Australian Visa Fees Increases

[jtm]

It's official ,

Following the Australian treasurer Wayne Swan's recent statement during the government's midyear budget review it was revealed that Australia visa fees were to increase from January 2013 .

Please see here for the official confirmation of price increases from January 2013 of around a whopping 30% !!!

This announcement includes changes to partner visa applications fees.

http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/parlsec/media/kl/2012/kl190883.htm

[bdenner]

Well at least, it appears, she has not included Tourist Visas this round of her "fairer 'user-pays' approach".

Where do these politicians come up with their bullshlt slogans? Why not just be honest and state it's another revenue raising increase rather than treat us like morons!

[Nelorie]

i am a registered Migration Agent / Lawyer.

This may well back-fire. Sure it will raise revenue to get /maintain a surplus, but the user pay idea was to recover the admin costs of processing the visas.

However, with an increase in Australian lodged partner visa application fees going from $3060 to $4000 ($2060 to $2700 for offshore applications) the applicants and sponsors will not be able to afford migration agents/lawyers and thus the applications will not be decision ready. Therefore, more admin work and any savings will be lost.

The Immigration officers will have more follow up to do, negating any benefit from the user-pay system.

This will lead to the already lengthy processing times getting even longer!

Graham Jones (MARN -0801307)

[electau]

When was the last time visa fees were increased? 2007? To minimise the cost do ALL the processing of your visa in Thailand. (if practical and possible).

Approx every 5 years expect a visa fee increase. In 1990 it was $285 and the FX rate was about 16THB to the AUD. Labour costs per hour were less than 50% of what they are now.(2012)

[nightwatch]

When was the last time visa fees were increased? 2007? To minimise the cost do ALL the processing of your visa in Thailand. (if practical and possible).

Approx every 5 years expect a visa fee increase. In 1990 it was $285 and the FX rate was about 16THB to the AUD. Labour costs per hour were less than 50% of what they are now.(2012)

Visa fee's have been increasing twice a year for the last couple of year's,

[pacovl46]

These visa fees are OUTRAGEOUS!!! Why does a simple sticker, 2 stamps and 2 minutes time cost THAT much???

[fishhooks]

Back to Visa's:

What is the new cost from Jan 1 of a visa for a child to join his / her Thai mother who has married her Australian Partner some time earlier?

Is there a significant difference in processing this on-shore whilst on a Tourist Visa, or better done completely off-shore in Thailand?

The child would have had the pre medical checks in Thailand prior to mum's Partner Visa being approved....................and yes I know the child's visa would have been nil cost if processed at the same time as the mothers' initially.

Edited December 16, 2012 by fishhooks

[Will27]

Back to Visa's:

What is the new cost from Jan 1 of a visa for a child to join his / her Thai mother who has married her Australian Partner some time earlier?

Is there a significant difference in processing this on-shore whilst on a Tourist Visa, or better done completely off-shore in Thailand?

The child would have had the pre medical checks in Thailand prior to mum's Partner Visa being approved....................and yes I know the child's visa would have been nil cost if processed at the same time as the mothers' initially.

Seeing as your wife has PR, a new application will have to be submitted.

So the new costs as advised in the attachment in post 1 are

$2700 for an offshore application and $4000 for onshore.

I can't see much processing difference (apart from the price) in an offshore and onshore

application. As long as you have all of the required documents and the step-son has doesn't

have condition 8503 NFS on his tourist visa.

Regards

Will

[theoldgit]

This section of the Thai Visa Forum is for Visas and migration to other countries, and this thread specifically about the new visas fees for Australia.

Whilst the politics and finances of Australia are clearly of interest to Australian Citizens and expats, this thread has gone wildly off topic and I feel I must reign it in.

I did note the earlier request to let it run, but I think I've let run too far.

So I have removed a number of off topic posts, as interesting as they were, and request that any further posts in this forum are restricted to the new visa application costs.

Thank you

[krisb]

Good idea by the mod. Close the whole thing. It irritates the heck out of me.

Edited December 17, 2012 by krisb

[Will27]

Senator Lundy says in her press release (post 1), "most of the increases are

for people who want to work in Australia". Then why increase partner visa's?

Well, Blind Freddie can see that the huge influx of unauthorised boat arrivals is

costing the country billions and I can't see the numbers abating. So as bdenner

stated in post 2, it's revenue raising. But of course, the government will never

come out and say "due to the huge increase of asylum seekers that we are

responsible for, and are unable to stop, we need to raise more money".

Having said all of that, personally, I think the visa prices for spouses are reasonable.

Some of the benefits your partner receives: full work rights, access to Medicare,

510 hours of free English lessons and access to lot's of other gov't benefits. Also,

once PR has been granted, they also have access to Centrelink payments if eligible.

All in all, I don't think it's a bad deal.

Regards

Will