Gold Coast based Haider Ali applied for a partner visa for his wife in November 2019. While waiting for the visa, his wife visited Australia twice on a visitor visa and is now currently staying with him due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Haider has completed a Masters in Computer Systems from Australia and has been working in the IT industry for the last five years. He tells SBS Urdu that his wife is on a bridging visa which does not allow any working rights nor she can actively participate or contribute to the society.
“My wife and I are expecting a child. But we don’t know if she will stay here and deliver the baby or she might have to leave to Pakistan.
“Financially, emotionally and mentally; the wait for the partner visa is hitting us on a daily basis.”
My wife and I got married in 2019 and wanted to start a new life. But without her partner visa, we are unsure if she can stay in Australia or not, so we can’t really begin our new family.
"Ideally, we would have loved to see the visa within six months or by one year."
Melbourne based migration agent Imran Ali Lakhani says that applicants who are currently in Australia are being prioritised by the government while offshore applicants' sponsors in regional areas also being given an advantage in processing.
“Seventy-five per cent of partner visa subclass 820 (provisional) & subclass 801 (permanent) applicants have been processed within 23 months & 11 months respectively;" he said.
"Furthermore, most of the applications of subclass 309 (provisional) processed within 19 months & subclass 100 (permanent) has been processed within 16 months.
“An increased partner visa allocation from 47,000 to 72,300 is a positive change and the overall situation is improving. The Department of Home Affairs is giving priority to onshore applicants or for sponsors who live in designated regional areas."
A spokesperson from the Department of Home Affairs told SBS Urdu that the government is continually reviewing the settings for various visas to respond to the challenges posed by COVID-19.
Farooq Nadeem Source: Farooq Nadeem
“Temporary visa options are available to ensure partner visa applicants are able to remain lawfully in Australia during the COVID-19 period.
Further information on the COVID-19 visa concessions are available and this will continue to be regularly updated.
Pakistani origin Australian Farooq Nadeem was overjoyed recently as her wife received a partner visa in the last week of January.
“We applied for the 309 subclass 100 visa in April 2019. During that time, the processing time on the government’s website was 15 – 18 months. It has taken more than 20 months to receive the visa.”
According to Farooq, during the two-year wait, the Department of Home Affairs asked for various documents at several intervals including police checks and documents that prove the relationship between the two individuals.
Now Farooq’s wife is looking for the next available flight to Australia to meet her husband and start the Australian life.
On 30 November 2020, the government it was making changes to family visa applicants and estimated that it will benefit about 4000 visa applicants currently in Australia, predominately partner applicants.
“I know this will be a relief to those Australians who were concerned that their loved one may have to leave the country with no certainty as to when they could return."
The updated COVID-19 visa concessions’ now states that changes would be implemented in the first quarter of 2021.
Migration agent Imran Ali said that these temporary changes are somehow focused on applicants who need to be outside Australia, but, due to travel restrictions, if they are unable to depart Australia, then, these applicants are given additional time until they can safely travel outside Australia or until their visa is granted while being in Australia.
“I take this initiative as a positive attitude of the Department of Home Affairs towards a realistic approach for applicants who are facing the outcome of this pandemic in view of granting their visas for their beloved ones.”
SBS Urdu program broadcasts every Wednesday and Sunday at 6 PM (AEST)
Disclaimer: The information provided in this story is general in nature and not to be taken as advice. For any specific information, please consult with a migrant agent or consultancy.
