If you’re planning an Australian visa application, the cost just changed. From 1 July 2026, most Australian visa application charges increased by around 25%, with the biggest jump applying to the first instalment of the fee across many subclasses. A handful of categories only received the usual annual adjustment in line with inflation, but for most applicants this is a much steeper rise than previous years.
Why the increase happened
Every year on 1 July, Australia adjusts its visa charges in line with the Consumer Price Index, and that increase is usually modest, often between 2 and 5 percent. This year broke that pattern. The Australian Government pushed most visa fees up by roughly 25 percent in a single move. Industry analysts link the change directly to the federal budget handed down in May 2026, and see it as part of a broader strategy of using cost as a lever to manage migration numbers alongside existing quotas.
What’s changed for common visa types
- Student Visa (Subclass 500): the charge for primary applicants rose to $2,500 from $2,000.
- Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485): the fee increased from $4,600 to $5,750 for first-time applicants.
- Partner Visa (820/801 or 309/100): the base charge for the primary applicant rose to $11,710, up from $9,365, covering both the temporary and permanent stages.
- Working Holiday and Work and Holiday visas (417, 462): first applications now sit at $840, with repeat applications costing $1,000.
Skilled migration applicants face higher costs too, particularly once family members are added to an application. Employer-sponsored visa costs have risen alongside a jump in the minimum salary threshold, which now sits at $79,423 a year for Subclass 482 sponsorship.
Timing matters more than ever
The fee you pay depends entirely on your lodgement date. Applications lodged before 1 July 2026 keep the old fee regardless of when a decision is made, while anything lodged from that date onward is charged under the new schedule. There’s no way around this by pointing to when you started preparing your documents or sat an English test.
It’s also worth remembering that visa application charges are paid directly to the Department of Home Affairs at lodgement and are generally not refunded if an application is refused or withdrawn. Getting the application right the first time matters just as much as understanding the new costs.
Get the right advice before you lodge
Rising fees make preparation more important, not less. Small errors or missing evidence can lead to delays, requests for more information, or refusal, and none of those outcomes get your money back. Our team can help you understand exactly what your application will cost under the new fee schedule and make sure your case is presented properly the first time.
Get in touch with CIA Lawyers to book a consultation and plan your application with confidence.
