Australian Visa Application Fees and Charges 2014

Added by National Visas on September 3, 2014
Saved under Australia Visas Articles

Australian Visa Application Fees and Charges 2014

Australian visa fees and charges rise every year, implemented on the July 1 start of each migration program year. The last significant increase on visa charges occurred in July 2013, when the Australian government approved price increases for skilled visas and partner visas, among others. Unusually, 2013 saw fee increases at other times throughout the year also as the labour government sought to claw back its debt.

A look at Australian visa application costs

The components of a visa application cost include (1) base application charges, (2) government charges, and (3) non-government costs. With these three factors, it is virtually inaccurate to assume an overall cost for any type of Australian visa application.

According to the Department of Immigration, the cost of visas changes from time to time. Factors that affect visa charges are the date of lodgement, the type of visa being applied for, the inclusion of secondary applicants, whether the visa is applied in or outside Australia, and the range of documents that the applicant needs to provide.

For those who want to have an idea of how much certain visas cost, here is a list of the base charges for popular visas only for the primary applicant:

Visitor visa (Subclass 600) – AU$130 for offshore, AU$335 for onshore
Working Holiday visa (Subclass 417) – AU$420
Skilled Independent or Sponsored visa – AU$3,520
Temporary Work Skilled visa – AU$1,035
Student visas – AU$535

Again, the cost of a visa application will vary if there are additional applicants, documents, and government and non-government requirements that apply.

Visa cost increases in 2014

There are two significant regulation changes that relate to visa fees: one is the increase in Visa Evidence Charge (VEC); second is the increase in the application charge for certain parent visas.

VEC is a fee that applies if a person granted a visa requests a visa label affixed to his or her passport as evidence of visa grant. Today, there is only a small number of visa subclasses that still put a visa label on the passport, as most utilise online verification of visa grant evidence. The Regulations amended VEC from AU$70 to increase more than two-fold to AU$150.

On 22 March 2014, the Visa Application Charges (VAC) for Contributory Parent visa (Subclass 143) and Contributory Aged Parent visa (Subclass 864) increased to AU$43,600 for a single parent. This cost is exclusive of the AU$10,000 bond which is held for 10 years.

Experts in the migration community foresee the likelihood of an approximate 3-percent increase in VACs for most visa types from 1 July 2015.

Want an all-in cost for your visa application?

National Visas has a range of services that can give you advantage in your visa application. Whether your purpose is to work, travel, or live in Australia, our registered migration agents can assist you in obtaining the visa you want. Our Visa Advantage Service offers a personalised visa guide if you want to personally manage your application, while the Premier Service takes all major burdens off your shoulder throughout the entire process. Take a free online assessment or have a Skype consultation to get started.

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