Do I Get a Refund If the Subclass 102 Adoption Visa Is Refused in 2026?
No. The Australian Department of Home Affairs states on its Adoption visa (Subclass 102) page: "We will not refund the application fee if we refuse the application." As of August 2026, that single sentence settles the question — the charge pays for the assessment of the application, not for a favourable outcome.
The same page draws a second, separate line that is easy to confuse with a refund: if you have not paid the correct visa application charge, the Department cannot process the application and may return it to you. That is a different situation from a decision being made and refused.
What does the official page say about refunds on refusal?
The refusal rule appears in the visa outcome step of the Adoption visa (Subclass 102) page. It is stated without conditions or exceptions:
We will not refund the application fee if we refuse the application.
The same section explains what the Department does send you when the outcome is negative. You are told the decision in writing, given the reasons for the refusal, and told whether there is a right to a review of that decision. The page also advises keeping a copy of the decision.
Is there any situation where the application — or the payment — comes back?
Yes, but the page does not describe it as a refund. Two scenarios are covered:
- The correct charge was not paid. "We cannot process the application if you do not pay the correct visa application charge. If this happens, we will let you know and may return your application." The wording concerns returning the application because it cannot be processed, not returning money already assessed against a decision.
- Steps in the paper application were incomplete. "If any of the above steps are incomplete, your application may be invalid. We do not process invalid applications. We will notify you if this is the case, and if requested, return your application."
| What happened | What the page says about the fee or the application |
|---|---|
| Application assessed and refused | "We will not refund the application fee if we refuse the application." |
| Correct visa application charge not paid | Cannot be processed; the Department will let you know and may return the application |
| Paper application steps incomplete | Application may be invalid and will not be processed; returned if requested |
When does the fee have to be paid?
Before you post anything. The paper application step says clearly: "You must pay the application charge before you post your application," followed by "We will not process your application until you pay the application charge."
For Subclass 102 there is no online lodgement route. The page directs applicants to complete Form 47CH (Application for migration to Australia by a child) and Form 40CH (Sponsorship for a child to migrate to Australia), send them together with the required documents by prepaid post or courier to the Child and Other Family Processing Centre in Perth, and include evidence that the charge was paid. Applications delivered to any other office, or in person, are not valid applications and cannot be considered further. Forms must be completed in English.
Here is a labelled hypothetical that shows how the "correct charge" rule bites. Suppose an applicant prepares Form 47CH and Form 40CH for a child and includes the child's own dependent child in the same application, but pays only what they believe the main applicant owes. Because the page states there is an additional charge for each dependent child applying for the visa, the correct charge has not been paid — and the application can be returned unprocessed rather than assessed.
How much will the assessment cost in 2026?
The Adoption visa (Subclass 102) page does not publish a figure in text; it directs applicants to the Visa Pricing Estimator to work out what the visa might cost. Two things widen the gap between whatever amount you have in mind and what you actually spend:
- An additional charge applies for each dependent child of the child who applies for the visa.
- Health exams, police certificates and biometrics may add further costs, and the estimator "does not consider the other costs."
One concession does change the arithmetic for some families. From 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid application, and family members are also eligible based on the primary applicant's passport. Eligibility is recognised when applying with a valid passport issued by one of the listed countries: 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 Department charges the lower cost during the application process. Because published government charges move, treat any figure you obtain as valid only as of the day you check the official sources.
Can payment problems slow everything down?
They can. The processing section lists "you do not make full payment at the time of initial lodgement" among the reasons an application might take longer to process, alongside applications that are not filled in correctly or are missing documents. Since the Department will not process an application until the charge is paid, paying the wrong amount puts the file in the "may return your application" category described above. Delays do not change the refund outcome — fee payment, late or early, is not linked to any refund right on this page.
By contrast, straightforward lodgement has its own timeline marker: the page says you should receive an acknowledgement of the application within approximately one month after lodgement. For an indication of how long decisions are currently taking, the page points to the visa processing time guide tool, which shows the processing times of recently decided applications and is a guide only, not specific to any one application. This article is general information rather than personalised migration or legal advice, and details such as amounts and effective dates change, so the official current page and a registered migration agent or legal practitioner are the authoritative reference for your own circumstances.
What can an applicant do so the fee is not spent on an assessment that fails?
The page does not frame this as a checklist, but its requirements point in the same direction: pay the full correct charge at lodgement, identify every dependent child included so their additional charge is covered, lodge only the two named forms together, send them to the correct Perth address rather than another office or in person, and provide accurate documents — because the outcome of an inaccurate application is still a decision, and the fee is still not refunded.
Two further points follow from the same page. Original documents should not be posted; only certified copies should be sent, and all supporting material should be kept for the applicant's own records. If something was answered incorrectly, the page directs applicants to notify the Department as soon as possible using Form 1023 (Notification of incorrect answers).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Subclass 102 application fee get refunded if the visa is refused?
No. The Australian Department of Home Affairs Adoption visa (Subclass 102) page states plainly: "We will not refund the application fee if we refuse the application." The page attaches no conditions or exceptions to that statement, including where the refusal concerns identity, character or adoption evidence.
What happens if I paid the wrong amount?
If the correct visa application charge has not been paid, the Department cannot process the application; it will let you know and may return your application. This is a return of the unprocessed application rather than a refund described on the page, and it is why full payment at initial lodgement matters.
Do I have to pay before sending the paper application?
Yes. Applicants must pay the application charge before posting Form 47CH and Form 40CH to the Child and Other Family Processing Centre in Perth, and the application should include evidence of payment with all supporting documentation. The Department will not process the application until the charge is paid.
Does the Visa Pricing Estimator cover everything I will spend?
No. The estimator helps you work out what the visa might cost, but the page says it does not consider other costs, which may include health exams, police certificates and biometrics. An additional charge also applies for each of the child's dependent children who apply for the visa.
Will I be told why the application was refused?
Yes. The Department says it will tell you its decision in writing, including why the visa was refused and whether there is a right to a review of the decision. The page advises keeping a copy of the decision.
Is there a lower visa cost for Pacific Island or Timor-Leste applicants?
Yes, from 1 July 2026, for eligible citizens lodging a valid application, charged during the application process and recognised through the primary applicant's valid passport from one of the specified countries. Family members are eligible too, based on the primary applicant's passport.