Australia Raises Visa Application Charges About 25% from 1 July 2026 — What UAE Residents Now Pay

The Australian Department of Home Affairs increased visa application charges (VACs) for almost every visa on 1 July 2026. Unlike the usual annual indexation of around 3%, this was a single-step rise of roughly 25% across the board. For the Visitor visa (subclass 600) — the visa most UAE residents use to travel to Australia for tourism or to visit family — the Tourist stream charge for applications lodged from outside Australia rose from AUD 200 to AUD 250. The onshore Tourist stream charge is AUD 630, and the Frequent Traveller stream is AUD 1,845 (figures from immi.homeaffairs.gov.au).

The increase lands most heavily on exactly the nationalities that make up the majority of the UAE's population. The cheaper, streamlined options — the eVisitor (subclass 651) for many European passports, and the ETA (subclass 601) for a specific list of countries — are not available to Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian or Bangladeshi passport holders. For those nationalities, the Visitor visa (subclass 600) is the route to Australia, so the higher subclass 600 charge is the fee they now pay.

For a family, the rise adds up: a AUD 50 increase per person on the offshore Tourist stream means a family of four now pays AUD 200 more than before 30 June for the same visas. The charge is per applicant and is generally not refundable if the application is unsuccessful, so budgeting for the new amount and preparing a strong application matter more than ever. If you travel to Australia frequently, the Frequent Traveller stream — a higher charge but with longer multiple-entry validity — may be worth weighing against repeated single-visit Tourist stream applications.

1. 1Budget the new charge — from AUD 250 for the offshore Tourist stream — as the old pricing is no longer available.
2. 2Confirm whether your passport is eligible for the unaffected eVisitor or ETA; most UAE-resident nationalities are not, and use the subclass 600 instead.
3. 3If you travel to Australia often, weigh the Frequent Traveller stream (AUD 1,845, longer multiple-entry validity) against repeated Tourist stream applications.
4. 4Prepare a complete, well-documented application — the charge is generally non-refundable if the visa is refused.
5. 5OraVisa can confirm the right visa stream for your nationality and manage your Australian Visitor visa application from Dubai.

This update is based on publicly available information from the Australian Department of Home Affairs (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au) as of 3 July 2026. From 1 July 2026, visa application charges increased by about 25%; the Visitor visa (subclass 600) Tourist stream is from AUD 250 offshore, AUD 630 onshore, with the Frequent Traveller stream at AUD 1,845. Applications lodged on or before 30 June 2026 retained the previous charges. This analysis is provided for informational purposes to help UAE residents understand the change. It does not constitute legal advice. For the latest official information and exact charges for your circumstances, refer to the Department of Home Affairs.