Visa Evidencing Charge increase from 1 July

IMPACT – LOW

What is the change? The Visa Evidencing Charge (VEC) will increase from AUD70 to AUD150.

What does the change mean? From 1 July 2014, individuals requesting a visa label to be affixed to their passports must pay the increased fee.

• Implementation timeframe: 1 July 2014.
• Visas/permits affected: Most visa holders will be affected. However, certain visa holders will remain exempt from paying VEC.
• Impact on processing times:

Background: All visa grants are recorded electronically and can be verified online, but those who request a visa label as evidence of their visa grant are charged a fee.  Online verification of visa status is now widely used and accepted. It is intended that the increased charge will strike a balance between encouraging clients to use online verification, while remaining non-prohibitive for those that continue to want a label in the short term.

Since the introduction of the VEC in 2012, demand for visa labels has decreased by approximately 90 per cent. The department seeks to further reduce the residual demand for visa labels.

BAL Analysis: This is in accordance with the Australian Government‘s move toward digital services.

This alert has been provided by BAL Australia. For additional information, please contact australia@bal.com.

MARN: 1174572

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