Australian visa fees and charges: what is confirmed

How is the visa application charge paid?

The visa application charge has 2 instalments. The first is paid when the application is lodged and the second before the visa is granted.

The first instalment covers the base charge, or the additional applicant charge for a family member who joins the main applicant, plus any subsequent temporary or non-Internet charge that applies. Nobody pays both the base and the additional charge on the same application.

An online application charge can be paid by credit card, funds transfer or PayPal, and must be paid in Australian dollars. After the department gives notice that the second instalment is due, the applicant has 28 days to pay if the notice goes from Australia to an address in Australia, and 70 days if either end is overseas.

What changed on 2026-07-01?

Amendment regulations commencing on 2026-07-01 raised the first instalment of the visa application charge by 25 per cent for most visas listed in Schedule 1 of the Migration Regulations. Any increase is rounded to a multiple of $5.

The 25 per cent rise excludes refugee and humanitarian, protection and some other visas. The explanatory statement lists a flat $330 increase for second and third Working Holiday (417) and Work and Holiday (462) applications instead, and a 200 per cent increase for the Resident Return (155, 157), Bridging B (020) and New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (461) visas.

For the other, non-exempt visas the explanatory statement says charges stay on annual indexation in line with a forecast consumer price index rise of 2.6 per cent.

What do the main skilled and work visas cost?

From 2026-07-01 the first instalment for a main applicant is $6,135 for the Skilled Independent 189 and $6,140 for the Skilled Nominated 190, the Skilled Work Regional 491 and the Employer Nomination Scheme 186. For the 189, each additional applicant aged 18 or over pays $3,070 and each under 18 pays $1,540.

The Skills in Demand 482 has the same first instalment for every stream: $4,015 for the main applicant, $4,015 for each additional applicant aged 18 or over and $1,005 for each under 18, with no second instalment. Applicants in a class the Minister specifies pay nil. The National Innovation 858 first instalment is $6,235 for the main applicant.

When is a second instalment charged?

For the 189, an applicant aged 18 or over who is assessed as not having functional English pays a second instalment of $4,885 before the visa is granted, and everyone else pays nil. The 190 has the same $4,885 for an applicant aged 18 or over assessed as not having functional English, unless an exemption applies.

For the 491 the second instalment is $4,890 for an applicant aged 18 or over assessed as not having functional English. For the 186 it is $9,800 for a main applicant aged 18 or over without functional English and $4,890 for a family member aged 18 or over without it, unless an exemption such as a minister of religion applies.

What do study, graduate, working holiday and visitor visas cost?

The standard Student 500 first instalment is $2,500 for the main applicant, $1,530 for each additional applicant aged 18 or over and $500 for each under 18, with no second instalment. In the standard case the Temporary Graduate 485 first instalment is $5,750 for the main applicant.

A first-time Working Holiday 417 applicant pays $840; any other applicant, such as someone applying for a second or third 417, pays $1,000. For passports outside the Pacific list, the Visitor 600 base charge outside the Frequent Traveller stream is $250 from outside Australia and $630 from inside Australia unless a nil category applies, and the Frequent Traveller stream costs $1,845.

What other charges and limits does this guide leave out?

A subsequent temporary application charge of $700 is added to the first instalment when someone already in Australia applies for a specified temporary visa while holding, or last having held, another specified visa that they also applied for in Australia. A non-Internet application charge of $80 is added when a visa the Minister has specified, and that can be lodged online, is lodged on paper instead.

The applicant pays for any health examinations they have. An employer pays a $330 fee with each Skills in Demand 482 nomination.

Home Affairs notes that some visas cost less for eligible citizens of Pacific Island countries, Timor-Leste or ASEAN member countries, and points applicants to its Visa Pricing Estimator for the exact charge. This guide does not list every visa or every concession.