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Australian Visa Application Fees Increased from 1 July 2026: Full Breakdown by Subclass
10 July 2026 10 min read
Australian Visa Application Charges (VACs) have increased for applications lodged on or after 1 July 2026. While visa fees are normally adjusted each year in line with inflation, this year's changes go well beyond routine indexation. Most common visa subclasses have risen by around 25 per cent, and a small number of categories — including the Resident Return visa, the Subclass 461 New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa and Bridging Visa B — have roughly tripled in cost.[3][4]
The timing rule is simple but important: if your application was lodged before 1 July 2026, the previous fee schedule applies regardless of when a decision is made. If you lodge on or after 1 July 2026, the new charges apply.[3] This article breaks down the new fees by visa subclass, explains who is exempt from the largest increases, and sets out what the changes mean for applicants, families and sponsoring employers.
The Student visa (Subclass 500) base application charge has increased from AUD 2,000 to AUD 2,500 — a 25 per cent rise confirmed by the Australian Government's official Study Australia platform. The Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485) charge has increased from AUD 4,600 to AUD 5,750 on the same date.[1] This is the second substantial increase to the Subclass 485 charge in 2026, following the earlier rise covered in our March 2026 Subclass 485 fee article.
Not all student applicants pay the higher charge. Primary applicants from ASEAN member countries, students undertaking standalone ELICOS or non-award courses, and primary applicants from Pacific Island nations and Timor-Leste continue to pay the previous amount adjusted only for annual CPI indexation.[1][5]
The main skilled migration visas have all risen by approximately 25 per cent for primary applicants lodging from 1 July 2026.[3][4]
Skilled and employer sponsored visa charges from 1 July 2026 (primary applicant)
Secondary applicant charges have risen proportionally. For the Subclass 186 and 494 visas, the charge for an adult secondary applicant has increased from AUD 2,455 to AUD 3,070, and for a child under 18 from AUD 1,230 to AUD 1,535. For the Subclass 482, an adult secondary applicant now pays the same AUD 4,015 as the primary applicant, while the charge for a child has risen from AUD 805 to AUD 1,005.[3]
Shorter term work and activity visas have also increased: the Subclass 400 Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist), Subclass 407 Training and Subclass 408 Temporary Activity visas have each risen from AUD 430 to AUD 535 for primary applicants.[3]
Partner visas remain among the most expensive applications in the program, and the 1 July 2026 increase widens that gap. The base application charge for the Partner (Subclass 820/801) and Partner (Provisional, Subclass 309/100) visas has increased from AUD 9,365 to AUD 11,710 for the primary applicant — an additional AUD 2,345.[3][4] Couples planning a partner visa application should budget carefully, as this charge is generally not refundable if the application is unsuccessful.
While most visas rose by about a quarter, three categories stand out with increases of around 200 per cent.[4]
Largest percentage increases from 1 July 2026
The Bridging Visa B increase is particularly significant for onshore applicants who need to travel while a substantive application is being processed, since a new Bridging Visa B is required for each period of travel authorisation. Permanent residents whose travel facility has expired will also feel the Resident Return visa increase directly, especially families applying together.
The Government has not applied the 25 per cent uplift across the board. Humanitarian and protection visas, Pacific Engagement and regional mobility visas, and applications from eligible citizens of Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste under relevant programs have increased only in line with CPI, at approximately 2.6 per cent. Citizenship application fees have similarly risen only with inflation.[5]
Beyond visa application charges, the cost of challenging a decision has increased from 1 July 2026. The Administrative Review Tribunal application fee for migration review has risen from AUD 3,580 to AUD 3,727, and the protection visa review fee from AUD 2,203 to AUD 2,293. The Federal Circuit and Family Court full filing fee for migration judicial review has increased from AUD 4,015 to AUD 4,180, with the reduced fee rising to AUD 2,090.[3]
For individual applicants, the practical message is to plan lodgement timing and budgets around the new schedule. A family of four applying for a Subclass 186 visa, for example, now faces base application charges of more than AUD 12,000 before skills assessments, health checks, police clearances and professional fees are counted.
For employers, the increase compounds the effect of the higher skilled visa income thresholds that also took effect on 1 July 2026, which we covered in our salary thresholds article. Sponsorship budgeting for the 2026-27 program year should account for both the higher Visa Application Charges and the increased Core Skills and Specialist Skills Income Thresholds.
Because individual circumstances — such as secondary applicants, subsequent temporary application charges and internet application charges — can change the total payable, applicants should confirm their exact costs using the Department of Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator before lodging.[2]
The 1 July 2026 fee changes are the largest single-year increase to Australian visa application charges in recent memory. Most applicants will pay around 25 per cent more, partner visa applicants will pay over AUD 11,700, and travellers relying on Bridging Visa B or the Resident Return visa face charges roughly three times higher than before. With costs now a material factor in migration strategy, getting the pathway and the timing right the first time matters more than ever.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Fees are subject to change and individual circumstances vary — confirm your exact charges with the Department of Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator or contact our team for personalised guidance.