Effective 1 July 2026, Australia's Department of Home Affairs raised the base fee for its tourist visa (Subclass 600, offshore Tourist Stream) from AUD 200 to AUD 250 — a 25% jump that is roughly eight times the typical annual CPI-linked increase Indian travellers have been accustomed to budgeting for.
This is not routine. Most years, the 1 July adjustment is a modest 2–5% indexation rise. This year the across-the-board hike landed at approximately 25%, and the tourist visa did not escape it.
For Indian passport holders planning a trip Down Under, the new base government charge translates to approximately ₹13,750–₹14,250 at current AUD–INR exchange rates — before biometrics, VFS service fees, health insurance, and any other add-ons. Every rupee counts, and this change is live right now.
What Exactly Changed on 1 July 2026?
Australia's visa application charges changed following the commencement of the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026. The changes affect a wide range of visa categories — student, graduate, skilled, employer-sponsored, visitor, partner, parent, business, and temporary activity visas.
For the Subclass 600 Visitor Visa specifically, the new fee schedule (effective 1 July 2026) is:
- Offshore application (Tourist Stream) — AUD 250 (up from AUD 200)
- Onshore Tourist Stream application — AUD 630 (up from ~AUD 500)
- Frequent Traveller stream — AUD 1,845
Indian travellers applying from India fall into the offshore applicant category and will pay AUD 250 as the government base charge.
To be clear: these figures are base Visa Application Charges (VAC) for the primary applicant only. Additional family members on the same application are charged separately, and their fees also increased from 1 July 2026.
Why Is This Hike So Steep?
In a normal year, the Department raises visa fees in line with inflation — typically 2–5%. The 1 July 2026 increase was a deliberate structural repricing, not a routine indexation. Multiple factors drove it:
- Cost recovery: The Department processes millions of applications yearly. Compliance checks, health assessments, and integrity reviews cost money. Higher fees make applicants fund these services directly.
- Demand management through pricing: When a visa category is oversubscribed, the government has two tools — caps and cost. Australia is using both.
- Budget revenue: Visa fees raise money from people who cannot vote in Australia, making them a politically low-cost way to boost government revenue.
The tourist visa increase is modest in absolute terms — just AUD 50. But the broader sweep is significant: partner visas rose from AUD 9,365 to AUD 11,710 (+25%), skilled visas rose from AUD 4,910 to AUD 6,135 (+25%), and some categories like Bridging Visa B jumped over 200%.
What This Means for Indian Travellers
India is one of Australia's fastest-growing and most consistently performing inbound visitor markets. Indian visitors average 66 days per trip — the longest stay of any international visitor market to Australia. This fee change affects every single Indian national applying for a Subclass 600 tourist visa, regardless of whether they are visiting for leisure, family visits, or short-term business.
Here is a realistic cost breakdown for an Indian applicant applying from India in July 2026:
| Cost Component | Amount (AUD) | Approx. INR |
|---|---|---|
| Base Visa Application Charge (Offshore) | AUD 250 | ~₹14,000 |
| VFS Global Service Charge | — | ~₹1,800+ |
| Card Payment Surcharge (~1.4%) | ~AUD 3.5 | ~₹200 |
| Travel Insurance (recommended) | — | ~₹2,000–₹3,000 |
| Medical Exam (if requested) | — | ~₹4,000–₹6,000 |
| Total Approximate | — | ₹18,000–₹25,000+ |
Exchange rates fluctuate. Always verify current AUD–INR rates before payment. All fees are paid in AUD via the official ImmiAccount portal.
One critical point: the fee is non-refundable. If your application is refused or you withdraw, you do not get your AUD 250 back. At these fee levels, a poorly prepared application is not just an inconvenience — it is a guaranteed financial loss.
Who Is Affected and Who Is Not
Affected: All Indian passport holders applying for the Subclass 600 Visitor Visa (Tourist Stream, Business Visitor Stream, or Sponsored Family Stream) from outside Australia — i.e., the overwhelming majority of Indian applicants.
