Last Updated: 5th January 2026
PARENT VISA APPLICATION HANDOVER - QUEUED APPLICATION
A fact sheet from Emergico Migration.
Now that your Parent Visa Application has been queued, we will close the file, and hand the application over to you, or to your nominated representative.
The information on this page applies to people who have made an application for one of the following visas:
Subclass 103 – Parent (Offshore)
Subclass 143 – Contributory Parent (Offshore)
Subclass 173 – Contributory Parent (Temporary )(Offshore)
Subclass 804 – Aged Parent (Onshore)
Subclass 864 – Contributory Aged Parent (Onshore)
Subclass 884 – Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) (Onshore)
This page DOES NOT apply to the following visa application:
Subclass 870 – Temporary Sponsored Parent
Now that your Parent Visa Application has been queued, we will close the file, and hand the application over to you, or to your nominated representative.
The information on this page applies to people who have made an application for one of the following visas:
Subclass 103 – Parent (Offshore)
Subclass 143 – Contributory Parent (Offshore)
Subclass 173 – Contributory Parent (Temporary )(Offshore)
Subclass 804 – Aged Parent (Onshore)
Subclass 864 – Contributory Aged Parent (Onshore)
Subclass 884 – Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) (Onshore)
This page DOES NOT apply to the following visa application:
Subclass 870 – Temporary Sponsored Parent
Explanation
We have prepared and lodged a Parent visa application for you, and your application has now been Queued. As our work is complete, it is time for us to close the file and hand the application back to you or your nominated recipient, until final processing takes place.
The contributory and non-contributory permanent parent visas have exceptionally long processing times, as limited places are available. For non-contributory parent visas, the processing time is currently in excess of 13 years; and for contributory parent visas, it is in excess of 8 years.
Following queueing of your application, there is going to be a very lengthy period where you do not have any contact from the Department. During this period, it is important that you, or someone close to you, can be the nominated contact on the application, so that you do not miss any correspondence when it eventually arrives.
Diagram of the Parent Visa Application Process.
Below is a diagram which explains the steps in the Parent Visa application (Subclasses 103,143, 803, 864).
The time between queue assessment and final assessment is continually increasing, and we expect it to continue to do so, as demand for the parent visas increase. It is likely that a person who applies now for an Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 804) who must be at least 67 at time of lodgement, will never actually get to the end processing date of the visa, as new Aged Parent Visas are predicted to have a total processing time of more than 30 years.
What is the meaning of the ‘Queue Date’?
It is a date assigned to your application which means you have passed the first stage of assessment (medical and character checks). If there were unlimited parent visas available, yours would have been granted after first stage processing. However, parent visas are “capped” to a level determined by the Government each year, meaning that once the cap is reached, no further visas will be granted in that year.
Queue date assessment normally takes place 3 or 4 years after lodgement of the application.
After you have received your Queue Date, you can find limited information about processing, through this page, which indicates queue release dates. At this time, the department does not publish any more detail of processing times for the parent visas.
What does “Closing the File” mean?
It simply means that Emergico has completed our services to you, and we are handing the management of the lodged parent visa application back to you, or to your nominated recipient, so you may be the contact for the final processing stage.
Your application remains fully active within the Department of Home Affairs and will be processed by them to a conclusion in due course.
It is in your best interests to take over the application, given that final processing is likely to be many years in the future, and it’s important that you don’t miss any further correspondence from the Department of Home Affairs.
As Registered Migration Agents, we retain our files for 7 years after closure, in line with our duties under the MARA Code of Conduct. For this reason, we will be providing you with a full and complete electronic copy of your Parent Visa application and all attachments lodged with it. We strongly recommend you keep this information safely stored and provide a backup copy to your sponsor as well.
How do I manage my own Parent Visa application from here?
Your Parent Visa application was lodged in hard copy with the Department of Home Affairs (Perth Parent Centre). Recently, the Department has made post-lodged parent applications accessible via the online IMMI account. Although the initial application cannot be lodged via an IMMI account, it is now possible to IMPORT an application into your own IMMI account once it has been acknowledged by the Department. This means you can easily manage the following:
- Application for a Bridging Visa B for travel (for Subclass 804 and 864 applicants);
- Updates to your address, email, or phone number;
- Notification of new passport details;
- Notification of Change in Circumstances;
- Notification of change in Migration Agent or Authorised Contact;
- Notification of Incorrect Answers;
- Request to withdraw visa application.
The advantage of the IMMI account is that you can see any messages which have come from the Department of Home Affairs, and you may correspond directly with them via the IMMI account, by attaching documents.
When the time comes for your application to be released from the queue; a letter will be sent to your authorised recipient, or yourself, and will also be available in the IMMI account.
At any time in the process, if you require advice or assistance, we are very happy for you to reconnect with us, so we can assist.
What if there is a change in my circumstances after the file is closed?
You may re-engage with us so we can give you advice if circumstances change for you, or your sponsor, or for any other applicants on the visa.
You should contact us via migrate@emergico.com or phone +61738610726, to make an appointment for a consultation.
What are the next steps?
- We will send you Form 956 – Ending Appointment. Please sign this and return to us as soon as possible. The form 956 will give your own details (email address and phone number) as the new contact.
- We will also provide you with a link to a blank Form 956A – Appointment of Authorised Recipient. If you would like someone else to be your Authorised Recipient (perhaps your sponsor, or another of your children), please complete this form, send it back to us so we can provide these details to the Department of Home Affairs. Alternatively, you can upload this form later to the IMMI account, whenever you choose.
- After the Form 956 – Ending Appointment has been received from you, we will send you instructions which will allow us to “share” the IMMI account with you or with your authorised recipient.
- We will provide you with a full electronic copy of your lodged Application for your safe keeping.
- You will receive a final statement of services, which includes the invoices we have issued to you and receipts for the money you have paid.
Further Questions?
We aim to make this process as smooth and informative for you as possible.
If you have questions about anything on this page, please contact your Registered Migration Agent.
Emergico Migration is an Australian based Registered Migration Agency which provides advice and visa assistance for people wishing to move to, or remain in, Australia. We specialise in Employer Sponsored, Skilled, Global Talent, Parent, Partner, Family, Student and Graduate Visas.
You can contact us by emailing: migrate@emergico.com, calling us on (7) 3861 0726, or visiting our website at www.emergico.com
