Many people who have parents living overseas might want to bring them to Australia either temporarily or permanently.
There are several parent visas available in Australia, but they are either expensive or there’s a very long wait time.
The three major pathways involve contributory, non-contributory and visitor visa categories.
On 21 June 2016 during the campaign for the last federal election, the Liberal party promised a temporary sponsored parent visa with up to five years’ continuous stay in Australia.
This visa is yet to become a reality as its passage has been caught up in delays for over two years now.
Arvind Duggal, the convener and the founder member of the Long Stay Visa for Parents campaign committee has expressed his ‘disappointment’ over the delays.
“We feel deceived by the government. Coalition failed to deliver its promises to the migrant community. The Long stay visa campaign has a very genuine and reasonable demand that should have been met by now,” said Mr Duggal.
“It has been a long journey for us as a family, as a team, and as a community. The government made our simple proposal so complicated that we are still struggling to achieve it.
“Now we’re meeting with the shadow minister and the other members of the Labor party on Tuesday to address this issue. It’ll be an open and upfront discussion. We’ve high hopes from them.
Mr Duggal told SBS that ever since the last federal election, they’ve been in touch with the all major political parties.
Members of Long Stay Visa For Parents committee. Source: Photo by Preetinder Grewal
“The matter was so important that they all [Liberal, Green, Labor] announced their version of the Long stay visa,” he said. “The community appreciated the announcements, but we believe it has taken a long way for this visa to become a reality.”
“After the elections, the government did community consultations, but we’re not taken into confidence. Some of the people who made submission had very limited or no knowledge of this issue….. And now everyone knows the result.”
"We’re very thankful to local MP Steve Georganas - Member for Hindmarsh, Dana Wortley - Member for Torrens and Russell Wortley MLC who have been instrumental in setting up this important meeting."
Listen to our conversation with Arvind Duggal:
LISTEN TO
Campaigners demand Long Stay Visa for Parents
SBS Punjabi
24/09/201807:16
Earlier, Opposition immigration spokesperson Shayne Neumann said the government has broken their promise to the multicultural and migrant communities.
“I've written to the new Immigration Minister asking why the divided, unstable and illegitimate Liberals have broken their promise to Australia's multicultural and migrant communities,” reads the statement shared on social media.
“Migrants waiting for the long-awaited temporary sponsored parent visa say they are disappointed at the ‘inordinate delay’ in making the visa available despite its announcement in May last year.”
The visa was first promised during the run-up to the 2016 federal election when Turnbull Government promised a parent visa with up to five years’ continuous stay in Australia.
Source: Supplied
The Department of Home Affairs says the availability of the visa is subject to the passage of Migration Amendments (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill through the Parliament.
The Bill has already been passed by the House of Representatives and is currently before the Senate.
But the government has not listed it to be brought before the Senate yet.
“It is very important for the government to recognize and respect our genuine demand. We’re in touch with Labor and Greens but there's no room for politics on this matter,” Mr Duggal says.
“It's our privilege as an Indian community that we are leading this campaign which can change the lives of many migrants’ families in Australia."