Not affected: Indian nationals who had already submitted their applications before 1 July 2026 are locked in at the old fee. If you applied before this date, the old charges apply regardless of when the decision is made.
Note: Indian passport holders are not eligible for the eVisitor (Subclass 651, free) or ETA (Subclass 601, ~AUD 20) — those are reserved for passport holders of eligible countries that do not include India. Every Indian national visiting Australia must apply through the Subclass 600 or another paid visa pathway.
Key Requirements Reminder: Subclass 600 Tourist Visa for Indians
The fee has changed. The requirements have not — but they matter more now that the stakes are higher. Here is what you need for a solid offshore Tourist Stream application:
- Valid Indian passport with at least 6 months validity beyond your intended stay
- Bank statements for the last 3–6 months showing consistent funds (large last-minute deposits are viewed negatively by assessors)
- Proof of employment or business ownership (salary slips, leave letter, or business licence)
- Detailed travel itinerary (hotel bookings, intended travel dates — confirmed flight tickets are not required at the time of application)
- Strong ties to India (property documents, family commitments, ongoing employment) to demonstrate intent to return
- Invitation letter from Australian host if visiting family or friends, including their residency or citizenship proof
Processing time for offshore Tourist Stream applications is typically 12–29 calendar days, with 50% of applications decided within 12 days and 90% within 29 days, based on Department of Home Affairs data. Apply at least 4–6 weeks before your travel date.
What SaathiVisa Recommends
This fee hike is effective immediately. There is no grace period and no grandfather clause for new applications. Here is our honest advice:
- Apply now if you are ready. The new AUD 250 fee is fixed until 30 June 2027. Delaying will not save you money — but it could cost you time if application volumes spike in the coming weeks as people scramble to process before the news sinks in.
- Do not rush a bad application. The fee is non-refundable. A rushed or incomplete application that gets refused wastes your entire ₹14,000 government fee. Spending an extra week getting your documents right is always the better trade.
- Budget correctly from day one. The AUD 250 is the base charge only. Factor in VFS service fees, card surcharges of approximately 1.4%, and optional but strongly recommended travel health insurance. Your realistic total outlay from India is ₹18,000–₹25,000 for a single applicant.
- Verify fees before payment. Use the official Department of Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before lodging. The fee that applies is the one on the date Home Affairs receives your application — not the date you started preparing documents.
- Families: calculate total costs carefully. If you are applying as a family, each additional applicant attracts separate charges that also increased from 1 July 2026. A family of four will be paying significantly more than in previous years.
We recommend applying within the next 2–3 weeks if your documents are in order. Processing times are currently stable, and acting now gives you a buffer before any potential seasonal surge in Indian applicant volumes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I applied for my Australia tourist visa before 1 July 2026. Do I need to pay the new AUD 250 fee?
No. If you submitted your application before 1 July 2026, the old fee structure applies, regardless of when the Department makes its decision on your case. The fee is locked in at the date of lodgement.
Q: The new fee is AUD 250. What is that in Indian Rupees right now?
At current exchange rates (approximately AUD 1 = ₹55–57), AUD 250 converts to roughly ₹13,750–₹14,250. Exchange rates fluctuate daily, so your bank's conversion at the time of payment via ImmiAccount may vary slightly. There is also a card payment surcharge of approximately 1.4% added on top.
Q: Will Australia raise visa fees again next year?
Visa fees are reviewed annually each 1 July. Based on this year's pattern — a 25% structural increase far larger than the normal 2–5% CPI adjustment — applicants should not assume future increases will return to modest levels. The government has signalled a clear shift in how it prices visa services. Plan your migration and travel budgets with this trajectory in mind.
Official source: Australian Department of Home Affairs — Visa Fees and Charges (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au). Fees effective 1 July 2026 under the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026. Always verify the latest fee on the official Visa Pricing Estimator before lodging your application.