Charging for RoS 851 Help in 2026: Who May Charge and What a 'Fast-Track' Offer Means

According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs' official Resolution of Status (Subclass 851) visa page, there is no cost for the visa and no visa application charge, and the Department does not charge a fee to fast-track a visa — if you are offered priority processing for payment, the page states it is a scam. For paid help, the same official guidance says only registered migration agents and legal practitioners can charge for immigration assistance, and anyone acting as a migration agent must be registered with the Office of Migration Agents Regulatory Authority (OMARA). This article is general information only, not personalised professional advice, and it cannot promise any visa outcome; your own circumstances should be checked against the latest official information or with a lawful adviser.

What does the Resolution of Status (Subclass 851) visa itself cost in 2026?

The short answer is nothing. The official page states plainly that there is no cost, and repeats that there is no visa application charge for the RoS visa. The visa is the permanent resolution-of-status pathway for certain Temporary Protection visa (TPV) and Safe Haven Enterprise visa (SHEV) holders, and eligible applicants lodge it online through ImmiAccount.

That “no cost” position covers the application itself. The official page does not quote a government fee for health examinations or police certificates; it only says you may be asked for them, and that the health requirement may be waived if you already satisfied it for your TPV or SHEV. Because no amount is given, no fee should be assumed for those steps.

If you applied for an initial TPV or SHEV before 14 February 2023, or a subsequent TPV or SHEV before that date, you do not need to apply at all — the department converts your application, and there is no payment involved in that conversion.

Who is allowed to help you with a RoS 851 application?

Not everyone. The official page says that if you appoint someone to give you immigration assistance, that person must be a registered migration agent, a legal practitioner, or an exempt person. Anyone at all may be appointed to receive documents on your behalf, but receiving documents is not the same as giving immigration assistance.

To formalise the arrangement, the department’s steps refer to Form 956 (Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person) for immigration assistance, and Form 956A (Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient) for someone who only receives your correspondence.

Who may actually charge you for RoS help?

The department’s guidance is direct: only registered migration agents and legal practitioners can charge for immigration assistance. A registered migration agent may charge, provided they are registered with OMARA. A legal practitioner may charge. An exempt person may give immigration assistance, but because only registered migration agents and legal practitioners can charge, an exempt person is not in the group that may charge for that assistance.

Someone who is not a registered migration agent, legal practitioner, or exempt person is not lawfully giving immigration assistance at all — and if they ask to be paid for it, that is outside the framework the official page sets out. The page also reminds applicants using a migration agent to ensure the agent is registered with OMARA.

What should you check before paying anyone for RoS 851 help?

Start with the registration question. Before paying a migration agent, check that the person is registered with OMARA; the agent must be on the OMARA register to charge for immigration assistance. Ask the person to identify which category they fall into — registered migration agent, legal practitioner, or exempt person — and what exactly the fee covers, such as advice, completing the online form, or uploading documents.

Then separate the service fee from any invented government charge. Because the visa has no application charge and the department does not charge to fast-track, a request for a “government visa fee”, a “lodgement fee” or a “priority fee” is not a legitimate official charge. If an agent completes your application form, the official guidance says you must still read and understand all the information in the form, and any statutory declaration, before signing it. No adviser can guarantee a grant, and this article does not promise one; the decision is made by the department on the application.

What does a “fast-track” or paid priority offer really mean?

It means you should treat it as a scam signal. The official page states: “The Department of Home Affairs does not charge a fee to fast-track a visa. If you get offered this service, it is a scam.” There is no paid queue-jumping product for the RoS visa, and no payment can buy a faster decision.

The department continues to actively process all RoS visa applications, and notes that some cases are more complex and may need additional information, including about identity. A valid RoS application made before your current TPV or SHEV ceases also extends that visa until a decision is made — that extension is a consequence of lodging on time, not something anyone can sell you.

Is free help available instead of paying?

Yes. The official page says you can get free legal assistance to apply for a RoS visa and lists the specialist legal service provider for each state and territory. The page lists the following providers by state and territory:

State / Territory	Specialist legal service provider
Australian Capital Territory (ACT)	Legal Aid ACT
New South Wales (NSW)	Refugee Advice and Casework Service (RACS); Immigration Advice and Rights Centre (IARC) on referral from RACS NSW
Northern Territory (NT)	Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission
Queensland (QLD)	Refugee and Immigration Legal Service (RAILS)
South Australia (SA)	Legal Services Commission of SA
Tasmania (TAS)	Tasmanian Refugee Legal Service
Victoria (VIC)	Refugee Legal
Western Australia (WA)	Circle Green Community Legal

These providers are listed on the department’s RoS visa factsheet as well. The visa application remains free whether you use free assistance, a registered migration agent, or a legal practitioner.

What if someone asks to be paid to “convert” or “secure” your RoS grant?

Conversions are automatic where they apply. If you applied for an initial TPV or SHEV before 14 February 2023, or a subsequent TPV or SHEV before that date, you do not need to apply for a RoS visa; the department converts the application and will notify you if a RoS visa is granted. No payment is part of that process, and no one can charge you to make a conversion happen.

Any offer to “guarantee” approval, to “secure” a grant, or to pay the department for faster processing contradicts the official position that the visa is free and that paid fast-track offers are scams. If you have already paid for such an offer, this article cannot promise any refund or outcome; the reliable point is that the department does not sell faster processing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a government fee to apply for the RoS 851 visa in 2026?

No. The official Resolution of Status (Subclass 851) page states there is no cost and no visa application charge for the visa. The government fee for lodging the application is nil, so any demand for a “visa fee” is not an official charge.

Can a migration agent legally charge me for RoS 851 help?

Only if the agent is a registered migration agent. The official page says only registered migration agents and legal practitioners can charge for immigration assistance, and applicants using a migration agent should ensure the agent is registered with OMARA. An unregistered person is not in the group that may charge.

Can an exempt person charge me for immigration assistance?

No. An exempt person may give immigration assistance, but the department states that only registered migration agents and legal practitioners can charge for immigration assistance. Anyone at all may be appointed to receive documents on your behalf, though receiving documents is a separate function from giving assistance.

What does it mean if someone offers to fast-track my RoS application for a fee?

It is a scam, according to the official page, which says the Department of Home Affairs does not charge a fee to fast-track a visa and that such an offer is a scam. No payment can legitimately buy priority processing, and no adviser can guarantee a faster decision.

Do I have to pay anyone to convert my TPV or SHEV application into a RoS application?

No. If you applied for an initial TPV or SHEV before 14 February 2023, or a subsequent TPV or SHEV before that date, the department converts the application automatically and notifies you of the outcome. There is no payment involved in that conversion, and the RoS visa itself has no application charge.

Is free help available for a RoS 851 application?

Yes. The official page says free legal assistance is available and lists specialist community legal service providers for each state and territory, such as Legal Aid ACT, Refugee Advice and Casework Service in NSW, and Refugee Legal in Victoria. The visa application is free whether you use free assistance, a registered agent, or a legal practitioner.