Australian Visa Application Charges

When applying for your Australia visa, you may encounter the term VAC. This simply stands for Visa Application Charge. There is a standard amount that must be paid in Australian dollars (AUD) for most applications for an Australian visa. This amount is non-refundable, even if you are not granted a visa.

Australian Visa Application Charges are reviewed annually on the 1st of July. There may be an increase as a result of this review. As such, you need to keep track of the current charges for your Australian Visa application. If the VAC changes right after you lodge your application and before it is received by the Australian government, you may be asked to pay for any increase in the VAC. Remember, your Australia visa application is not valid until the department receives the correct VAC amount.

In addition, the conversion rate used for determining the VAC outside Australia is reviewed every six months. The exchange rate is updated on January 1 and July 1 every year. This may also decrease or increase the cost of the Australian visa application lodged overseas.

The most common way to pay for any costs in your Australian visa application is by credit card. Some eVisas also allow you to pay using BPAY via your Australian telephone or internet banking service.

If you are lodging your visa application while in Australia, there are other payment options available. You may pay with a debit card in person, with a bank check or a money order. Payments may also be made in cash or with a personal cheque, however, it may delay processing the processing of your Australia visa.

For visa applications lodged in Australian processing centres, the acceptable payment methods include credit card payment, Australian Post money order, bank cheque or international money order drawn on a bank with Australian representation and in Australian dollars. For this type of Australian visa processing personal cheques and travelers' cheques will not be accepted.

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Dylan Lautner
--http://www.nationalvisas.com.au/