Before grant · preparationGuide record · 3 October 2026

Prospective Marriage visa cost: the AUD 11,710 charge, the 820/801 fee after the wedding, and the whole-route total

The Prospective Marriage visa costs AUD 11,710 for the main applicant from 1 July 2026, and a holder who marries and lodges the 820/801 partner visa before the 300 ends then pays AUD 1,955. Under Schedule 1 items 1215 and 1124B of the Migration Regulations 1994 and Home Affairs prices checked on 3 October 2026, each additional 300 applicant costs AUD 5,860 if aged 18 or over and AUD 2,935 if under 18; the Home Affairs Prospective Marriage visa page, updated 10 August 2026, states that sponsorship has no charge. That Home Affairs page says the applicant pays online in ImmiAccount at lodgement and the application is not processed until payment is made. It also states that the charge is not refunded if the application is refused. For one applicant, the two government visa charges total AUD 13,665 (11,710 + 1,955), against AUD 11,710 for a couple who marry first and use the offshore partner visa 309/100, calculated from Home Affairs prices checked on 3 October 2026. Under item 1124B, the qualifying former-holder charge for lodging the 820/801 after the 300 has ended is AUD 2,475 instead of AUD 1,955.

A partner visa with Australian Migration Lawyers usually costs $14,000 plus GST in professional fees, separate from the Home Affairs visa application charges.

Charges as at 3 October 2026

These figures come from Home Affairs prices, the Home Affairs Prospective Marriage visa page and Schedule 1 of the Migration Regulations 1994; the total is the sum of the two visa charges only.

Whole-route cost table — as at 3 October 2026

Visa charges below are in force from 1 July 2026. The first total includes only the 300 and the reduced 820/801 charge. The second adds one sponsor’s AFP certificate without fingerprints and one registry marriage certificate for a wedding in Australia. Conditional costs and unpriced services are not included in either total.

The offshore partner visa 309/100 costs AUD 11,710 for the main applicant under Home Affairs prices checked on 3 October 2026, so the fiancé route’s visa charges are AUD 1,955 higher: 13,665 − 11,710 = 1,955.

The AUD 13,775–13,794 figure is not an all-expenses budget: it excludes health examinations, biometrics, translations, overseas police certificates, any additional AFP certificates and conditional costs. Its registry range covers confirmed fees only; the Northern Territory fee has not been confirmed.

Cost calculation guide

The formula table below lets you estimate government visa charges using the number of additional applicants aged 18 or over (A) and under 18 (C); do not count the main applicant. The Pacific-regional passport concession requires a valid passport from a listed country. The former-holder band has separate visa-status and timing conditions; it is not available merely because the 300 has ended. Family members can be included in the 820/801 only if they hold or held a 300 at lodgement, and cannot be added afterwards. This page does not contain an interactive calculator.

Under items 1215 and 1124B and regulation 1.03 of the Migration Regulations 1994, the passport countries are Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. The family-inclusion rule is stated on the Home Affairs 820 page, updated 24 September 2026.

Use the formulas to compare the 300 charge, 820/801 charge and their total with the 309/100 charge for the same family.

Let A be additional applicants aged 18 or over and C be additional applicants under 18. For the 820/801 calculation, use A = 0 and C = 0 if “Include the same family members” is No.

The formulas use Schedule 1 items 1215, 1124B and 1129 of the Migration Regulations 1994 and Home Affairs prices checked on 3 October 2026. For the 309/100, item 1220A sets the 309 charge at nil and the whole charge sits on the 100 application.

Charges as at 3 October 2026 (in force from 1 July 2026); other costs are listed in the table.

Calculations are to run in the browser, with nothing stored or sent. The dated table remains readable without scripts.

Worked examples

• One applicant, standard charges, before expiry: 11,710 + 1,955 = AUD 13,665.
• One applicant and one child under 18 at both stages: (11,710 + 2,935) + (1,955 + 485) = AUD 17,085.
• One applicant, qualifying former-holder band: 11,710 + 2,475 = AUD 14,185, the usual AUD 13,665 plus AUD 520.
• 309/100 with one child under 18: 11,710 + 2,935 = AUD 14,645 standard; 9,600 + 2,405 = AUD 12,005 Pacific.

