Annual Indexation of Fees and Visa Application Charges
1 July 2005 - Legislation change
Client summary
From 1 July 2005, immigration law will be amended as part of the annual indexation process, resulting in the increase of certain fees and charges under the Migration Regulations 1994 and the Immigration (Education) Regulations 1992. The annual indexation process is done in accordance with government policy and the Migration (Visa Application) Charges Act 1997.
Technical details
Indexation of DIMIA's fees and visa application charges occurs each year, effective 1 July. The last fee and visa application charge indexation took effect from 1 July 2004.
Most fees and visa application charges are indexed annually in line with changes to the consumer price index. However, on 15 March 2005, the Expenditure Review Committee decided that the first installment, visa application charge for all visa classes, except Student, Tourist and Visitor visas, will be indexed by 5%. This decision was affirmed by Cabinet on 12 April 2005. Humanitarian visas have no application charge.
Visa classes not indexed by 5% are subject to the indexation process as outlined in the Migration (Visa Application) Charge Act 1997. For these visa classes, the application charges will increase by 2.3%. The exception is Contributory Parent visas, for which the cost for second visa application charges will increase by 5.2%. This is the current value of the Contributory Parent Visa Composite Index for 2005 2006, as published by the Australian Government Actuary.
Additional information: Nil.
Transitional arrangements: The amendments apply to applications for a visas made on or after 1 July 2005.
Forms: The July 2005 version of the Charges Form 990i will be updated to reflect the increase in fees and visa application charges as a result of the annual indexation process.
Instructions: Legend will be amended to reflect the new fees and charges.
Effect on delegations: Nil.
Effect on systems: ICSE and IRIS will be amended to reflect the new fees and visa application charges resulting from the legislative amendments which come into effect from 1 July 2005.