I didn’t think they would do it again after the last lot of increases on 1 January 2015, but Mr Hockey has done it again.

In what they call “harmonising”, the offshore visa application charges for Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage Visas and Subclass 309 Partner Visas will increase to match the onshore fees for Subclass 820 partner visas. This includes the fees for children added as secondary applicants.

New Charges 1 July 2015

Subclass 300 and 309 $6,865.00

Kids -18 $1,720.00

Kids 18+ $3,435.00

Again, they’ve hit partner visas because they KNOW THEY HAVE A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE. We at Down Under Visa know exactly how this will hit you all, especially those of you on low and on fixed incomes. It sucks big time, no question about it. And we know that some of you will need more time to save up to meet these charges. And we understand this, and will never hassle you about it.

Please note that Down Under Visa will not increase our fees. The Government have increased their fees now I think 3 times since our last increase, and we still remain a moderate-cost but high-service practice. And we still don’t charge for kids added onto partner visas, and never will.

And what we charge is very small in comparison to what the Government are now charging, and is a reasonable bit of insurance. There are no refunds from the Government if the application is refused because it wasn’t prepared professionally.

As I said, you are a captive audience and they know it. Fees in 2009 were, I seem to remember, around $1,600.00. They’ve increased umpteen-fold since then, and there has been no reduction in the number of partner visa applications lodged. No one tosses their wife or fiancée away because the fees go up. You do what you have to do, and you will find a way. We know this, and you know this too.

For those of you who will be ready about 1 week before 1 July, of course we will do our very best to get your applications lodged.

7 Comments

Jeff Williams on 13/05/2015 at 1:03 pm

We have a greedy, greedy mob of politicians. Joe Hockey gets $270.00, per day to live in a house in his wife’s name. The greedy swine also rents out rooms and even his garage to other politicians.

With a rearrangement 18 months ago, I lost my pension to them and had to repay, immediately. The money would have paid his rental allowance for less than a fortnight.

Doesn’t matter which mob is in power, they all have their snouts in the trough. The public always loses at election time because another politician is always voted in.

Ian Sanders on 13/05/2015 at 1:22 pm

Oh boy.
Why am i not surprised.
Wish we could do a Gough Whitlam number on them.

Cheers
Ian

Hausler on 13/05/2015 at 4:23 pm

Jeff, what is the July 2015 percentage increase on the existing fee?

Jeff Harvie on 13/05/2015 at 6:39 pm

48.2721%
Reply

Paul. C on 15/05/2015 at 9:11 pm

Thank goodness we got ours out of the way nearly 2 years ago. It is hard to imagine what these fees will be in 10 years time?

Raymond william franklin on 04/06/2015 at 7:23 am

Is the increase just for overseas applicants

Jeff Harvie on 04/06/2015 at 8:42 am

Yes it is, Ray. They raised the cost of offshore applications up to match the cost of onshore applications.
Reply

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