Partner visa Australia cost: complete 2026 fee breakdown

Government application charge (the core fee)

The visa application charge (VAC) for the partner visa is set by the Department of Home Affairs and indexed annually on 1 July in line with the Consumer Price Index. As of the 2026–27 year, the base charge is:

- Main applicant: AUD 11,710
- Each additional applicant aged 18 or over: AUD 5,860
- Each additional applicant under 18: AUD 2,935

This is a single payment. It covers the full two-stage assessment — the temporary partner visa (subclass 820 for onshore applicants; subclass 309 for offshore applicants) and the subsequent permanent partner visa (subclass 801 or 100). You do not pay a separate fee when the Department assesses your permanent stage.

If you pay through ImmiAccount by card, a surcharge of about 1.4% applies — roughly $164 on the main applicant fee alone. Fees increase each 1 July; the charge that applies is the one in effect on the date you lodge, not the date you started preparing. If you are close to 1 July, check the Home Affairs visa pricing estimator before paying.

The figures on this page are current as at 1 July 2026. Always confirm against the Home Affairs fee schedule on the day you lodge.

Dependant and secondary applicant fees

Every person included in your partner visa application — a dependent child, or any other secondary applicant — attracts their own visa application charge.

| Applicant | VAC |
|---|---|
| Main applicant | AUD 11,710 |
| Secondary applicant aged 18+ | AUD 5,860 |
| Secondary applicant under 18 | AUD 2,935 |

For a couple applying together where both are adults, the combined VAC is $11,710 + $5,860 = $17,570. Add a child under 18 and it becomes $20,505.

All these charges are non-refundable regardless of the outcome, even if the Department refuses the application or you withdraw it.

Medical examination costs

Every applicant on a partner visa — main applicant and any dependants — must complete a medical examination through a Home Affairs-approved panel physician (Bupa Medical Visa Services clinics in many Australian cities, or an approved overseas panel physician for offshore applicants).

Typical costs:
- Adult medical (chest X-ray plus examination): AUD 300–500 per person
- Child medical: AUD 200–350 per child

Exact pricing varies by clinic and state, with Sydney and Melbourne toward the top of the range. Additional specialist tests requested by the Department cost extra and cannot be predicted in advance. Results are lodged directly into ImmiAccount by the physician and are generally valid for 12 months — if your visa is not decided in that time, you may need to repeat the examination at your own cost. Budget AUD 350–500 per adult and AUD 250–350 per child as a working estimate.

Police clearance and translation costs

Character assessment requires police clearance certificates from every country where you (and any dependant aged 16 or older) have lived for a cumulative 12 months or more since turning 16.

Costs vary by country: an Australian Federal Police check is around AUD 50 online; a UK basic DBS check around AUD 35–40; a US FBI summary around AUD 28; Indian and other certificates often AUD 50–150. Allow AUD 50–150 per country certificate, and build in time — some countries take 8–12 weeks, and certificates are generally valid for 12 months.

Separately, any document not in English must be accompanied by a translation from a NAATI-certified translator: birth certificates, marriage or relationship certificates, foreign police clearances and identity documents. Expect AUD 50–100 per standard page, with marriage certificates often AUD 80–120. A couple with a handful of foreign-language documents might spend AUD 200–400. Do not use machine or informal translations — the Department will reject them.

Migration agent fees

Engaging a MARA-registered migration agent is optional but chosen by many partner visa applicants given the complexity of relationship evidence and the consequences of a refusal.

Professional fees vary:
- Straightforward cases: AUD 3,500–5,500
- Moderate complexity (overseas documents, prior visa history): AUD 5,000–7,000
- Complex cases (prior refusals, character issues, offshore complications): AUD 7,000–10,000+

Agent fees are separate from the government VAC — a quote of "$3,500" typically covers the agent's preparation and submission, and you still pay the government $11,710 directly. Always get a written fee agreement, and ask whether disbursements are charged on top. A poorly prepared application is a leading driver of refusals, which then add the cost of an ART review or a fresh application.

ART appeal fee if refused

If the Department refuses your partner visa, you may have a right to a merits review at the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART), which replaced the AAT and IAA on 14 October 2024.

The ART application fee for a migration review is AUD 3,580 as of 1 July 2025, indexed annually — confirm the current figure on the ART fees page before lodging. You must apply within the timeframe stated on your refusal notice (often around 21 days); missing it permanently extinguishes your review right. If the ART decides in your favour you receive a 50% refund of the fee; if it affirms the refusal, the fee is not refunded. Add roughly AUD 3,000–8,000+ for professional representation at the review. An ART appeal often adds 12–36 months of processing on top of what has already been spent.

Scenario cost tables: what you will actually spend

Indicative totals across common scenarios, in AUD, using 2026–27 government rates current as at 1 July 2026. Confirm on the Home Affairs visa pricing estimator, as fees are indexed annually on 1 July.

Scenario 1 — Solo applicant, onshore (820/801), no agent: VAC $11,710 + medical $400 + AFP check $50 + one overseas check $100 + translations $200 + card surcharge $164 = ~$12,624.

Scenario 2 — Couple onshore together, no agent: VAC $11,710 + $5,860 + medicals $800 + police checks $300 + translations $300 + surcharge $246 = ~$19,216.

Scenario 3 — Couple plus one child under 18, onshore, with agent: VAC $11,710 + $5,860 + $2,935 + medicals $1,100 + police checks $350 + translations $400 + agent $6,000 + surcharge $287 = ~$28,642.

Scenario 4 — Solo applicant refused, adds ART review: original ~$12,624 + ART filing $3,580 + representation $4,000 = ~$20,204.

These are estimates; individual costs vary by clinic, state, how many countries need police checks and document-translation volume. The government VAC alone is non-refundable regardless of outcome.

Do I pay the partner visa fee twice — once for each stage?

No. The government application charge is a single upfront payment that covers both stages. You pay AUD 11,710 (2026–27 rate, indexed 1 July each year) when you lodge, and there is no second payment when the Department later assesses your permanent partner visa (subclass 801 or 100).

Is the partner visa fee refundable if my application is refused?

No. The visa application charge is non-refundable once lodged, regardless of whether the Department grants or refuses the visa, or whether you withdraw. The only partial refund in the pathway is a 50% refund of the ART filing fee if the Tribunal decides in your favour on review.

How much does the partner visa cost for a couple applying together?

Using 2026–27 rates current as at 1 July 2026: the main applicant pays AUD 11,710 and each additional adult pays AUD 5,860. A couple applying together owes AUD 17,570 in government charges alone, before medicals, police checks, translations and any agent fees.

When do partner visa fees increase?

The Department indexes visa application charges annually on 1 July in line with the Consumer Price Index. The fee that applies is the one in effect on the date you lodge — not the date you started preparing. If you are close to 1 July, check the Home Affairs visa pricing estimator before paying.

What does an ART appeal cost if I'm refused?

The Administrative Review Tribunal charges AUD 3,580 (as of 1 July 2025, indexed annually) to file a migration review. Apply within the timeframe on your refusal notice — missing it permanently removes your review right. If the ART decides in your favour you get a 50% refund. Add roughly AUD 3,000–8,000+ for representation depending on complexity.

Is it worth paying a migration agent given it adds thousands?

It depends on the complexity of your evidence and any visa-history complications. Partner visa refusals are not rare, and a refusal means losing the AUD 11,710 government fee plus spending more on an appeal or re-lodgement. Straightforward cases are often self-prepared; cases with prior refusals, cohabitation gaps or thin evidence frequently cost less with professional preparation. Migratio can match you with a MARA-registered partner visa specialist to compare.