Visa application charges to increase 1 July 2015

Department of Immigration & Border Protection announces Visa Application Charges to increase from 1 July 2015.

The Department of Immigration & Border Protection has announced that there will be an increase to Australian Visa Application Charges (VAC) in an effort to support stronger border protection and national security initiatives.

These changes include:

• +2.3% on visas which face strong international competition or have been impacted by recent price increases. e.g. Visas within the Permanent Migration Skill Stream, Skilled Graduate, Temporary Long Stay Business (Subclass 457), Visitor and Student visa streams.

• +5% on visas which continue to see strong demand despite previous increases, or are likely to see a sustained volume increase through policy changes under consideration. e.g. Visas within the Temporary Resident Short Term Business and Entertainment visas, Working Holiday visas, Resident Return and Retirement Investor visas, and Contributory Parent visa streams.

• +10% on specific visas within the Other Family (Remaining Relative, Carer and Aged Dependent Relative) visas, and (non-contributory) Parent visa streams.

• +50% to the Significant Investor Visa (SIV) stream in the permanent migration Skill stream category.

• Alignment of VAC prices where a differential currently exists for lodging an onshore and offshore application for specific visa subclasses.

Electronic Travel Authorities (ETA), eVisa and Refugee and Humanitarian visas will not be affected by these changes.

For more information on the latest increases to the Visa Application Charges please visit www.immi.gov.au or contact us for further information and advice.

The above information has been extracted from The Department of Immigration & Border Protection website.