Parent visa application timelines (143 & 173)

[LindaH27]

37 minutes ago, Tulip1 said:

I think you really need to think carefully as to whether it’s worth applying for the 143. Your parents will be around/near 80 by the time they get it and there’s nothing to say the queue time won’t increase further.  Very unlikely to improve that’s for sure.  They will be just beyond average life expectancy. Not nice to think about but reality. That will be a very a expensive outlay for what may be a short time. There’s a reasonable/high chance one or both may fail the medical at that age too and the visa would then be declined. Even if all was well, few people really want to uproot from everything they know and their familiarity at 80. I know you think your doing the kind thing for your parents but it may not be the best thing. Have a chat with Alan and then a good, long chat with your parents. 

From an earlier post, I believe the poster’s parents actually applied in May this year for 143 and suspect they may be thinking of changing to 864 once the Borders are open. 

I think this will happen more and more often as the 143 queue grows longer because with 864 visa you can remain in Australia until the visa is granted. 

Yes it’s a gamble, you may fail the medical and have  to return home and  you don’t get full Medicare - but if you’re getting on in years and the queue for 864 is as long a wait as that for 143 - well I can see why elderly parents would prefer to wait out their time in Australia! 

Edited October 1, 2020 by LindaH27

[Ollie1234]

3 hours ago, Tulip1 said:

I think you really need to think carefully as to whether it’s worth applying for the 143. Your parents will be around/near 80 by the time they get it and there’s nothing to say the queue time won’t increase further.  Very unlikely to improve that’s for sure.  They will be just beyond average life expectancy. Not nice to think about but reality. That will be a very a expensive outlay for what may be a short time. There’s a reasonable/high chance one or both may fail the medical at that age too and the visa would then be declined. Even if all was well, few people really want to uproot from everything they know and their familiarity at 80. I know you think your doing the kind thing for your parents but it may not be the best thing. Have a chat with Alan and then a good, long chat with your parents. 

We did think carefully and the application has been submitted based on the information we had at the time. I don't think I'm 'doing the kind thing for my parents', they are very capable of making their own decisions. I'm just trying to help them with the process. 

[hmn141905]

9 hours ago, NatS259 said:

Hello, no update from me. You can see timelines in my signature. I know a couple of people on here with very similar timelines have just got their 2nd Vac So I’m patiently waiting  fingers crossed!

Hi Nat,

I tried to private message you but couldn't, may be I'm too new. Can I ask you a quick question? When was your mum requested to do medical test? Same time when they requested further documents? As I noticed medical test was done on 15/1, 1 full month later 

 

Thanks,

Mai

[Jellybean T]

9 hours ago, Ollie1234 said:

They are 70 and 72. 

We have just moved over the beginning of August, my husband was 77 when he had his medical last year and passed even though he had a hip replacement just 6 weeks before. Age is only a number and home is where the heart is. Your parents are old enough and young enough to make their own decisions, I think as long as they carry on with their lives while waiting for their Visa it will be fine. 

[Flangela100]

12 hours ago, NatS259 said:

Hello, no update from me. You can see timelines in my signature. I know a couple of people on here with very similar timelines have just got their 2nd Vac So I’m patiently waiting  fingers crossed!

Hi, I'm in the same position, AoS accepted just before lockdown.  I've seen that some on here have been asked, recently, for 2nd VAC and had their visa granted but am I correct in thinking these people were converting their 173 (175??) into a 143?  Or are they still processing straight 143 applications?  Anyone know?

[BargeUK]

On 28/09/2020 at 13:07, SusieRoo said:

Thank you, we applied at the end of March 2016 so we could still have a while to wait.  I think you can now apply directly for the 143 now (offshore), which they are processing very quickly at the moment. This would then give you the PR you need to enter Australia.

