How Much Is a Visa to Australia

There isn’t one flat Australian visa price. The amount depends on why you’re going, which visa or travel authorisation fits your plans, who is included in the application, and the fee in force when you apply.

A short visit may involve an AUD20 ETA app service fee. A student, work, skilled, partner, or family application can cost much more. Some visa types have no Visa Application Charge at all, while a published 2026–27 fee overview lists a partner visa charge as high as AUD11,710.

So, if you’re asking how much is a visa to Australia, the useful answer starts with the visa purpose. Then you can check the current amount in Australia’s official Visa Prices table or Visa Pricing Estimator.

What determines the cost of an Australian visa

The first question is what you plan to do in Australia:

• Visit for a holiday or short stay
• Study
• Work temporarily
• Apply for a skilled or employer-sponsored visa
• Join a partner or family member
• Add dependants to an application

Each purpose uses different visa options. Each option can have its own Visa Application Charge, often shortened to VAC.

Your nationality and travel document can also affect which options are available. For example, some visitors may qualify for an ETA or another travel authorisation, while others may need a visitor visa. You shouldn’t assume that a fee shown for one nationality applies to everyone.

The total can also change based on:

• The main visa applicant
• Family members or dependants included
• The visa subclass
• Whether you apply inside or outside Australia, where that distinction applies
• The date you submit the application
• Any app, payment, document, or professional services used during the process

Government visa charges are generally non-refundable. A published fee overview also warns that charges increase over time. That means an amount found in an older guide may no longer be the amount you pay.

ETA cost for US citizens and other eligible visitors

For eligible visitors, the Electronic Travel Authority, or ETA, is often the low-cost option people find first.

For US citizens, the ETA is listed at AUD20 when applied for through official channels. The key detail is what that AUD20 represents:

• There is no Visa Application Charge for an ETA.
• The Australian ETA app charges an AUD20 application service fee.

Those are different types of charges. Calling the AUD20 amount a standard visa fee can make the process sound simpler than it is. It’s an app service fee connected with applying for the ETA.

The same ETA information applies to other eligible visitors who can use that travel authorisation. Eligibility isn’t based only on wanting to take a short trip. You need to check the current Australian rules for your nationality and circumstances before applying.

US citizens often ask, “Do I need a visa to Australia?” The practical answer is that an ETA may be the relevant travel authorisation for an eligible US visitor. But don’t treat that as a universal rule for every traveller or every trip. Check the current requirements before you pay or book travel.

Use the official ETA app where required. Be careful with third-party websites that add their own handling charge to the government-related process. That extra amount is separate from the AUD20 app service fee.

Tourist visa costs, including Subclass 600

Tourist applications don’t all use the same route. Some travellers may qualify for an ETA or another visitor option. Others may need a visitor visa, including the Visitor visa Subclass 600.

That’s why searches for the Australian visa fee for tourist trips can produce several different answers. A fee for an ETA is not the same as the charge for a Subclass 600 application.

Australia Tourist visa fees Subclass 600

The Australia Tourist visa fees Subclass 600 depend on the current government charge for the specific application. The amount can also depend on where the application is made and which stream or circumstances apply.

Rather than rely on a general figure from an old travel website, check:

1. The current Visa Prices table.
2. The visa details for the Subclass 600 option that fits your trip.
3. The Visa Pricing Estimator before you submit the application.

A two-week holiday does not automatically create a separate two-week visa price. The length of your holiday may help you work out which visitor option you need, but it doesn’t replace the visa and eligibility rules.

Before applying, confirm:

• Whether you need an ETA, another visitor authorisation, or Subclass 600
• Whether your nationality is eligible for the option you’re considering
• Whether the application is made through the official channel
• Whether a separate service charge applies
• Whether family members need their own applications

The main lesson is simple: don’t use the AUD20 ETA figure as the answer for every tourist. It applies to the ETA app service fee, not to every Australian visitor visa.

Student visa fees and dependent costs

Student applications sit in a different fee group from tourist applications. The Visa fees for Australia student visa applications should be checked against the current student visa listing and estimator, rather than borrowed from a visitor visa page.

The amount you need to budget for can depend on the student visa application itself and on any family members included with it. A spouse or child travelling with the student may need to be recorded as a dependant or apply under the relevant family arrangements. That can change the total amount shown for the application.

There isn’t one universal Dependent visa fee Australia figure that applies to every family situation. The cost depends on the visa connected to the dependant and the way the family member is included.

