Lodging subclass 173 on paper in 2026: Forms 47PA, 40 and 47A and the invalidity traps

Online lodgement is not available for temporary Contributory Parent visa applicants. According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs "Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 173)" official page, as of the August 2026 official page, you must apply on paper, complete Form 47PA, have your sponsor complete Form 40, have every family member aged 18 or over complete Form 47A, and pay the first instalment — and if any of those steps is incomplete, your application may be invalid; the Department does not process invalid applications, will notify you if this is the case, and will return the application if requested.

That last sentence is the whole risk in this visa. An invalid application is not a weak application that gets refused on the merits; it is one that never enters assessment. During 2026, Parent visa applications remain subject to capping and queueing and are processed in the order received, so a returned paper lodgement costs you more than postage.

What actually makes a subclass 173 paper application invalid?

The invalidity triggers sit in two different places, and it helps to separate them.

The first group is lodgement mechanics — things the "Apply for the visa" step lists directly before the warning that incomplete applications are invalid:

The correct forms are not all included, or are not completed in English.
The first instalment is not paid when you apply. The Department states it can only process your application if you pay the correct visa application charge, and it will notify you if the amount is wrong and return the application if necessary.
You try to lodge in person. The Department states you cannot apply in person; it must go by post or courier to the address on the form.
You send original documents instead of certified copies (police certificates are the stated exception).

The second group is eligibility and status at the moment of lodgement, which the "Apply from" and eligibility sections describe as making an application invalid or impossible outright:

You are in immigration clearance when you submit. You may be in or outside Australia, but not in immigration clearance.
You have already applied for, or you hold, a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visa — you cannot apply for subclass 173 at all.
You apply in Australia while holding a temporary visa with a "no further stay" condition. The application will be invalid unless you apply for a waiver of that condition.
You have a different, undecided Parent visa application on foot. You must withdraw it when you apply for subclass 173, using Part B of Form 47PA.

Who completes which form, and what each one is for?

Form	Who completes it	What it does
Form 47PA — Application for a parent to migrate to Australia	The applicant	The main application; Part B is also used to withdraw an earlier undecided Parent visa application
Form 40 — Sponsorship for migration to Australia	The eligible sponsor	Establishes the sponsorship the visa requires
Form 47A — Details of child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over	Each family member aged 18 or over	Required even if that person is not migrating
Form 956 / Form 956A	Only if you use help	Form 956 appoints a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person; Form 956A appoints or withdraws an authorised recipient

The 47A point is the one applicants miss most often. The Department requires it for each family member aged 18 or over whether or not that person is coming to Australia, which is consistent with the separate rule that you must include details of all family members in the application form even if they are not migrating.

What has to go in the envelope?

Beyond the three forms, the paper package has to carry the material the official step-by-step list describes as required:

Evidence of payment of the first instalment, sent with the application.
Certified copies, not originals — with police certificates the only stated exception.
Four recent photographs of anyone included in the application: passport-size (45mm x 35mm), less than six months old, good quality colour (laser copies are not accepted), full face view, against a plain light-coloured background. Untinted prescription glasses are allowed; a head covering worn for religious reasons is allowed if it shows only your face.
Identity documents — the pages of your current passport showing photo, personal details and issue and expiry dates, plus a national identity card if you have one and proof of change of name if applicable. The Department warns that if you cannot prove your identity it will refuse the application and may not grant you, or family members listed on the application, another visa for 10 years.
Sponsor, balance of family, partner and dependant documents as applicable.

Character documents are the one deliberate exception to "send everything now": the Department says it might ask for police certificates, and you should not arrange a police check until it asks.

Assume a hypothetical applicant who posts Form 47PA, Form 40 and the passport pages but leaves out Form 47A for a 25-year-old child who is staying behind, and pays by a method that does not demonstrate the first instalment. On the published rules that package is exposed on two separate invalidity grounds at once, and none of the supporting evidence gets assessed.

Does the fee structure affect validity?

Yes, at lodgement. The official page lists the visa cost as from AUD33,375 for a single applicant, with additional charges for each family member who applies with you and concessions in limited circumstances. You pay in two instalments: the first when you apply, the second when the Department invoices you before grant. If you do not pay that second invoice, the Department will refuse the application — and it will not refund the application fee if the application is refused. The published pricing is a starting figure rather than a quote, so the current figure should be confirmed against the Department's latest published visa pricing.

What happens after you post it, and what does "returned" mean in practice?

The Department will tell you when it has received the application and documents. After you receive the acknowledgement letter you can import the paper application into ImmiAccount using your application ID, date of birth and identity document number (ImmiCard, passport or Titre de Voyage number); you can import both new and on-hand applications. Importing gives you online services — attaching supporting documents, viewing messages, updating your details and viewing status.

If the application is invalid, the Department does not process it. It will notify you, and if requested, return the application. From there the practical consequence is a fresh place in the queue rather than a decision on what you sent.

Two related points that shape how you plan around a 173 lodgement: you are not entitled to a bridging visa associated with a subclass 173 application, and you must be outside Australia when the Department makes its decision.

This article is general information about published requirements, not advice on any individual case; where your circumstances are unusual, rely on the current official page and on a registered migration agent or legal practitioner rather than on this summary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I lodge subclass 173 online in 2026?

No. The Department of Home Affairs states that online lodgement is not available for temporary Contributory Parent visa applicants and that you must apply on paper, by post or courier to the address on the form. You cannot lodge in person.

Does a family member who is not migrating still need Form 47A?

Yes. Each member of your family aged 18 years or over must complete Form 47A — Details of child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over — and this applies even if they are not migrating with you.

Can I send original documents with a paper application?

No, apart from police certificates. The Department requires certified copies only, and it advises keeping a copy of the completed application and supporting documents for your own records.

What happens if I made a mistake on a form I already sent?

Tell the Department as soon as you can by completing Form 1023 — Notification of incorrect answers. If you have imported the application into ImmiAccount you can upload the completed form, or you can send it using the Parent visa processing centre form.

I already applied for a different Parent visa. Can I still lodge subclass 173?

You can, but if the earlier Parent visa application is still undecided you must withdraw it when you apply for subclass 173, using Part B of Form 47PA. Separately, you cannot apply for subclass 173 if you have already applied for or hold a subclass 870 visa.

Will I get my money back if the application is refused?

No. The Department states it will not refund the application fee if it refuses your application, and it will refuse the application if you do not pay the second instalment invoice when it is due.