The government charge for a partner visa is $11,710 for the main applicant from 1 July 2026. It is paid once, on lodgement day, and it is not refunded if the visa is refused. Add an adult dependant and the figure rises by $5,860. Add a child and it rises by $2,935 more. For many couples, it is the largest single payment they will make that year, and it is only the first layer of the cost.
This guide sets out the government charges for 2026-27 and the concession for couples who arrived on a Prospective Marriage visa. It then covers the costs that sit on top of the headline figure.
Short answer: The partner visa application charge is $11,710 for the main applicant, plus $5,860 for each adult dependant and $2,935 for each child. One charge covers both the temporary and permanent stages, and it is not refunded on refusal.
One charge, two visas
The onshore pathway involves two visas, the temporary subclass 820 and the permanent subclass 801. The offshore pathway pairs the subclass 309 with the subclass 100. In each case, you lodge one combined application and pay one application charge. There is no second charge when the permanent stage is assessed, although fresh evidence is required at that point.
The charge is fixed on the day the Department receives your application. Because charges are indexed each July, an application lodged in late June costs what the old table says. One lodged in early July costs what the new table says.
Estimate your government charges
The calculator covers the application charge only. Health, character, translation and professional costs are separate and are covered below.
Take a couple we will call Amara and Josh, applying onshore with Amara’s ten-year-old daughter. The government charge is $11,710 for Amara plus $2,935 for her daughter. On top of that sit two medicals, police certificates from two countries, and a certified translation of the birth certificate. None of those extras is refunded either, so the real budget starts well above the headline figure.
The Prospective Marriage visa concession
Engaged couples who are not yet married often enter on a subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa. That visa carries its own $11,710 charge. After the wedding, the holder applies for the onshore partner visa, and the charge for that application starts at $1,955 rather than $11,710. The fiancé pathway therefore spreads the cost rather than doubling it.
Is the 300 pathway cheaper overall?
Not in total. A subclass 300 followed by a partner visa costs $11,710 plus $1,955 in government charges, against $11,710 for a direct partner application. The 300 suits couples who cannot yet meet the married or de facto requirements, because it allows entry to Australia to marry. It is a timing solution, not a saving. Our Prospective Marriage visa page compares the two routes.
The charges at a glance
| Item | 2026-27 charge |
|---|---|
| Partner visa, main applicant (820/801 or 309/100) | $11,710 |
| Additional applicant aged 18 or over | $5,860 |
| Additional applicant under 18 | $2,935 |
| Prospective Marriage visa, subclass 300 | $11,710 |
| Partner visa after a subclass 300 | $1,955 |
| Bridging visa A, onshore applicants | $0 |
| Bridging visa B, to travel during the wait | $575 |
| Administrative Review Tribunal fee, if refused | $3,727 |
A lower charge applies in limited circumstances to certain concession groups. Check your eligibility before you pay, because the Department does not refund the difference afterwards.
The costs that sit on top
Health examinations
Every applicant completes an immigration medical at a panel clinic. The clinic sets its own price, which varies by location and by the tests required. You receive a referral, then book and pay the clinic directly.
Police certificates
You need an Australian Federal Police check. You also need a police clearance from every country where you lived for 12 months or more in the last ten years. Each certificate has its own fee, so applicants with long overseas histories pay more here. The sponsor needs police checks too.
Translations, certification and biometrics
Any document not in English needs a certified translation. Certified copies, statutory declaration witnessing and courier fees add up. Biometrics may apply to some applicants. Individually these are small. Together they belong in the budget.
Professional fees and evidence costs
Engaging a lawyer is optional. Many couples choose it because the charge is not refundable and the Department may send only one request for missing material. Relationship registration, printed photo books and similar evidence costs are modest but real. Our fees and process page sets out what we charge and what it covers.
Why the charge should change how you lodge
A refused partner visa costs the $11,710 charge, and a review at the tribunal costs a further $3,727. Neither is refunded if the review fails. Consequently, the cheapest partner visa is the one lodged once, complete, with evidence across all four relationship aspects. The partner visa page explains what a complete file contains.
Timing matters too. If lodgement falls near the end of June, check whether the new table starts before you can pay. Waiting for one document into July can cost the indexation increase. Lodging incomplete to beat it can cost the whole charge. Neither trade-off should be made without knowing both numbers.
Verify the current charge at the source before you pay. Fees change through indexation, and only the amount on lodgement day matters.
Frequently asked questions
Is the charge fixed at lodgement or at decision?
At lodgement. The charge payable is the one in force on the day the Department receives a valid application. Later indexation does not add to it, and the permanent stage carries no further charge.
Do we pay anything for the Bridging visa A?
No. The Bridging visa A that usually accompanies an onshore application has a $0 charge. A Bridging visa B, needed to travel and return during the wait, costs $575.
What does a review cost if the visa is refused?
The Administrative Review Tribunal application fee is $3,727. It sits on top of the $11,710 already paid, and strict lodgement deadlines apply after a refusal.
Are health and police costs part of the $11,710?
No. Health examinations, police certificates and translations are paid separately to the clinic, the police agency and the translator. Budget for them on top of the application charge.
Can we pay the charge in instalments?
No. The full application charge is paid when the application is lodged, and the application is not valid without it. Plan the payment date around the July indexation if lodgement is close to the end of June.
Figures verified against Home Affairs visa pricing as at 1 July 2026.
This article is general information about Australian migration law as at 2 September 2026. It is not legal advice. Figures change each July and eligibility turns on your own facts, so obtain advice before acting.