On 1 July 2026, the Australian government raised the fee for the Resident Return Visa (RRV) — used by permanent residents to keep their right to travel to and re-enter Australia — from A$490 to A$1,475, a 201 per cent increase, according to 7NEWS. The five-year visa is a routine renewal for long-term permanent residents living or travelling overseas.
A Department of Home Affairs spokesperson said revenue from the increase “will support migration system reform and other government priorities,” adding that the government is “investing in reforming the migration system through the 2026–27 Budget.” The department has not published RRV-specific cost modelling, and a parliamentary petition against the change says “no public consultation was undertaken.”
The RRV increase is one part of a wider 1 July fee overhaul under Immigration Minister Tony Burke, which also raised a range of other visa fees by 25 per cent. The Temporary Graduate Visa — used by international students working in Australia after graduation — has had its fee nearly tripled this year in two steps: from A$2,300 to A$4,600 in March, then to A$5,750 last month.
Burke has yet to deliver a planned National Press Club address detailing the broader migration overhaul, after pulling out of the appearance earlier this month amid internal party concerns. He has also instructed his department to prioritise visa applications from migrants already in Australia over those applying from overseas.
