AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION NEWS

DIAC Annual Fee Adjustment for Australian Visas

Thursday, 10 July 2008

The DIAC (Department of Immigration and Citizenship) have made their annual adjustment of most of their visa application fees. The new fees came into effect from 1 July 2008 and were applied to the majority of Australian visas.

According o the DIAC website, "Most fees and visa application charges are adjusted annually in line with changes to the Consumer Price Index. These fees and charges will increase by 2.3 per cent".

While many fees may increase by 2.3 percent, there will be a number of exceptions worth noting:

• The tourist visa fee will increase from $75 to $100 for those making an application outside of Australia.
• Temporary visa application fees will increase from $190 to $250.
• Skilled visa fees have also increased from $2060 to $2105.
• Working holiday visa fees have increased by $5, from $190 to $195.

The biggest increase in fees was for the "Resident Return Visa" which doubled from $120 to $240.

In a news release, the DIAC state that the changes will "better reflect visa processing costs and more closely align Australian visa application charges with other comparable countries while still maintaining Australia's competitiveness in tourism and skilled migration".

The new fees will apply to any charges incurred on or after July 1, 2008, and all fee changes fall within the limits set out in the Migration (Visa Application) Charge Act 1997, and the Immigration (Education) Charge Act 1992.

If you are interested in Visas to Australia, contact Migration Expert for information and advice on which visa is best suited to you. You can also try our visa eligibility assessment to see if you are eligible to apply for a visa to Australia.