I was wondering, would it be possible for you to switch over to a 143 at this stage rather than waiting till your 173 is issued?  It seems that switching from a 104 to a 143 doesn't lose your place in the queue so would it be the same in your case?  As far as I understand, if you've already submitted all your documents, the only extra thing for you to do would be your AOS.  If that was the case then you would have a PR visa rather than a temporary one and may be able to enter Australia sooner.  Just a thought.........

[FMH]

9 hours ago, Ollie1234 said:

We did think carefully and the application has been submitted based on the information we had at the time. I don't think I'm 'doing the kind thing for my parents', they are very capable of making their own decisions. I'm just trying to help them with the process. 

We have just submitted our 143 application (60 & 61 years old) & only in the last week through this forum have we come to know the reality of the long wait. Had no idea it would be so long, we have an agent & also have done a lot of research

[FMH]

9 hours ago, Ollie1234 said:

We did think carefully and the application has been submitted based on the information we had at the time. I don't think I'm 'doing the kind thing for my parents', they are very capable of making their own decisions. I'm just trying to help them with the process. 

Fully understand your frustration & disappointment, feel the same

[Marisawright]

11 hours ago, Jellybean T said:

 as long as they carry on with their lives while waiting for their Visa it will be fine. 

This is THE most important point -  submit the application and then try to put it out of your mind and get on with life as if it doesn't exist.  Think of it like a lottery ticket - it will be wonderful if you get it, but you can't put your life on hold till the day it's drawn.  

With such a long waiting time, the chances of ever getting the visa aren't high.  Too many things can happen in 8 years.  The Australian government can cut the annual quota even further, change the rules, raise the fees, or even delete the visa altogether.  One or both of you may become too ill to move, or die.  

In some ways, I think the Australian government approach - offering a visa with very long wait times and uncertainty - is more cruel than countries who simply refuse to offer a visa.  At least that way, migrants who move to that country aren't under any illusions about bringing their parents when they make the move.

[Millynguyen]

Hi everyone, what a relief! 

Visa granted today after 4 years and 9 months.

Mine was 07/01/2016

Good luck to everyone!

 

[Ollie1234]

5 hours ago, FMH said:

We have just submitted our 143 application (60 & 61 years old) & only in the last week through this forum have we come to know the reality of the long wait. Had no idea it would be so long, we have an agent & also have done a lot of research

Sorry to hear this. Take it your agent told you the same re wait times? At least you are young and can come/go in the meantime (soon as the pandemic is under control) 

 

[Ollie1234]

14 hours ago, Jellybean T said:

We have just moved over the beginning of August, my husband was 77 when he had his medical last year and passed even though he had a hip replacement just 6 weeks before. Age is only a number and home is where the heart is. Your parents are old enough and young enough to make their own decisions, I think as long as they carry on with their lives while waiting for their Visa it will be fine. 

Thanks @Jellybean T and congratulations. Which Visa did you come on and how long was the wait?

[Jellybean T]

9 minutes ago, Ollie1234 said:

Thanks @Jellybean T and congratulations. Which Visa did you come on and how long was the wait?

143visa. Applied December 2015 and granted 29 November 2019.

[Lucy Adelaide]

11 hours ago, BargeUK said:

I was wondering, would it be possible for you to switch over to a 143 at this stage rather than waiting till your 173 is issued?  It seems that switching from a 104 to a 143 doesn't lose your place in the queue so would it be the same in your case?  As far as I understand, if you've already submitted all your documents, the only extra thing for you to do would be your AOS.  If that was the case then you would have a PR visa rather than a temporary one and may be able to enter Australia sooner.  Just a thought.........

It requires to have the 173 issued before applying visa 143, otherwise it will lose the place in the queue. Sadly it differs from switching from 103 to 143.

Just a few 173 applicants, so I think they might forget those cases when considering 173 visa in the categories of travel ban exemptions.

[Tulip1]

10 hours ago, FMH said:

We have just submitted our 143 application (60 & 61 years old) & only in the last week through this forum have we come to know the reality of the long wait. Had no idea it would be so long, we have an agent & also have done a lot of research

If I was you then I’d be having a strong word with your agent. They would have known the queue situation. I assume you asked them and they must have then mislead you/given you false information.  

