Many visa holders are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic & Australia’s travel restrictions & they will soon be able to access a refund or a waiver of their Visa Application Charge (VAC).
Below are the details for individual visa type,
If a candidate have prospective marriage visa and was not able to travel due to pandemic and border closure, Australian government consider them eligible for a refund of VAC.
Such refunds will help candidates in applying another visa to enter to Australia, once travel restrictions are eased. Government has decided to prioritize such applications. Processing time of these applications depend on the application completion and the requirements fulfilment.
Prospective Marriage visa validity periods may be extended in certain circumstances.
The Pacific Labour Scheme or Seasonal Worker Programme partners are eligible for a refund of VAC if he/she was:
Temporary Skill Shortage or Temporary Work (Skilled) visa holders might eligible for a VAC waiver for a future visa application if he/she:
Government of Australia might allow a Working Holiday Maker visa holder to receive a VAC waiver for a future application or a refund. This waiver will help candidate in applying further application if he/she was unable to travel to Australia due to travel restrictions or had to leave Australia early due to COVID-19.
If you the candidate is ineligible to club a further application due to the age limit for a WHM visa, he/she will be eligible to receive a refund instead.
Visitor visa holders outside Australia whose previous Visitor visa expired, or will expire, between March 2020 and December 2021 will soon be able to apply for a Visitor (subclass 600) visa with a nil VAC.