It is that time of year again when the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) reviews the Visa Application Charges (VACs) and the exchange rates it uses to price VACs in foreign currencies.
Normally DIBP reviews the charges twice yearly and the changes released take effect on 1 January and 1 July respectively; though it can occur at other times, this is not usually the case.
Some information about the changes is available here.
See: http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa/Fees
New prices will become available on the department’s website’s fee calculator (including in foreign currencies) only on 1 January 2016. How exchange rates will affect the AUD prices will only be known on 1 January 2016. It is recommended that you should assume that prices will change and make arrangements accordingly.
If you are lodging applications before 1 January, the current prices apply. From 1 January, the new prices will apply.
Prices, particularly in foreign currencies, may fluctuate either up or down.
VFS Global (VFS), their Service Delivery Partner, through their Australian Visa Application Centres cannot accept demand drafts for VACs that are higher than the current VAC. For instance, a draft prepared on 31 December and submitted on 1 January for a product whose VAC has decrease will be rejected. In such cases, there is no other option open except to get a new demand draft.
If, on the other hand, you have prepared drafts and the price increases, VFS will be able to accept a demand draft for the difference in the fee. They cannot accept a payment in cash for the difference.
That is, VFS and the Australian High Commission in New Delhi can only accept the correct and exact fee, nothing lower and nothing higher.
Postal/couriered applications – avoid sending application by post close to the change-over date to ensure your application is received with the correct fee. The fee that applies is the fee on the date the Australian High Commission receives the application, not the date you send it.
For any clarification on these revised prices, please contact the MWT Education Consultancy team.
