'I felt ostracised': 70-year-old exposes 'unfair' 200% surge in Aussie visa fee

Permanent residents of Australia will be met with a rude shock next time they renew their return visas to go overseas.

The estimated 1.7-million-plus people living in Australia who are eligible to apply for a permanent resident return visa will find the price has gone up by a huge 200 per cent.

Resident return visas allow permanent residents who have not become Australian citizens to re-enter the country after they leave to go on holidays or visit family, and they are valid for five years.

The Australian Government usually adjusts visa prices in line with the consumer price index every July. But this year, increases were part of a major policy shift that had visa prices jump by approximately 25 per cent across the board.

The resident return visa, however, tripled in price from $490 to $1475.

Pensioner Allan Howieson, who has lived in Australia for 40 years, said when he and his wife realised it would cost them $3000 to get back into Australia, on top of the price of their holiday, he felt "ostracised".

"It's the first time since I came to Australia in 1986 ... that I actually felt as if I wasn't an Australian," Howieson told Explore.

He called it "unfair".

"I've always looked at myself as being Australian. I've been here longer than I ever was in Scotland," the Port Douglas, NSW, resident said.

Never having felt any pressure to become an Australian citizen before, Howeison said his age made the process to citizenship seem unattainable now.

"If I wanted to become an Australian citizen, I've got to wait about 14 months after doing all the paperwork for it to be processed, and then I have to wait until I get the ceremony, and then I have to wait ... to get a passport," he said.

"That's like two years out of my life. I'm 70 years old. I might not make another two years."

An online petition on Change.org is asking for the government to "reverse the unfair 201 per cent increase" in the resident return visa fee. At time of press, it had over 34,000 signatures.

The petition points to a lack of transparency about what the extra visa fees will be used for.

"This new fee is excessive, disproportionate and unfair," the petition states.

"It places a substantial financial burden on families, retirees, lower-income permanent residents and people temporarily overseas who need to return to the country they call home. For families in which several members require separate visas, the combined cost may amount to several thousand dollars."

A spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs told Explore additional revenue from visa application charge increases will "support migration system reform and other government priorities".

They said Australia "remains an attractive destination" and the increases are "unlikely to materially affect demand for most visas".

"The increased Resident Return Visa (RRV) application charge reflects the importance of permanent residents retaining their eligibility to travel to and live in Australia," the spokesperson said.

"The value of an RRV extends beyond a single journey, as it enables eligible permanent residents to retain access to the benefits and privileges associated with permanent residency.

"Eligible permanent residents can avoid re-entry requirements and costs by applying for Australian Citizenship and making an ongoing commitment to Australia and our shared values."