No Bridging Visa for Subclass 103: Staying Lawful During the Wait (2026)

No — lodging a Parent visa (subclass 103) application does not, by itself, give you a bridging visa. The Australian Department of Home Affairs states on its Parent visa (Subclass 103) page that you are not entitled to a bridging visa associated with a subclass 103 application unless you apply under the Retirement visa pathway. For everyone else, staying in Australia lawfully during the wait depends on holding some other valid visa. This article explains the published rules only; it is general information rather than advice on any individual case, so your own position should be checked against the official pages or with a qualified professional.

Why doesn't a subclass 103 application come with a bridging visa?

Because the subclass 103 is designed as an offshore parent visa with a queue, not as a visa that lets you sit in Australia while it is assessed. The Department's page states plainly that you must be outside Australia while the application is processed, unless you hold another valid visa.

That framing matters for how you plan. Parent visas are subject to capping and queueing, and the Department processes them in the order received; applications are assessed in two stages — an initial eligibility check to enter the queue, then a final assessment as places become available. The wait is measured against a queue, not against a bridging visa that keeps you onshore.

What is the one exception, the Retirement visa pathway?

Retirees are the carve-out on almost every point that otherwise pushes applicants offshore. The Retirement visa pathway is the only route named on the official page that carries a bridging visa entitlement with a subclass 103 application: if your current visa expires before a decision is made, the bridging visa starts.

The retiree route also differs on the surrounding requirements:

You do not need to meet the balance of family test.
You do not need a sponsor or an Assurance of Support.
You must be in Australia, and not in immigration clearance, when you apply.
You may be in or outside Australia when the decision is made.
You can include your partner if they also hold a Retirement visa or Investor Retirement visa, but you cannot include children.

Requirement	Standard subclass 103 applicant	Retiree pathway applicant
Bridging visa tied to the 103 application	Not entitled	Entitled; starts if the current visa expires before decision
Location when applying	In or outside Australia, not in immigration clearance	Must be in Australia, not in immigration clearance
Location when the decision is made	Must be outside Australia	In or outside Australia
Sponsor and Assurance of Support	Required	Not required
Balance of family test	Required	Not required

Can I stay in Australia while the application is being processed?

Only on the strength of another visa. The Department's rule is that you must be outside Australia while it processes a subclass 103 application unless you hold another valid visa — so a visitor stay, a temporary visa, or any other visa you already hold is what keeps you lawful, not the pending parent application.

Suppose an applicant lodges a subclass 103 application while in Australia on a temporary visa: nothing about the parent application extends that visa, and nothing about it prevents the visa from expiring on its own date. The two run on separate tracks.

What should I do when my current visa is about to expire?

Arrange another valid visa before the current one ends. The official page puts it directly: if you are in Australia and your current temporary visa is about to expire, you should make sure you stay lawful by holding a valid visa while the application is processed. The Department points applicants to its own visa expiry guidance for what to do as a visa nears its end.

The related point is about intentions, not just paperwork. The Department says not to arrange to move to Australia permanently until it tells you in writing that the visa is granted. Even after a grant, you must enter Australia before the date specified in your grant letter.

Which other visas does the Department point to?

Its own page lists the other parent visa options, and each carries a different trade-off on cost against speed:

Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) — permanent; may be processed faster than subclass 103 but costs more. For reference, subclass 103 costs from AUD 8,665 for a single applicant, with additional charges for family members.
Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 173) followed by the permanent subclass 143 — a two-stage process that is faster and costs more than subclass 103; the cost is spread across the two visas over a longer period.
Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870) — a temporary visa that allows parents to visit their children in Australia for up to 3 or 5 years at a time, for a maximum total of 10 years.

Two cautions on switching. If you change from subclass 103 to a contributory parent visa, the Department takes your original subclass 103 application date into account, and switching will not disadvantage you; if one applicant changes, it does not affect the other application. But you cannot apply for subclass 103 at all if you have already applied for or hold a subclass 870 visa — so the order in which you lodge matters, and the current official pages should be checked before committing to a sequence.

Does any of this change where I must be for the decision?

For a standard applicant, no: you must be outside Australia when the Department makes its decision on a subclass 103 application. Only retirees may be in or outside Australia at that point. The Department notifies the decision in writing, and if the visa is refused it will tell you why and whether you have a right to review; the application fee is not refunded on refusal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I get a bridging visa while waiting for a Parent visa 103?

No, not for a standard application. The Department of Home Affairs states you are not entitled to a bridging visa associated with a subclass 103 application unless you apply under the Retirement visa pathway. Any lawful stay in Australia during the wait has to come from another valid visa you hold.

Can I stay in Australia while my subclass 103 is processing?

You must be outside Australia while the application is processed unless you hold another valid visa. Holding a valid visa of some other kind is what keeps you lawful; the pending parent application does not extend or replace your current visa.

What happens if my visa expires during the wait?

For a standard applicant there is no bridging visa to fall back on, so you need to arrange another valid visa before the current one ends. The official guidance is to stay lawful by holding a valid visa while the application is being processed.

Does the retiree pathway change the bridging visa position?

Yes. Retiree applicants are the exception: if their current visa expires before a decision is made, the associated bridging visa starts. Retirees also escape the balance of family test, sponsor and Assurance of Support requirements, but must be in Australia when they apply.

Do I need to be outside Australia when the decision is made?

For standard applicants, yes — the Department requires you to be outside Australia when it decides the application. Retirees may be in or outside Australia at decision time, which is one of the main practical differences between the two routes.

Can I move to Australia permanently once I have lodged?

No. The Department's instruction is not to arrange to move to Australia permanently until it tells you in writing that the visa has been granted. Even after a grant, you must enter Australia before the date specified in your grant letter.