Private ruling: Visa expenses
Published: October 2013
Ruling period: Year ended 30 June 2013
Date scheme commenced: 1 July 2012

Ruling: Q1: Are you entitled to claim a tax deduction for the costs associated with your application for a temporary work visa? | A1: No


Relevant legislative provisions: Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 section 8-1

Reasons for decision: Summary: Section 8-1 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997) broadly allows a deduction for any losses or outgoings to the extent to which they are incurred in gaining or producing assessable income except to the extent outgoings are of a capital, private or domestic nature. The courts have considered the meaning of 'incurred in gaining or producing the assessable income'. In Ronpibon Tin NL Tong Kah Compound NL v. Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1949) 78 CLR 47; 56 ALR 785; 8 ATD 431 the High Court stated that 'For expenditure to form an allowable deduction as an outgoing incurred in gaining or producing the assessable income it must be incidental and relevant to that end. The words "incurred in gaining or producing assessable income" mean in the course of gaining or producing such income.' The expenditure must therefore be related to the production of assessable income. The cost of applying for a temporary work visa is considered private in nature and not deductible under section 8-1 of the ITAA 1997 because the purpose of applying for the visa was to allow you to remain legally in Australia. The cost was not incurred in the performance of your employment duties. Accordingly, as the expense you incurred in applying for the visa was not incurred in gaining your assessable income, you are not entitled to a deduction for this cost.

You cannot rely on the rulings in the Register of private binding rulings in your tax affairs. You can only rely on a private ruling that we have given to you or to someone acting on your behalf. | The Register of private binding rulings is a public record of private rulings issued by the ATO. The register is an historical record of rulings, and we do not update it to reflect changes in the law or our policies. | The rulings in the register have been edited and may not contain all the factual details relevant to each decision. Do not use the register to predict ATO policy or decisions. | Relevant facts: You arrived in Australia in the particular year under a Temporary Work visa. | You signed an x year contract for a fulltime position. | The visa cover was only for an x year period. | In certain month 20xx your employer withdrew the health insurance coverage that was required for visa validity. | Given the initial work contract, visa discrepancy and lack of health insurance coverage and additional visa application was required to allow you to continue working under the initial contract offered. | You applied for an Employer Nomination subclass visa, which was granted in certain month 20xx.