Full List: Australian Government Reduces Visa Cost for Citizens Of 23 Countries

• Australia offers a reduced Student visa (subclass 500) application charge to eligible citizens of 23 countries across the Pacific Islands, Timor-Leste and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
• The standard student visa application charge is AUD 2,500 (approximately KSh 215,000) for the main applicant, while eligible nationals qualify for a lower fee
• Eligible family members included in an applicant’s application can also benefit from the concession, which is applied through Australia’s online ImmiAccount system

Australia’s Department of Home Affairs has confirmed a reduced visa application charge for eligible citizens of 23 countries applying for the Student visa (subclass 500).

The concession covers countries across the Pacific Islands, Timor-Leste and Southeast Asia. It reduces the cost for qualifying applicants compared with the standard application charge of AUD 2,500 (approximately KSh 215,000) for the primary applicant.

The lower charge is applied during the online application process through ImmiAccount, Australia’s immigration application platform. The system identifies eligible applicants based on the passport they use.

Family members included in an eligible applicant’s application may also qualify for the reduced charge.

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13 Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste eligible for the reduced fee

Citizens holding valid passports from the following countries qualify under the Pacific Island and Timor-Leste arrangements:

1. Federated States of Micronesia
2. Fiji
3. Kiribati
4. Nauru
5. Palau
6. Papua New Guinea
7. Republic of the Marshall Islands
8. Samoa
9. Solomon Islands
10. Timor-Leste
11. Tonga
12. Tuvalu
13. Vanuatu

These countries make up the Pacific Island and Timor-Leste group covered by the concession.

ASEAN countries eligible for the reduced student visa cost

Citizens of the following Southeast Asian countries are also included in the reduced-fee arrangements:

1. Brunei Darussalam
2. Cambodia
3. Indonesia
4. Lao People's Democratic Republic
5. Malaysia
6. Myanmar
7. Philippines
8. Singapore
9. Thailand
10. Timor-Leste
11. Vietnam

The list includes Timor-Leste in both groups, but the supplied information states that its citizens are assessed under the Pacific Island rate rather than the ASEAN rate.

Which visa applications qualify for the concession?

The reduced application charge also applies to applications in the Independent English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) and Non-Awards sectors.

ELICOS refers to English-language courses for international students. Non-Award courses generally involve study that does not lead to a formal Australian qualification.

Applicants should confirm the applicable fee and eligibility conditions through the Australian Department of Home Affairs before submitting an application.

How eligible applicants receive the reduced fee

According to the supplied information, applicants do not need to arrange a separate discount manually. The concession is applied through ImmiAccount, which identifies eligible applicants using their passport details.

However, eligibility for the reduced fee does not automatically guarantee approval of a Student visa. Applicants must still meet the relevant visa requirements.

Australia has also introduced changes affecting who can apply for a Student visa while already in the country and whether family members can be included in applications. Prospective students should check the latest official guidance to understand how those rules apply to their circumstances.

For the official details, visit the Australian Department of Home Affairs.

Source: Legit.ng

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