These examples are calculated from Home Affairs prices and the charge bands in the Migration Regulations 1994, as at 3 October 2026.

The chart uses Home Affairs prices checked on 3 October 2026: 11,710 + 1,955 = 13,665 for the fiancé route, compared with 11,710 for the 309/100.

How much is a Prospective Marriage visa in 2026?

A Prospective Marriage visa costs AUD 11,710 for the main applicant, AUD 5,860 for each additional applicant aged 18 or over and AUD 2,935 for each additional applicant under 18, from 1 July 2026, under Schedule 1 item 1215 of the Migration Regulations 1994, Compilation No. 288, and Home Affairs current visa pricing, checked on 3 October 2026.

The current amounts are in item 1215 of Compilation No. 288; the earlier amounts are in item 1215 of Compilation No. 287 of the Migration Regulations 1994.

The second instalment is nil under item 1215(2)(b). No subsequent temporary application charge applies to the 300, derived from Home Affairs price data and its rule that this charge applies only where shown in the pricing table. Home Affairs prices do not list a paper-lodgement price; the usual application is online in ImmiAccount.

Who can be included, and who qualifies, are set out in the guide to the Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300).

Why the 300 visa fee rose 25% on 1 July 2026

The 2026–27 Budget raised the first instalment of most visa application charges by 25 per cent from 1 July 2026, according to the explanatory statement to the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026, F2026L00874.

For the standard 300 main-applicant charge, the increase was AUD 2,345: 11,710 − 9,365 = 2,345. Dividing 11,710 by 9,365 gives 1.2504, or an increase of 25.0% rounded, calculated from the Migration Regulations 1994. Pacific-passport cohorts were excluded from the 25% uplift, according to the explanatory statement.

The applicable charge is the charge in force when the application is lodged. An application lodged from 1 June to 30 June 2026 attracted the AUD 9,365 main-applicant charge under Compilation No. 287 of the Migration Regulations 1994; lodgements from 1 July 2026 use the new amounts.

The dated record of this increase and the 25 July 2026 processing change is under Prospective Marriage visa changes in 2026.

The Pacific Island and Timor-Leste concession

If the main applicant holds a valid passport issued by a Pacific-regional country, the lower charge applies to that applicant and the family members on the application under item 1215(2)(a)(i) and regulation 1.03 of the Migration Regulations 1994. The Home Affairs Prospective Marriage visa page, updated 10 August 2026, says ImmiAccount applies the concession automatically.

The 13 countries are Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

These charges are set by items 1215 and 1124B of the Migration Regulations 1994, as at 3 October 2026. The former-holder band requires marriage before the 300 ended and the relevant visa-status conditions.

The Home Affairs 300 page states the concession, although its price box displays only the standard “from” price.

What the partner visa costs after the wedding (820/801 for a 300 holder)

A 300 holder who has married the sponsor and lodges the 820/801 in Australia before the 300 ends pays AUD 1,955 for the main applicant from 1 July 2026, not the standard AUD 11,710, under item 1124B of the Migration Regulations 1994 and Home Affairs prices checked on 3 October 2026.

The bands are set by item 1124B of the Migration Regulations 1994 and reflected in Home Affairs prices.

• The 820 and 801 are applied for together; the whole charge sits on the 801 application, with the 820 charge nil under items 1124B and 1214C.
• You and accompanying family applicants must be in Australia to lodge, according to the Home Affairs 820 page, updated 24 September 2026.
• The Home Affairs 300 page, updated 10 August 2026, says another visa granted to you replaces the 300 and may mean a higher 820/801 charge.

For one standard-charge applicant, lodging as a married 300 holder saves AUD 9,755 against the standard partner charge: 11,710 − 1,955 = 9,755. Lodging in the qualifying former-holder band costs AUD 520 more: 2,475 − 1,955 = 520, calculated from Home Affairs prices as at 3 October 2026.

