Over 32,000 Sign Petition to Reverse 201% Hike in Australia’s Resident Return Visa Fee

The Australian Government’s latest migration fee overhaul has sparked a swift backlash among the Indian and broader South‑Asian diaspora. A petition that has now attracted more than 32,000 signatures is urging the Albanese administration to scrap a decision that lifts the Resident Return Visa (RRV) charge by more than three‑fold – a 201 percent increase for permanent residents.

The RRV allows Australians who have lived overseas to re‑enter the country and retain their permanent‑resident status. Under the revised schedule, the fee jump makes the application considerably more expensive, prompting concerns that it will deter skilled migrants and overseas students of Indian origin who often rely on the visa to maintain family ties and business interests.

Community groups and migration advocates argue that the surge is one of the steepest in the recent fee restructure and call it a barrier to mobility for an already high‑skilled cohort. They are pressing the Department of Home Affairs to reconsider the pricing, citing the potential impact on Australia’s talent pipeline and on families spread across continents.

The petition remains open, and its growing support suggests the issue will stay on the political agenda as the government reviews its migration policies.