Number
Your TRN is the receipt of lodgement and the reference for all future contact with the Department. Keep it somewhere permanent.
What Documents You Need to Upload
The list varies by subclass and circumstances, but every permanent parent visa application requires:
- Certified copies of all passports (current and expired), birth certificate, and any name change documents (marriage certificate, deed poll, or statutory declaration)
- The sponsor’s birth certificate naming you as parent, and proof of the sponsor’s Australian citizenship or permanent residence
- A completed Form 40 (Sponsorship for Migration to Australia), signed by your Australian sponsor
- Health examinations completed through the eMedical system with a Department-approved panel physician, not your regular GP
- Police clearances for every country where you have lived for 12 cumulative months or more over the past 10 years
- Passport-style photographs meeting Department specifications
All documents not in English need a certified translation from a NAATI-credentialled translator.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Lodging Online
The wrong subclass is the most expensive mistake, and it happens more than you might expect. Parent (103) and Aged Parent (804) are the non-contributory pathways. Contributory Parent (143) and Contributory Aged Parent (864) are for the faster, higher-cost route. Whether you lodge from inside or outside Australia further narrows the options. If you are unsure, get advice before you touch the form.
Scan quality catches people out. Online lodgement accepts scans of your original documents directly — you do not need a JP or solicitor to certify copies for most documents. What gets rejected is a photo taken at an angle, a scan with cut-off edges, or a file too compressed to read clearly. Every page must be complete and legible. Documents not in English still need a certified NAATI translation alongside the original.
File upload errors catch people by surprise. ImmiAccount accepts PDF, JPG, and PNG only, with a per-file size limit. If a document will not upload, check the format and compress or split the file before trying again.
Health examinations must be done through a Department-approved panel physician via the eMedical system. Your GP cannot carry out a visa medical, and examinations done outside the approved system are not accepted.
Secondary applicants must be included at lodgement. For permanent parent visas, dependants cannot be added after the visa is granted.
The application process is now online. The application itself is still substantial. Long queues, significant charges, and strict documentation requirements have not changed. Lodge carefully.
If you want someone to review your situation before you submit, contact MigrationBuro for a consultation with Andrew Heathcote (MARN 0850840).