Australian Visa Fees From 1 July 2026: What Changed and Why
Australia reset most visa application charges on 1 July 2026 under a new amending regulation (F2026L00874). This guide sets out the official charges for the most-searched subclasses — 189, 190, 491, 485, 500, 482, 600, partner and parent visas — taken directly from the instrument text on the Federal Register of Legislation, with first-instalment, dependant and discounted-tier amounts.
What actually happened on 1 July 2026
Australia's visa application charges (VACs) are set in Schedule 1 of the Migration Regulations 1994 and adjusted by amending regulations. On 1 July 2026, a new set of charges took effect under the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026 (F2026L00874), registered on the Federal Register of Legislation and in force from 30 June 2026 (legislation.gov.au, accessed 15 July 2026). Every figure in this guide is taken directly from the text of that instrument — not from a summary of it.
The new charges apply to applications lodged on or after 1 July 2026. An application lodged before that date is charged at the rate that applied when it was lodged, even if it is still being processed.
Migration-industry commentary has widely described the step-up as roughly 25% for mainstream subclasses — well above the usual annual CPI-linked adjustment. That percentage is a comparison against the charges in force to 30 June 2026; the new charges themselves are set out below from the instrument directly.
The official charges from 1 July 2026
All amounts are AUD, first instalment, from Schedule 1 of the Migration Regulations 1994 as amended by Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026 (F2026L00874). "Additional applicant" charges apply to family members who combine their application with the primary applicant's.
| Subclass | Stream / notes | Primary applicant | Additional applicant 18+ | Additional applicant under 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 189 Skilled Independent | — | $6,135 | $3,070 | $1,540 |
| 190 Skilled Nominated | — | $6,140 | $3,070 | $1,535 |
| 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) | — | $6,140 | $3,070 | $1,535 |
| 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional | — | $6,140 | $3,070 | $1,535 |
| 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) | Regional Provisional stream | $630 | $315 | $160 |
| 485 Temporary Graduate | Both streams | $5,750 | $2,875 | $1,450 |
| 500 Student | Standard | $2,500 | $1,530 | $500 |
| 500 Student | ELICOS-only / non-award | $2,050 | $1,255 | $410 |
| 482 Skills in Demand | All three streams | $4,015 | $4,015 | $1,005 |
| 186 Employer Nomination | All three streams | $6,140 | $3,070 | $1,535 |
| 187 Regional Employer Nomination | — | $6,140 | $3,070 | $1,535 |
| 600 Visitor (Tourist) | Applying from outside Australia | $250 | — | — |
| 600 Visitor (Tourist) | Applying from inside Australia | $630 | — | — |
| 300 Prospective Marriage | — | $11,710 | $5,860 | $2,935 |
| 309/100 Partner (offshore) | Combined two-stage charge | $11,710 | $5,860 | $2,935 |
| 820/801 Partner (onshore) | Combined two-stage charge | $11,710 | $5,860 | $2,935 |
| 820/801 Partner (onshore) | Discounted charge for a 300 holder who married their intended spouse | $1,955 | $980 | $485 |
| 103 Parent | First instalment | $6,600 | $3,300 | $1,655 |
| 143 Contributory Parent | First instalment | $6,300 | $2,125 | $1,065 |
| 864 Contributory Aged Parent | First instalment | $6,300 | $3,145 | $1,580 |
| 173 Contributory Parent (Temporary) | First instalment | $4,245 | $2,125 | — |
| 020 Bridging Visa B | — | $575 | — | — |
(Source for every row: Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026 (F2026L00874), Schedule 1 items 1104BA–1302, Federal Register of Legislation, instrument text accessed and verified 15 July 2026.)
What the first instalment does and doesn't cover
The amounts above are the first instalment — payable when the application is lodged. Two other components exist for some visas:
- Second instalments. The contributory parent visas charge a much larger second instalment before grant: $43,600 per applicant aged 18 or over for subclass 143 (subclass 864 charges the same), and $29,130 per applicant other than a dependent child for subclass 173. Dependent children pay a $2,095 second instalment. These amounts sit in Schedule 1 of the consolidated Migration Regulations 1994 rather than the 1 July amending instrument (legislation.gov.au, verified 21 July 2026).
- Separate levies and costs. The Skilling Australians Fund levy on employer-sponsored visas, and health insurance (OSHC/OVHC), are charged independently and are not part of the VAC.
Why fees rose
Visa application charges have been treated in recent federal budgets as a revenue measure, not pure cost recovery, and the 1 July 2026 instrument implements the direction set in the 2026-27 Budget. The steepest proportional rises reported by industry commentators were in "repeat application" charges such as Bridging Visa B — now $575 per application. This guide describes what the charges are; it is not advice about which visa to apply for or when to lodge — a registered migration agent or lawyer is the right source for that.
A note on sourcing
Home Affairs' immi.homeaffairs.gov.au pricing pages block automated access, so this guide goes one level higher: the amending regulation itself, downloaded from the Federal Register of Legislation and read directly. Charges are reviewed again each 1 July — confirm the current charge on Home Affairs' official Visa Pricing Estimator before lodging.
Frequently asked questions
How much did Australian visa fees go up on 1 July 2026?
Does the new fee apply to an application I already lodged?
What is the new fee for a Skilled Independent (189) visa?
What is the new fee for a subclass 500 student visa?
Is there a cheaper partner-visa path for Prospective Marriage (300) holders?
Sources
- Federal Register of Legislation — Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026 (F2026L00874)— accessed 15 July 2026
- Department of Home Affairs — Visa Pricing Estimator (official checker for current charges)— accessed 15 July 2026
- Federal Register of Legislation — Migration Regulations 1994 (consolidated compilation, F1996B03551), Schedule 1 second-instalment charges for contributory parent visas— accessed 25 July 2026