Lower Visa Costs for Pacific and Timor-Leste Applicants from 1 July 2026 (Subclass 838)
Explains who pays the lower subclass 838 visa charge from 1 July 2026, the 13 listed countries, and how ImmiAccount recognises eligibility.
From 1 July 2026, eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid application for the Aged Dependent Relative visa (subclass 838) are charged a lower visa application charge (VAC). This is set out on the Australian Department of Home Affairs' official Aged Dependent Relative visa (Subclass 838) page, as at the August 2026 version of that page. The lower charge is applied automatically during the application process in ImmiAccount for people who apply with a valid passport from one of the listed countries.
What actually changes on 1 July 2026?
The change is to the visa application charge only. It does not create a new visa, and the page does not say the lower charge changes who can qualify for subclass 838.
The Department's wording is that the lower VAC applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid visa application. So the starting point is a valid application; a form that is rejected or not validly lodged does not attract the benefit. The Department also notes that concessions generally apply only in limited circumstances, which is worth keeping in mind if you are relying on any other fee relief alongside this one.
Which countries are on the list?
The primary applicant must hold a valid passport issued by one of these 13 countries:
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Fiji
- Kiribati
- Nauru
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Republic of the Marshall Islands
- Samoa
- Solomon Islands
- Timor-Leste
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
The passport has to be valid and it has to be the passport the primary applicant applies with. Nationality claimed some other way, or an expired document, is not what the page describes as the trigger.
How does ImmiAccount recognise an eligible applicant?
Recognition is passport-based and happens inside the application process, not by a separate claim or request. The Department says it will recognise eligible applicants when they apply with a valid passport from one of the specified countries, and that it will charge the lower VAC during the application process in ImmiAccount.
In practice, that means the practical step for an applicant is to make sure the passport details entered in ImmiAccount match a valid passport from a listed country. There is no separate form or approval to obtain before the charge is applied.
Do family members included in the application also pay less?
Yes. Family members are also eligible for the lower VAC, and the Department bases this on the passport of the primary applicant or visa holder who satisfies the primary visa criteria — not on each family member's own passport.
Assume an applicant holds a valid Samoan passport and includes a dependent child who holds a passport from a country outside the list. On the rule as published, the dependent's charge follows the primary applicant's passport, so the lower VAC applies to that family member as well. The reverse also follows: a family member who holds a Fijian passport does not bring the lower charge to an application whose primary applicant holds a passport from a country not on the list.
For this visa, the family members who can be included are dependent children and stepchildren. They must meet the health and character requirements, and you are required to list all family members in the application form whether they are migrating or not.
What costs still apply to a subclass 838 application?
The lower charge is one part of the total cost, and several other amounts sit outside it. The visa is paid in two instalments: the first when you apply, and the second when the Department asks for it. The Visa Pricing Estimator does not include the second instalment, and it does not include the additional costs below, so a figure produced there is not the full outlay.
Other costs you may need to budget for include:
- health checks
- police certificates
- biometrics
The Department's published base cost for this visa is expressed as a "from" figure with an additional charge for each family member who applies with you. Amounts move over time and depend on individual circumstances, so the current figures should be read off the Department's official fees pages. This article is general information about a published concession and is not advice on any individual case; confirm your own position against the Department's current page or with a registered professional before you rely on it.
Does the lower charge make the application faster?
No. Subclass 838 sits in the Other Family visa category, where the Department states demand is greater than the number of places available each year, and that applications are subject to capping and queueing. Processing times can be lengthy, and the published processing time guide shows times for recently decided applications as a guide only — it is not specific to any one application.
One point is worth flagging because it interacts with cost: the Department cannot process an application if the correct visa application charge has not been paid. In that situation it will notify the applicant and, if necessary, return the application. Paying the correct visa application charge is therefore a processing requirement: the Department has said it will notify you and, if necessary, return the application if the correct charge is not paid.
What else should applicants check before lodging?
You must be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when you apply and when the Department decides the application. Any family members applying with you must also be in Australia, and not in immigration clearance, at the time you apply.
If the visa is granted, it is a permanent visa and residence starts on the day of grant for citizenship purposes. Travel to and from Australia is allowed as many times as you want for five years from the date of grant; after that travel validity ends, you would need a Resident Return visa (subclass 155 or 157) to re-enter as a permanent resident, or to consider Australian citizenship.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the lower subclass 838 charge start?
The lower visa application charge applies from 1 July 2026. It is tied to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens lodging a valid visa application, so the relevant question is both the date of lodgement and whether the application is valid.
How many countries are covered by the concession?
Thirteen countries are listed: 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 primary applicant must hold a valid passport issued by one of them.
Is eligibility based on my passport or on where I live?
It is based on the passport you apply with. The Department says it recognises eligible applicants when they apply with a valid passport from one of the specified countries, and it applies the lower charge during the ImmiAccount application process.
My dependent child has a passport from a country not on the list — do they still pay less?
Yes, if you are the primary applicant and you hold a valid passport from a listed country. The lower VAC for family members is based on the passport of the primary applicant or visa holder who satisfies the primary visa criteria.
Does the lower charge reduce the second instalment as well?
The Department's page describes a lower visa application charge for eligible applicants and separately describes the two-instalment structure. It does not spell out how the reduction is split between instalments, so the split should be confirmed against the current official fees information.
Does paying less change my place in the visa queue?
Nothing on the Department's page links the charge to queue position. Other Family visa applications are subject to capping and queueing, and processing can be lengthy regardless of the charge paid.