Lodge the 820/801 in Australia before your Prospective Marriage visa ends: under item 1124B of the Migration Regulations 1994, the standard main-applicant charge is AUD 1,955 then, and AUD 2,475 afterwards if the qualifying former-holder conditions are met, from 1 July 2026.

When and how to lodge after the wedding is set out under 300 visa to partner visa 820/801.

The whole fiancé-route cost compared with a 309/100

These standard-charge totals are calculated from Home Affairs prices checked on 3 October 2026. The one-applicant difference is 13,665 − 11,710 = AUD 1,955. For a Pacific-passport 309/100 applicant with one child under 18, the calculation is 9,600 + 2,405 = AUD 12,005.

The Home Affairs 309 page, updated 24 September 2026, requires a married or qualifying de facto relationship. The cost difference is therefore one of several factors, not a substitute for meeting the route’s eligibility requirements.

Time, priority and risk for each route are set side by side in comparing the 300 with the 309/100.

Other costs: police certificates, health checks, biometrics and translations

1. Police certificates. The AFP national police checks page, checked on 3 October 2026, lists AUD 57 per National Police Certificate application, or AUD 114 if fingerprints are needed. The Home Affairs 300 page requires the sponsor’s complete-disclosure AFP certificate and the applicant’s certificate if they lived in Australia for 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16. Overseas certificates have country-specific prices. Home Affairs says police certificates are valid for 12 months from issue for immigration purposes.

2. Health examinations. The Home Affairs 300 page, updated 10 August 2026, identifies health checks as an additional cost but publishes no amount. It states that health assessment results are valid for 12 months.

3. Biometrics. The Home Affairs biometrics page, updated 24 September 2026, says Home Affairs tells applicants if biometrics are required. Australian Biometrics Collection Centres charge a service fee, but Home Affairs does not state the amount.

4. Translations. The Home Affairs 300 page, updated 10 August 2026, requires non-English documents to be translated into English. Translators in Australia must be NAATI-accredited; those outside Australia need not be accredited but must give their name, address, telephone number, qualifications and experience. No government price is published.

For a wedding in Australia, confirmed registry certificate fees range from AUD 53 in the ACT to AUD 72 in SA, according to the registry pages below. The Northern Territory fee has not been confirmed; ask the NT registry for its current amount.

The Home Affairs 820 page asks for “your marriage certificate or other evidence that your marriage is valid in Australia”. NSW, Victoria, Queensland and ACT registry pages identify the registry-issued certificate as official proof; using that certificate is an inference from their guidance, not a published Home Affairs ruling on ceremonial certificates.

A Bridging visa B costs AUD 575, according to Home Affairs prices checked on 3 October 2026. The Home Affairs travel on a bridging visa page, updated 24 September 2026, says only a Bridging visa B permits departure and return while relying on a bridging visa. It is a conditional travel cost, not part of every couple’s route.

The table above also lists the overseas-wedding Certificate of No Impediment, priced at AUD 181 from 1 January 2026 in the Smartraveller notarial services fee schedule, and the ART review fee. The Home Affairs 300 page says the Visa Pricing Estimator excludes other costs such as health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

Common budgeting mistakes

• Using an old fee: item 1215 of the Migration Regulations 1994 sets the standard 300 main-applicant charge at AUD 11,710 from 1 July 2026, not AUD 9,365.
• Using the before-expiry partner band for a later lodgement: item 1124B sets AUD 1,955 for a married 300 holder and AUD 2,475 for a qualifying former holder.
• Assuming another visa preserves the concession: the Home Affairs 300 page says another visa replaces the 300 and may mean a higher partner charge.
• Counting on a refund after refusal: the Home Affairs 300 page states that the application charge is not refunded.
• Ordering checks too early: the Home Affairs 300 page gives police certificates and health results a 12-month validity period; expired police certificates may be requested again.

Is the fee refunded if the 300 is refused?

No. The Home Affairs Prospective Marriage visa page, updated 10 August 2026, states that Home Affairs does not refund the application fee if it refuses the application.

If you marry the named sponsor before the decision and notify Home Affairs, regulation 2.08E of the Migration Regulations 1994 treats the 300’s first instalment as payment towards the 309/100 charge; this is a payment carry-over, not a cash refund.

