How to pay your Australian visa fee from South Africa

Current Australian visa fees

Common examples: Visitor visa (subclass 600) approximately AUD 250 for an offshore tourist application, Student visa (subclass 500) approximately AUD 2,500, Skilled Worker visa (subclass 482) AUD 4,015 for any stream, and Partner visa (subclass 820/801) approximately AUD 11,710. The amounts shown are those in force from 1 July 2026 — verify on the Home Affairs website before you pay (Home Affairs).

Accepted payment methods

ImmiAccount accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, PayPal, UnionPay and BPAY. Diners Club is not accepted. South African-issued Visa and Mastercard cards (from FNB, Standard Bank, Nedbank, Absa, Capitec, Discovery Bank) generally work reliably for international online payments.

The surcharge is 1.40% on Visa, Mastercard, American Express and JCB — the same rate applies to debit and credit — 1.90% on UnionPay, and 1.01% on PayPal (Home Affairs).

SDA and visa fee payments

Visa application fees are current-account service payments, not capital-account transfers. They do not count against your ZAR 1 million Single Discretionary Allowance (SDA) and do not require a SARS Tax Compliance Status certificate (SARB). Your bank processes the forex conversion under standard international card payment rules.

Exchange rate and total cost

Your bank converts ZAR to AUD at their own card rate, which includes a markup above mid-market that depends on your bank and card — some also add a separate international transaction fee. Check your bank's own published rate and fee schedule before paying. Cards marketed as "zero forex fee" (such as certain Discovery Bank cards) can reduce this.

Common card-decline reasons

South African card declines are less frequent than in some Asian corridors but can occur due to: international online payment not enabled (check settings in your bank's app), daily international limit too low (increase through the app or branch), or fraud detection on an unfamiliar AUD merchant.

Payment-failure recovery

Check your statement if payment fails. How long a failed online payment takes to reverse depends on your bank, not on Home Affairs. Contact the Home Affairs Global Service Centre if the charge does not reverse.

Does the visa fee count against my SDA?

No. Visa fees are current-account service payments and do not reduce your ZAR 1 million annual discretionary allowance.

What exchange rate will I get?

Your card issuer converts ZAR to AUD at their own rate, which includes a markup above mid-market that depends on your bank and card, plus any separate international transaction fee they charge.

Can someone in Australia pay my visa fee?

Yes. They can pay using their card through your ImmiAccount login.

Why was my South African card declined?

Check that international payments are enabled and your daily limit is sufficient. Pre-notify your bank for large AUD payments.

Can I pay at a VAC in South Africa?

VFS Global operates VACs in South Africa. Contact them for current payment options at the centre.