If you have a pending application for an onshore Aged Parent or Contributory Aged Parent visa, or if you are planning to apply soon, two major updates from the Department of Home Affairs (DoHA) require your attention.

Rise in Parent Visa Refusals

There has been a trend of visa refusals affecting a specific group of Aged Parent visa and Contributory Aged Parent visa applicants. This affects families where:

A couple applied for an onshore Aged Parent visa or the Contributory Aged Parent visa together.
The primary applicant has sadly passed away while the visa was being processed.
The secondary applicant (the surviving spouse) does not meet the age requirement at the time the original application was lodged.

In the past, the policy guidance allowed these surviving spouses to withdraw and re-lodge their applications once they reached the age requirement without losing their place in the queue. However, the Department has recently begun issuing direct refusals to these individuals.

If you are in this situation, do not wait for DoHA to review its policy. This is because a refusal is technically lawful; the decision might not be overturned even if rules change later. We strongly recommend seeking urgent legal advice to explore alternative visa pathways.

2025-26 Parent Visa Caps Confirmed

The Australian government has released the maximum number of visas that can be granted in the Parent and “Other Family” categories for the 2025-26 financial year. The caps are set as follows:

Visa Subclasses	Maximum Visas 2025-26
Contributory Parent (SC143, 864, 173, 884)	6,800
Parent Visa (SC103, 804)	1,700
Other Family Visas (SC114, 115, 116, 835, 836, 838)	500

Once these numbers are reached, no further visas in these categories can be granted until the new financial year begins on 1 July 2026. This limited number of places is why processing times for parent visas remain significant.

Read our clients’ testimonials on Agape Henry Crux and Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law, Jason Ling.

Engage a professional representative to assist with the ART appeal for your Parent visa refusal by contacting one of our immigration lawyers. At Agape Henry Crux, our team of immigration lawyers work together with our Accredited Specialists in Immigration Law, who specialise in handling highly complex matters. You can book a consultation with one of our lawyers to seek professional advice by calling 02-8310 5230 or emailing us at info@ahclawyers.com.

We speak fluent English and Mandarin. If this isn’t your language, we can also help you arrange an interpreter.

Our founder and principal lawyer, Jason Ling, is recognised in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in Australia™ and the 2027 edition of The Best Lawyers in Australia™. Agape Henry Crux is named as Best Immigration Law Firm 2025 - Sydney by APAC Insider Awards and the 2027 edition of The Best Law Firms™ - Australia.

This article/presentation (“publication”) does not deal extensively with important topics or changes in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you find this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances, please contact our office.

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