Edited October 2, 2020 by Tulip1

[BargeUK]

16 hours ago, Millynguyen said:

Hi everyone, what a relief! 

Visa granted today after 4 years and 9 months.

Mine was 07/01/2016

Good luck to everyone!

 

Congratulations!  Did I recently read that your parents had to re-do their medicals before their visas were issued?

[Millynguyen]

5 hours ago, BargeUK said:

Congratulations!  Did I recently read that your parents had to re-do their medicals before their visas were issued?

Thank you BargeUK. Yes but apparently only my mom because she did travel during this Covid period to Sydney then returned to my home country. 

After 2 weeks of completing the health exam, they have visa issued.

[Kathss56]

On 02/10/2020 at 03:30, FMH said:

We have just submitted our 143 application (60 & 61 years old) & only in the last week through this forum have we come to know the reality of the long wait. Had no idea it would be so long, we have an agent & also have done a lot of research

If you want to move over sooner at least you can do a 3 or 5 yr 870 temp parent visa. I was too near the end of process to bother with this

[NatS259]

On 01/10/2020 at 20:52, hmn141905 said:

Hi Nat,

I tried to private message you but couldn't, may be I'm too new. Can I ask you a quick question? When was your mum requested to do medical test? Same time when they requested further documents? As I noticed medical test was done on 15/1, 1 full month later 

 

Thanks,

Mai

Hi Mai - yes same time further docs were requested. Life was just busy back then and January was the most convenient (xmas etc!) in hindsight if we’d of organised quicker she probably would have got her visa by now but here we are! Fingers crossed things keep moving and we hear something this year! X

[Ollie1234]

So I contacted the agent who originally said the 143 would take around 4.5 years and he said that was still the case. He then pointed me to the immi website that backs this up: 

(https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/family-visa-processing-priorities/parent-visas-queue-release-dates)

Quote

We don't provide processing times for Contributory Parent, Parent, Contributory Aged Parent and Aged Parent visa applications. Applications for these visas are subject to capping and queueing.

However, based on current planning levels, we estimate new Contributory Parent visa applications lodged that meet the criteria to be queued are likely to take approximately at least 58 months to be released for final processing.

Who is right? And has the budget affected the wait times? 

 

[Marisawright]

6 minutes ago, Ollie1234 said:

So I contacted the agent who originally said the 143 would take around 4.5 years and he said that was still the case. He then pointed me to the immi website that backs this up: 

(https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/family-visa-processing-priorities/parent-visas-queue-release-dates)

Who is right? And has the budget affected the wait times? 

 

Well that is “released for final processing”, not approved, so add several months to that - therefore your agent is wrong by at least a year. 

The longer estimate is based on the number of applications currently in the queue compared to the quota approved each year. If it continues at the same level then it will be 8 years. 

[LindaH27]

5 hours ago, Ollie1234 said:

So I contacted the agent who originally said the 143 would take around 4.5 years and he said that was still the case. He then pointed me to the immi website that backs this up: 

(https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/family-visa-processing-priorities/parent-visas-queue-release-dates)

Who is right? And has the budget affected the wait times? 

 

That is generally accepted to mean 58 months for those visas they are “currently processing” or been released from the queue for processing ie May 2016. But there are many applicants going back to January 2016 who are still waiting for the grant of visa. They forwarded all the documents asked for and paid the AOS but still haven’t been asked for the final 2nd VAC to finalise the grant. 

The parent queues have been increasing massively and the amount allowed or “ceiling” has gone down. A couple of years ago there were 7150  or so Parent visas allowed per year - although they always seemed to be less than that! 

Then  it was changed to only 6000 a year and again it’s not reached that total. In the financial year to end June 2020,  they only granted 4399. That included ALL parent visas ie

173, 143  - Offshore contributory parent visas 

884, 864 - Onshore Aged contributory visas 

103  -  Offshore non contributory visas. 

