Australia Announces 1 Condition to Get Cheaper Visa for Citizens of 23 Countries
- Australia's Department of Home Affairs lists a cost concession on the Student visa (subclass 500) for citizens of 23 Pacific Island, Timor-Leste, and ASEAN countries
- The single condition applicants from the 23 eligible countries must satisfy to access the lower visa cost involves their travel document
- Family members of a qualifying primary applicant can also benefit from the reduced visa cost under the same arrangement
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Australia's Department of Home Affairs has outlined a cost concession on its Student visa (subclass 500) that allows citizens of 23 countries to pay less than the standard application fee, but there is one condition they must satisfy to qualify.
The standard Student visa costs from AUD 2,500 for the main applicant. However, citizens of eligible Pacific Island, Timor-Leste, and ASEAN nations can access a lower rate, provided they hold a valid passport issued by one of the specified countries and use it when lodging their application through ImmiAccount.
Source: UGC
That valid passport is the single condition the Australian government requires to recognise and charge an applicant at the reduced rate.
The 23 Countries Eligible for the Concession
The cost concession covers two groups of countries. Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens eligible for the lower rate are nationals of the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu — 13 countries in total.
The ASEAN group adds a further 10 countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Timor-Leste appears on both lists, though the applicable cost for its citizens follows the Pacific Island and Timor-Leste rate rather than the ASEAN rate.
Family members included in the same application are also eligible for the lower cost. The government bases this on the passport of the primary applicant rather than requiring each family member to independently satisfy the condition.
What the Student Visa Allows
The Australian Student visa permits holders to participate in an eligible course of study for up to six years, travel in and out of the country freely while the visa remains valid, and work up to 48 hours per fortnight during study sessions.
Students enrolled in a master's by research or doctoral degree, along with their families, face no work-hour cap.
From October 2, 2026, new rules came into effect governing who can apply for the visa while already inside Australia and whether family members can be added to an application.
Most applicants must now apply from outside Australia unless they meet a specific exemption category.
The Department of Home Affairs notes that applications lodged before that date continue to be assessed under the rules in place at the time of lodging.
Australia speaks about assessing Medicare
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia published a list of 11 countries it holds Reciprocal Health Care Agreements with, covering medically necessary treatment during visits.
Citizens from the listed countries can receive emergency care and treatment for illnesses that cannot wait until they return home.
Source: Legit.ng
