How to pay your Australian visa fee from India

Current Australian visa fees

Australian visa fees vary by visa subclass and are set by the Department of Home Affairs. Common visa types and their approximate base application charges (as in force from 1 July 2026, subject to annual indexation) include: Visitor visa (subclass 600) at AUD 250 for an offshore tourist application, Student visa (subclass 500) at AUD 2,500, subclass 482 at AUD 4,015 regardless of stream, and Partner visa (subclass 820/801) at AUD 11,710. Charges are indexed most years, so check the Home Affairs website for the most current fees for your specific visa subclass (Home Affairs).

Accepted payment methods at ImmiAccount

ImmiAccount, the Department of Home Affairs' online visa application portal, accepts Mastercard, Visa, American Express and JCB (each including their debit versions), plus PayPal, UnionPay and BPAY. Diners Club is not on the accepted list. A payment surcharge applies: 1.40% on Mastercard, Visa, American Express and JCB — the same rate for debit and credit — 1.90% on UnionPay, and 1.01% on PayPal (Home Affairs).

Payment must be made in AUD. Your card issuer performs the currency conversion from INR to AUD at their own exchange rate, which typically includes a markup above mid-market. This conversion markup is separate from the Home Affairs surcharge.

Common card-decline reasons from India

Indian bank cards are among the most frequently declined for ImmiAccount payments. Common reasons include:

International transaction not enabled. Many Indian debit and credit cards have international transactions disabled by default. You must enable this through your bank's internet banking, mobile app, or by visiting a branch. Some banks require you to set a specific international transaction limit.

Insufficient LRS limit or forex allocation. While visa fee payments are not directly subject to LRS limits (they fall under permissible current account transactions), some banks' systems incorrectly flag them against LRS quotas. Contact your bank to clarify.

3D Secure authentication failures. ImmiAccount's payment gateway requires 3D Secure verification (OTP). If the bank's OTP system is slow or the session times out before verification completes, the payment fails. Ensure you have reliable mobile network or internet access for receiving the OTP.

Daily transaction limits. Your card may have a daily international transaction limit lower than the visa fee amount. Increase the limit before attempting payment.

Bank's fraud detection system. A sudden large AUD charge from an unfamiliar merchant triggers fraud alerts at many Indian banks. Some people pre-inform their bank before attempting the payment to prevent automatic blocking.

Multi-currency and prepaid card workarounds

If your Indian bank card is consistently declined, these alternatives offer reliable paths:

Forex prepaid travel cards — offered by banks like HDFC (ForexPlus), ICICI (Travel Card), SBI (Forex Card), and Axis Bank (Forex Card). Load AUD or USD onto the card, then use it at ImmiAccount. These cards are designed for international payments and are rarely declined. Exchange rates at the time of loading are typically better than retail card rates.

Niyo Global or similar fintech forex cards — these INR-funded multi-currency cards allow instant loading via UPI and offer near-mid-market exchange rates. They support international online payments and are specifically popular among Indian visa applicants.

Third-party payment through an Australian contact. If you have a family member or friend in Australia, they can make the payment using their Australian card or bank account on your behalf through your ImmiAccount login. The receipt is issued against the application, not the card.

Payment-failure recovery

If your payment fails mid-transaction, ImmiAccount typically does not submit the application. Check your bank statement to confirm whether the charge was debited. If the amount was debited but the payment shows as failed in ImmiAccount, contact your bank about the reversal — how long a failed online payment takes to reverse depends on your bank, not on Home Affairs. If the charge doesn't reverse, contact the Home Affairs Global Service Centre with your transaction reference number and bank statement showing the debit.

Do not attempt to pay again immediately after a failure — wait until you confirm whether the first charge was debited to avoid double payment.

Receipt and refund process

Upon successful payment, ImmiAccount generates a payment receipt (Transaction Reference Number or TRN) visible in your application dashboard. Download and save this receipt.

Visa application charge refunds are limited. Home Affairs does not refund the fee because an application was refused or unsuccessful. It must refund the charge if the application was unnecessary at the time it was made, a department mistake affected it, the applicant died before a decision, or the sponsorship/nomination was unsuccessful. It may refund the charge where the applicant made the mistake — for example applying for the wrong visa class, stream or duration — but only after the application is withdrawn (Form 1446) and a refund is requested before the correct application is lodged and paid for. To request a refund, complete Form 1424 and send it to the office processing your application. Home Affairs states there is no standard time frame for processing a refund request — it varies case by case.

Why was my Indian card declined at ImmiAccount?

Most commonly because international transactions are not enabled, the daily limit is too low, 3D Secure authentication timed out, or the bank's fraud system blocked the transaction. Enable international payments and increase your limit before retrying.

Is there a surcharge for paying the visa fee by card?

Yes. 1.40% on Visa, Mastercard, American Express and JCB (debit or credit), 1.90% on UnionPay, and 1.01% on PayPal (Home Affairs).

Can I pay the Australian visa fee by bank transfer instead of card?

ImmiAccount's online application process accepts card payment, PayPal, UnionPay and BPAY — not a direct international bank transfer. Some paper-based or in-person applications at VACs (Visa Application Centres) in India may accept alternative payment methods — check with VFS Global or the relevant VAC.

What exchange rate will I get when paying from India?

Your card issuer converts INR to AUD at their own rate, which includes a markup above mid-market. Forex prepaid cards usually offer better rates than standard bank cards.

Can someone else pay my visa fee for me?

Yes. A third party can pay using their card on your ImmiAccount. The payment attaches to the visa application, not the card holder.

What if I was charged but the payment shows as failed?

Check your bank statement. If debited, ask your bank about the reversal timeframe — this depends on your bank, not Home Affairs. If it doesn't reverse, contact Home Affairs with your transaction reference and bank statement.