Parents in Nairobi or Mombasa, family in Australia? What a 33-year visa queue means for you
Visa guide · 2026-08-31 · 5 min read
The short answer: if you are hoping to bring your parents to Australia permanently, plan as though the wait could outlast the reasons you wanted them there. The non-contributory Aged Parent visa queue is currently about 33 years. The faster contributory route costs close to $50,000 per applicant and still runs to around 15 years.
What the numbers say
These are not abstract planning risks. Parliamentary figures covering the 21 months to 31 March this year showed that more than 1,500 parent visa applicants died while waiting. They had paid, filed every document and simply ran out of time.
| Route | Approximate wait | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Non-contributory Aged Parent visa | About 33 years | The lower-cost option, with the longest queue |
| Contributory parent pathway | Around 15 years | Close to $50,000 per applicant |
| Temporary stays on visitor visas | Short blocks | Parents must leave for long periods in between |
Why is the queue so long?
It is slow by design. The government caps the number of parent visas granted each year, and that cap has shrunk from 8,500 places to 7,060 for this financial year. Meanwhile the backlog has grown past 157,000 people.
There is also an onshore route that skips ahead. Some parents arrive on a visitor visa, lodge a parent visa application while already in Australia and stay on bridging visas while it is processed. Those cases can be prioritised ahead of families who applied properly from outside the country. A government-commissioned review of the migration system in 2023 called offering a visa that is unlikely to arrive in a lifetime both cruel and unnecessary.
A possible rule change, not yet law
A wider migration overhaul has been expected, and family visas are said to be part of it. One idea would stop the spouses, children and parents of Australian citizens from lodging applications while they are in the country as tourists. If that happened, families applying correctly from abroad might see less queue-jumping. It could also remove one of the few ways families keep parents physically in Australia while a permanent visa is pending.
Nothing has been finalised. If your plan relies on visiting first and applying onshore later, follow the news closely before you commit.
Steps for families already in the queue
- Confirm which stream your parents are in. Contributory and non-contributory applications differ hugely in cost and waiting time, so check the choice still suits your family.
- Keep every temporary visa compliant. If your parents travel between Kenya and Australia on visitor visas while the permanent application waits, a breach on re-entry can put the main application at risk.
- Watch ministerial directions on processing priority. They can change the practical order of the queue whatever date an application was lodged.
- Ask for a realistic timeline, not a hopeful one. Test your family plans against current data rather than an estimate given years ago.
Common mistakes
The most expensive error is choosing a stream without comparing both timelines. Next is assuming a visitor visa can be turned into a permanent stay, and the third is treating an old processing estimate as a promise. Another is leaving your own situation unchanged. Many applicants in Australia rely on a parent for childcare and household support, and six-month blocks on a temporary visa put real strain on careers and finances. If you are still building your own skilled case, keeping your CV current with Build AI CV is a sensible task to finish before family plans take over.
Before you pay for anything, speak to an agent registered with the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA) for Australia. Ask them to put the options and likely timelines in writing for your circumstances.
Frequently asked questions
Which parent visa is quicker?
The contributory pathway, at around 15 years, is much faster than the 33 years quoted for the non-contributory visa, but it costs close to $50,000 per applicant.
Can my parents come while they wait?
They can stay on temporary visas for six-month blocks, then must leave Australia for extended periods in between. Each re-entry needs to be compliant.
Will the onshore route stay open?
That is unclear. One proposal would stop family members of citizens lodging while in the country as tourists, but nothing is final.
Is there a limit on how many parent visas are granted?
Yes. The cap is 7,060 places this financial year, down from 8,500.
Where do I read more on family migration?
Our dependant visa rules article and piece on Australia's ageing future give wider context, and the visa guides cover the main work visas.
Key takeaways
- The Aged Parent visa queue runs to about 33 years, and the contributory route to around 15 years.
- More than 1,500 applicants died waiting in the 21 months to 31 March this year.
- The annual cap fell from 8,500 to 7,060 while the backlog passed 157,000.
- A change to the onshore route has been floated but is not final.
- Get tailored advice from an agent registered with MARA before choosing a stream.
#parent visa #australia #family migration #visa queue #kenya
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