Australian Visa Fees Jumped Up to 25% on 1 July 2026: The Complete New Fee Table
Current as at 3 July 2026. Fees shown are for FY2026-27 (first instalment, primary applicant, unless noted). The charge in force on your lodgement date is the charge that applies — confirm at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before you lodge.
On 1 July 2026, the first instalment of most Australian visa application charges (VACs) rose by around 25 per cent — roughly eight times the usual annual indexation. A handful of subclasses rose by around 200 per cent. The increases were made by the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026 (F2026L00874), registered on 30 June 2026 and commencing 1 July 2026.
This is the single largest client-facing change of the 2026-27 program year. If you were weighing up when to lodge, the price of waiting just became very real.
Why this was not normal indexation
VACs normally rise each 1 July broadly in line with inflation. This year’s instrument applied an across-the-board increase of approximately 25 per cent to most first-instalment charges, with several subclasses — the Resident Return visa and Bridging Visa B among them — repriced at roughly three times their previous level. Income thresholds and review fees moved on their usual indexation tracks at the same time, which is why those figures rose by only around 4 per cent.
The saving grace is the transition rule: applications lodged on or before 30 June 2026 keep the old charge. Anything lodged from 1 July 2026 pays the new charge.
The complete old-versus-new fee table
| Visa | To 30 June 2026 | From 1 July 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partner 820/801 (onshore) & 309/100 (offshore) | $9,365 | $11,710 | +25% |
| Prospective Marriage 300 | $9,365 | $11,710 | +25% |
| Skilled Independent 189 | $4,910 | $6,135 | +25% |
| Skilled Nominated 190 | $4,910 | $6,140 | +25% |
| Skilled Work Regional 491 | $4,910 | $6,140 | +25% |
| Skills in Demand 482 | $3,210 | $4,015 | +25% |
| Employer Nomination Scheme 186 | $4,910 | $6,140 | +25% |
| Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional 494 | $4,910 | $6,140 | +25% |
| Student 500 | $2,000 | $2,500 | +25% |
| Temporary Graduate 485 | $4,600 (from 1 Mar 2026; $2,300 before that) | $5,750 | +25% (150% over the year) |
| Visitor 600 (offshore) | $200 | $250 | +25% |
| Visitor 600 (onshore) | ~$500 | $630 | +~26% |
| Work & Holiday 417/462 (first visa) | $670 | $840 | +25% |
| Training 407 / Temporary Work 400 & 408 | $430 | $535 | +24% |
| Skilled Regional (Permanent) 191 | $505 | $630 | +25% |
| Parent 103 (first instalment) | $5,280 | $6,600 | +25% |
| Contributory Parent 143 (first instalment) | $5,040 | $6,300 | +25% (2nd instalment $43,600 — unchanged) |
| Resident Return 155/157 | $490 | $1,475 | +201% |
| Bridging Visa B | $190 | $575 | +203% |
| Bridging Visa A | Nil | Nil | No change |
Additional-applicant charges (partners and children included in an application) also rose. Published figures — for example, $5,860 per additional adult and $2,935 per child on a partner application — are indicative only and should be confirmed against the Home Affairs fee calculator before lodgement.
The three traps to watch
1. The lodgement date sets the price
The charge that applies is the one in force on the day you lodge — not the day you started preparing, and not the day you were quoted. For applications prepared in June but lodged in July, the difference on a partner visa alone is $2,345. Nothing can be done about a fee already triggered, but for multi-stage strategies (for example, a 485 followed by a skilled application) the sequencing now materially changes the total cost.
2. Bridging Visa B is no longer a minor line item
At $575 per application — up 203 per cent — a Bridging Visa B for overseas travel while an onshore application is pending now deserves planning, not an afterthought. Families travelling together pay it per applicant travelling. Consolidating travel into a single BVB validity window can save hundreds of dollars.
3. Charges are not refunded on refusal
A visa application charge is generally not refundable if the application is refused. At the new price points, lodging a weak or premature application is a more expensive mistake than it has ever been. Getting the strategy and evidence right before lodgement matters more, not less.
Review and court fees rose too
| Fee | To 30 June 2026 | From 1 July 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| ART review — migration decision | $3,580 | $3,727 |
| ART review — protection decision (payable if unsuccessful) | $2,203 | $2,293 |
| Federal Circuit and Family Court — migration filing | $4,015 | $4,180 |
| Citizenship by conferral (general eligibility) | $575 | $595 |
Note that the ART migration review fee applies to any fee paid on or after 1 July 2026, even where the review application was lodged earlier. Citizenship fees rose by CPI only — they were spared the 25 per cent increase.
How to budget under the new schedule
Our fee estimator and calculators have been updated for the FY2026-27 schedule, including additional-applicant estimates and employer costs such as the Skilling Australians Fund levy (which did not change). If your pathway involves a partner visa, a skilled visa or employer sponsorship, the calculators will give you a realistic all-in picture before you commit.
Speak with a migration lawyer before you lodge
At these prices, the cheapest step in the process is the advice that stops you paying twice. If you are deciding what to lodge, when to lodge, or whether a pending change makes waiting worthwhile, book a consultation with our team — we will map the costs, the timing and the risks against your circumstances before any money goes to the Department.