Subclass 189 VISA Application Fee - Currency Conversion

mohsinciddiki

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Hi,

I am paying visa application fee in AED (UAE Dirhams) which is costing me extra 3500-4000 AED (around 1000 USD) due to currency conversion. I am getting the rate which is really higher than the actual rates. I checked the fee via home affairs' fee estimator. Is it normal for them to provide such a high rate conversion? or is it just the estimator and actual rates would be close to real currency conversion?

@Dileep @MysticRiver
 
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2018-08-02
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2018-12-22
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2019-03-27
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2019-02-23
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2019-02-18
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2019-06-03
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2020-02-20

Sajid Ali

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Hi,

I am paying visa application fee in AED (UAE Dirhams) which is costing me extra 3500-4000 AED (around 1000 USD) due to currency conversion. I am getting the rate which is really higher than the actual rates. I checked the fee via home affairs' fee estimator. Is it normal for them to provide such a high rate conversion? or is it just the estimator and actual rates would be close to real currency conversion?

@Dileep @MysticRiver
Actual exchange rates depends on the credit card corresponding bank you are using, Plus currency exchange charges.

same happen to me, once I check the conversion rate at my bank website, it saying 1AUD = 2.57SAR, but in reality they deduct 1 AUS = 2.67SAR
 
MSA
2017-12-21
Skill
233311
SC
190 (QLD)
Point
70
EOI
2018-08-27
Nom.
2018-10-16
Inv.
2018-10-25
App.
2018-11-10
PCC
2018-11-10
HC
2019-01-05
Grant
2019-02-25
IED
2019-10-30

mohsinciddiki

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Actual exchange rates depends on the credit card corresponding bank you are using, Plus currency exchange charges.

same happen to me, once I check the conversion rate at my bank website, it saying 1AUD = 2.57SAR, but in reality they deduct 1 AUS = 2.67SAR
I am getting 3.1 AED to AUD conversion based on the fee estimator which is waayyyyy more
 
MSA
2018-08-02
Skill
261111
SC
189/190
Point
75/80
EOI
2018-08-17
Nom.
2018-11-11
Inv.
2018-11-11
App.
2018-12-22
CO
2019-03-27
PCC
2019-02-23
HC
2019-02-18
Grant
2019-06-03
IED
2020-02-20

Sajid Ali

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I am getting 3.1 AED to AUD conversion based on the fee estimator which is waayyyyy more
Don't bother yourself too much, Visa Fee estimator is using high conversion rate.

My personal experience: Visa Fee Estimator shows: 25539 +1.32% Visa Surcharge = 25876SAR

Whereas actually I paid 23887SAR (including Visa Surcharge), which is 1989SAR lower then the Visa Fee Estimator.
 
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MSA
2017-12-21
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233311
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190 (QLD)
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70
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2018-10-25
App.
2018-11-10
PCC
2018-11-10
HC
2019-01-05
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2019-02-25
IED
2019-10-30

mohsinciddiki

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Don't bother yourself too much, Visa Fee estimator is using high conversion rate.

My personal experience: Visa Fee Estimator shows: 25539 +1.32% Visa Surcharge = 25876SAR

Whereas actually I paid 23887SAR (including Visa Surcharge), which is 1989SAR lower then the Visa Fee Estimator.
Hmm sounds good then
 
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2018-12-22
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2019-02-23
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2019-02-18
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2019-06-03
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2020-02-20

yerkan41

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If you do the payment within bank working hours, the exchange rate will be the fine. At least it's the case in my country.
 
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mohsinciddiki

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If you do the payment within bank working hours, the exchange rate will be the fine. At least it's the case in my country.
Let me check with my bank. They are giving very good rate to me i.e. 1 AUD to 2.57 AED but if DHA fixed their exchange rates to what they are showing in their estimation (3.1 AED) is much higher so I dont know what rate would be charged. But as @Sajid Ali suggested, might be the actual rates is OK
 
MSA
2018-08-02
Skill
261111
SC
189/190
Point
75/80
EOI
2018-08-17
Nom.
2018-11-11
Inv.
2018-11-11
App.
2018-12-22
CO
2019-03-27
PCC
2019-02-23
HC
2019-02-18
Grant
2019-06-03
IED
2020-02-20

MysticRiver

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DHA should have nothing to do with the currency conversion. They will charge your card in AUD and will be blind about what amount being deducted from your card in AED. Basically, extra fees come into play due to
  1. The exchange rate maintained by your bank
    1. Some banks directly use VISA/MasterCard etc. rate, which is the best from users' perspective
    2. Some banks use their own FX rate which is almost all the time worst than Visa/MasterCard etc. rate
  2. The foreign transaction fee from your bank (some bank waive that fee for some specific credit card)
The only extra thing DHA might charge, if any, is the credit card fee which should not exceed $10 (most likely less than that). In any case, they will clearly mention how much they will be charging in AUD from your card, and rest it's all your bank.
 

mohsinciddiki

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
4,022
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83
MSA
2018-08-02
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261111
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189/190
Point
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2018-08-17
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2018-11-11
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2018-11-11
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2018-12-22
CO
2019-03-27
PCC
2019-02-23
HC
2019-02-18
Grant
2019-06-03
IED
2020-02-20
DHA should have nothing to do with the currency conversion. They will charge your card in AUD and will be blind about what amount being deducted from your card in AED. Basically, extra fees come into play due to
  1. The exchange rate maintained by your bank
    1. Some banks directly use VISA/MasterCard etc. rate, which is the best from users' perspective
    2. Some banks use their own FX rate which is almost all the time worst than Visa/MasterCard etc. rate
  2. The foreign transaction fee from your bank (some bank waive that fee for some specific credit card)
The only extra thing DHA might charge, if any, is the credit card fee which should not exceed $10 (most likely less than that). In any case, they will clearly mention how much they will be charging in AUD from your card, and rest it's all your bank.
My bank is giving very good rate so I believe that should be good to go with my credit card then and neglecting the estimator results
 
MSA
2018-08-02
Skill
261111
SC
189/190
Point
75/80
EOI
2018-08-17
Nom.
2018-11-11
Inv.
2018-11-11
App.
2018-12-22
CO
2019-03-27
PCC
2019-02-23
HC
2019-02-18
Grant
2019-06-03
IED
2020-02-20

MysticRiver

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Just to be on the safe side, talk to them what FX rate and transaction fee they use when you pay in a foreign currency.
 
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