804 -  Onshore Aged  non contributory visas 

The non contributory have a separate queue but are included In the total of 4399 but have a wait list of approx 30 years! Only 3730 Contributorty visas were granted. The queue is supposedly dealt with in strict date order. The other thing that can add to the queue is the ability for 103 to transfer to the 143 with no loss of lodgement date 
 

Parent visas are also part of the Family stream  when referred to in official reports. The Family stream includes other visas like Last remaining relative and partners  etc
 

The Budget report has said that for one year only The Family stream will be increased from 47300 to 77300 BUT 72300 will be reserved for partners. This means only 5000 places left for the rest of the Family stream  - and they will be prioritising on shore applicants. So for the majority of offshore 143 applicants the queue will barely shift. 
 

There’s  a lot of information out there about migration that you can read for yourself and get the answers

Google Australian Migration Report 2020 and look for the one from Home Affairs 
It’s quite an eye opener !! You don’t need to read all of it you can just jump to the relevant Parent  or Family stream bit  

 

Edited October 7, 2020 by LindaH27
Clarification of queues

[hmn141905]

3 hours ago, LindaH27 said:

That is generally accepted to mean 58 months for those visas they are “currently processing” or been released from the queue for processing ie May 2016. But there are many applicants going back to January 2016 who are still waiting for the grant of visa. They forwarded all the documents asked for and paid the AOS but still haven’t been asked for the final 2nd VAC to finalise the grant. 

The parent queues have been increasing massively and the amount allowed or “ceiling” has gone down. A couple of years ago there were 7150  or so Parent visas allowed per year - although they always seemed to be less than that! 

Then  it was changed to only 6000 a year and again it’s not reached that total. In the financial year to end June 2020,  they only granted 4399. That included ALL parent visas ie

173, 143  - Offshore contributory parent visas 

884, 864 - Onshore Aged contributory visas 

103  -  Offshore non contributory visas. 

804 -  Onshore Aged  non contributory visas 

The non contributory have a separate queue but are included In the total of 4399 but have a wait list of approx 30 years! Only 3730 Contributorty visas were granted. The queue is supposedly dealt with in strict date order. The other thing that can add to the queue is the ability for 103 to transfer to the 143 with no loss of lodgement date 
 

Parent visas are also part of the Family stream  when referred to in official reports. The Family stream includes other visas like Last remaining relative and partners  etc
 

The Budget report has said that for one year only The Family stream will be increased from 47300 to 77300 BUT 72300 will be reserved for partners. This means only 5000 places left for the rest of the Family stream  - and they will be prioritising on shore applicants. So for the majority of offshore 143 applicants the queue will barely shift. 
 

There’s  a lot of information out there about migration that you can read for yourself and get the answers

Google Australian Migration Report 2020 and look for the one from Home Affairs 
It’s quite an eye opener !! You don’t need to read all of it you can just jump to the relevant Parent  or Family stream bit  

 

Thanks Linda,

I was hoping they would keep it the same, 6-7k places. I didn't even dare to hope for an increase, just the same would be awesome. And here it is. A big "Hahaha" to my face. Honestly, at 5000 places, whoever applying now could be looking at 20 years waiting time? Is this for real? 

[Tulip1]

40 minutes ago, hmn141905 said:

Thanks Linda,

I was hoping they would keep it the same, 6-7k places. I didn't even dare to hope for an increase, just the same would be awesome. And here it is. A big "Hahaha" to my face. Honestly, at 5000 places, whoever applying now could be looking at 20 years waiting time? Is this for real? 

The reality is Australia doesn’t want old people, no country does. More than ever, they only want people that will bring real value to the country.  Tough but understandable I think. 

[vikas d sudame]

budget announcements are really disappointing,

all hopes are dashed.143 applicants are paying so much money but govt.hv no sympathy....it is becoming v difficult to estimate the timings for our application due this changing nos.