For a student and family budget, separate these costs:

• The student’s government visa charge
• Any charge linked to a dependant application
• The ETA or visa cost for a family member who uses a different travel option
• App or application service fees
• Professional help, if you choose to use it
• Other required application expenses that aren’t part of the government visa charge

The estimator is especially useful here because a family application can look very different from a single-person application. Enter the details for the actual visa and applicants instead of multiplying a tourist fee by the number of people travelling.

Work, skilled, and employer-sponsored visa costs

Work-related applications cover several different purposes. A temporary worker, a skilled applicant, and an employee sponsored by an employer may not use the same visa type.

That makes searches for Australia visa fees for work permit applications difficult to answer with one number. Australia uses visa categories and subclasses, so the correct charge depends on the specific work or skilled route.

You may be looking at a:

• Temporary work visa
• Skilled visa
• Employer-sponsored visa
• Other work-related option based on your situation

The government charge belongs to the visa application. It may not cover every cost connected with the wider process. For example, an employer, sponsor, migration professional, or document service may charge separately. Those costs should not be confused with the official Visa Application Charge.

For a work or skilled application, identify the exact visa subclass first. Then use the official pricing tool. If an employer or adviser gives you a total, ask them to split it into:

• Government visa charge
• Any separate sponsor or application-related charge
• Professional service fee
• Other third-party costs

That breakdown makes it easier to compare estimates and spot charges that are not paid to the Australian government.

Partner and family visa fees

Partner and family visas are among the higher-cost parts of the Australian visa system. A published 2026–27 fee overview lists charges ranging from free for an eVisitor to AUD11,710 for a partner visa.

That figure shows why the phrase “Australian visa cost” is too broad to be useful on its own. An ETA and a partner visa serve completely different purposes and can sit at opposite ends of the fee range.

The published amount should still be treated as a guide, not a permanent price. Government charges can change, and the official Visa Prices table and estimator should be used for the current figure.

Family applications also need careful checking because the total may depend on:

• The main visa type
• The relationship or family category
• The number of applicants
• Whether a family member is included in the same application
• Whether a separate visa route is needed for another person

If you’re sponsoring or joining a partner, don’t compare the application with a tourist visa just because both involve travel to Australia. The purpose, eligibility rules, documents, and charges are different.

Government visa charges versus service and professional fees

This is where many online price comparisons become confusing. “Visa cost” can mean several different things.

Visa Application Charge

A Visa Application Charge is the government charge connected with a visa application. It is listed in Australia’s official pricing information and is tied to the visa type.

This is the figure you should look for when estimating the government cost of a student, tourist, work, skilled, partner, or family visa.

Application service fee

An application service fee is different. The clearest example is the ETA:

• ETA Visa Application Charge: none
• ETA app application service fee: AUD20

The AUD20 is still a real amount you pay when using the official ETA app, but it isn’t a Visa Application Charge.

Professional or third-party fees

You might also pay a migration agent, lawyer, travel company, or document service. Those businesses may charge for advice, form preparation, document checks, or other help.

Their fees are separate from the government charge. They can vary by provider and service, so don’t assume a quote from one company is the official visa price.

When someone gives you a total, ask for an itemised breakdown. You want to know which part goes to:

• The Australian government
• The official ETA app
• A professional adviser
• A travel or document service

The government visa charge is generally non-refundable. Extra service fees may have their own terms, so check those before paying.

How to check the current fee with Australia’s Visa Pricing Estimator

The safest way to calculate the current amount is to use Australia’s official Visa Pricing Estimator, alongside the official Visa Prices table.

Treat it as a decision point, not an optional extra. Online articles can explain the fee structure, but they can become outdated when charges change.

A practical check looks like this:

1. Identify your purpose. Choose visitor, student, work, skilled, partner, or another family route.
2. Find the likely visa type or subclass. Don’t start with the price alone. The cheapest option may not be available for your nationality or situation.
3. Check the eligibility information. Confirm that the visa matches your trip, study plans, job, relationship, or family arrangement.
4. Use the estimator. Enter the details it requests, including any information about additional applicants.
5. Read the result carefully. Check whether the amount is a Visa Application Charge, an application service fee, or another listed cost.
6. Check the official table before paying. This helps confirm that the amount is current.

So, how much is a visa to Australia? It could be an AUD20 ETA app service fee, no Visa Application Charge for an eVisitor, or thousands of Australian dollars for a partner application. The right number comes from your visa purpose and current application details.

Before you apply, use Australia’s official Visa Prices table and Visa Pricing Estimator to confirm the fee for your exact visa type.