Need help separating those costs? Make a short general cost-planning enquiry without sending your protection story or documents.
What is the current protection visa application charge?
The current protection visa application charge listed by Home Affairs is AUD50 at the 8 October 2026 check. Confirm the amount shown in the application payment process before paying, because charges can change. Other costs and any payment surcharge are separate.
Use this ledger privately. Enter a quote or verified amount only when that expense applies; a blank cell does not mean the service is free. Review and court rows are contingencies, not costs every applicant incurs.
| Cost category | Dated amount or verification point | When to include it | Your private budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subclass 866 application charge | AUD50 official application charge; checked 8 October 2026; verify before payment | Application payment | _____ |
| Translations and document preparation | Obtain a quote for the actual work needed | Documents need translation or preparation | _____ |
| Health examinations | Confirm requirements and charges before arranging services | Required examination or treatment steps | _____ |
| Police certificates | Confirm the request and issuing charge | Department asks; never for the protection country | _____ |
| Legal assistance | Obtain a written scope and fee estimate | You choose legal help | _____ |
| Possible refund or credit | Do not deduct an assumed refund; establish the applicable rule | A payment-specific refund question arises | _____ |
| ART protection review | No upfront fee; $2,293 unsuccessful-review fee, checked 8 October 2026, subject to exceptions | An applicable unsuccessful review | _____ |
| Court filing | $4,180 full / $2,090 authorised reduced fee, effective 1 July 2026; exemptions also require checking | An appropriate court proceeding | _____ |
The official subclass 866 guide, ART review guidance and court legal resources support the conditional categories and official charges above. They do not establish a single all-inclusive protection visa price.
Which extra costs depend on your circumstances?
Extra protection visa costs depend on the documents, required checks and professional work involved. Do not treat a generic package price as evidence that every listed service is necessary.
The Home Affairs subclass 866 guide explains document and translation requirements, together with health and character checks. Identify which documents need translation before seeking a quote. Separately confirm the examinations required rather than importing another visa’s preparation checklist.
Do not arrange police certificates until the Department asks. Its protection visa guidance excludes certificates from the country for which you seek protection. A police-certificate budget line is therefore conditional, not a reason to contact authorities in that country.
For legal assistance, record the proposed work separately from official charges. A useful quote distinguishes application preparation, responses to later requests and any review work, identifying what is included and what would require a separate agreement. This is a budgeting method, not a statement that a particular practice offers those services at a particular price.
What happens to the fee after refusal or withdrawal?
The fee after refusal or withdrawal needs a payment-specific check. Do not assume that refusal or withdrawal makes your application charge refundable. The applicable official refund rules and circumstances of the payment need to be checked.
Do not deduct an expected refund from your budget merely because you withdraw, receive a refusal or no longer need a quoted service. Instead, keep each payment separate and check:
- Which payment is involved: the visa charge, an evidence service, legal work, tribunal charge or court fee.
- Whether payment has actually been made and who received it.
- Which official refund rule or service agreement applies to that payment.
- What confirmation is needed before recording a refund as available money.
For the visa charge, begin with Home Affairs fees and charges information. Do not transfer a refund rule from another visa or from a private service to your subclass 866 payment.
How do review and court fees differ?
Review and court fees pay for different processes. According to the ART immigration and citizenship guidance, protection review has no upfront application fee. The unsuccessful-review fee was $2,293 at the 8 October 2026 check, with referral exceptions. Confirm the current amount and applicable rules using the ART fees page; do not substitute the ordinary migration-review fee.
The court’s migration fee information lists a $4,180 full filing fee and $2,090 authorised reduced fee, effective 1 July 2026. Reduction and exemption rules require separate consideration: not everyone must pay the full amount. Lawyer fees and possible party-party costs are separate from filing charges.
Court proceedings concern legal error within the court’s jurisdiction, not a fresh merits assessment or a direct grant of a visa. The court’s migration review explanation explains that distinction. A court budget is therefore not simply the ART budget with a different filing fee.
Planning the cost of a protection visa application
Complete the ledger in three passes: identify costs needed now, obtain quotes for conditional preparation work, then keep review or court contingencies separate. Record the verification date beside each official amount. Leave unconfirmed refunds out of available funds.
For the broader context, see Protection Visa Australia Requirements, Apply for a Protection Visa: Documents, Form 866 and Evidence and, if relevant, Protection Visa Refused: Review, Deadlines and Other Visa Checks.
An Australian migration lawyer can help with this page’s exact task: identifying which expenses apply at your current stage, separating official charges from professional fees, and defining the work covered by a quote before you commit money.
Protection Visa Australia Requirements is an independent information publisher, not a law firm. Send a short general matter-stage enquiry if you want to discuss cost planning. With your consent, an optional enquiry can be forwarded to Australian Migration Lawyers at contact@australianmigrationlawyers.com.au. Forwarding creates no retainer; the practice decides whether to accept the matter and determines its scope and fees. Do not include sensitive claim details or documents.