After a 300 refusal, the Minister may invite a 309/100 application under regulation 2.11; only the excess charge is payable, and the further application must be made within 28 days, or 70 days if the Minister decides that longer period applies. An invitation is not automatic.

What a review costs if the visa is refused

Review of a 300 refusal at the Administrative Review Tribunal costs AUD 3,727, or AUD 1,863.50 if a 50% financial-hardship reduction is approved, according to the ART fees page, checked on 3 October 2026. The reduced amount is calculated as 3,727 × 50% = 1,863.50.

• Who applies and pays: the sponsor applies under regulation 4.02(5)(r) of the Migration Regulations 1994.
• Deadline: section 347 of the Migration Act 1958 generally requires lodgement within 28 days after notification to the review applicant, with no extension; the period is 14 days if that person is in immigration detention. The fee, or approved reduced fee, must be paid by the deadline.
• Family refusals: regulations 4.12(4) and 4.13(3) provide for one fee where the sponsor seeks review of several family members’ refusals.
• Review-fee refund: regulation 4.14 provides a 50% refund if the decision is set aside, varied or remitted.
• Annual change: regulations 4.13A–4.13B index the fee each 1 July.

Frequently asked questions

Is the fee paid in instalments?

No. The Home Affairs 300 page says payment is made online at lodgement and processing does not start until it is paid. Item 1215(2)(b) of the Migration Regulations 1994 sets the second instalment at nil.

How much money do you need for a fiancé visa?

For one applicant using standard charges and lodging the 820/801 before the 300 ends, the government visa charges are AUD 13,665 from 1 July 2026: 11,710 + 1,955, calculated from Home Affairs prices checked on 3 October 2026. Other costs are separate.

Clauses 300.211–300.224 of the Migration Regulations 1994 set no specified savings or income threshold; this is an inference from the criteria, also consistent with the Home Affairs 300 page. Regulation 1.20(2)(b) nevertheless requires the sponsor’s undertaking about the applicant’s financial obligations to the Commonwealth.

How much does it cost to include a child?

For a child under 18, the standard additional charge is AUD 2,935 at the 300 stage and AUD 485 at the reduced 820/801 stage, from 1 July 2026, under items 1215 and 1124B of the Migration Regulations 1994. One applicant with one child included at both stages pays AUD 17,085: (11,710 + 2,935) + (1,955 + 485).

Do you pay again if you marry before the 300 is decided?

No new charge is set by the conversion mechanism. Under regulation 2.08E of the Migration Regulations 1994, notifying Home Affairs of a valid marriage to the named prospective spouse means you are taken also to have applied for the 309/100, and the 300’s first instalment counts as payment for the 100 charge.

Prospective Marriage visa costs: what an Australian migration lawyer checks before payment

An Australian legal practitioner may give immigration assistance in connection with legal practice under section 280(3) of the Migration Act 1958.

1. The correct partner charge band. Under item 1124B of the Migration Regulations 1994, standard main-applicant charges as at 3 October 2026 are AUD 1,955 for a married current 300 holder, AUD 2,475 for a qualifying former holder and AUD 11,710 where no reduced band applies; a lawyer can check the marriage date, lodgement date and visa status, including whether another visa replaced the 300.

2. The payment at stake. For a standard main applicant, the AUD 11,710 paid for the 300 is not refunded following refusal, according to the Home Affairs 300 page, updated 10 August 2026.

3. The separate review cost and deadline. The ART fees page lists AUD 3,727 as at 3 October 2026, subject to the financial-hardship reduction, and the Migration Act 1958 and Migration Regulations 1994 generally require the sponsor to lodge within 28 days after notification.

Before payment, an Australian migration lawyer can check the applicable charge band, missing documents, consistency of evidence and the relevant application criteria. That is a review of the application and its timing, not a promise of a grant or of avoiding every later cost.

Ask an Australian migration lawyer

An Australian migration lawyer can set out the whole-route cost for your circumstances, including the government charges above and the lawyer's own fees. The page on subclass 300 legal help explains how that help works, and the enquiry page is where to put your question to Australian Migration Lawyers.