Certain visa types require applicants to be outside of Australia at the time the visa is granted. Due to the impact of COVID-19 on travel, for some this has meant they’ve been unable to leave Australia and therefore unable to be granted a particular visa.
In response to the travel restrictions the Department will be implementing changes in early 2021 that would allow certain family visas, which have been applied for outside Australia, to be granted while the visa applicant is in Australia. This will be a temporary concession for people who are in the country and unable to travel out of Australia to be granted the visa due to COVID-19 related border closures.
The concession will apply to certain applicants for the following Family visa subclass:
- Partner (subclass 309) visa
- Prospective marriage (subclass 300) visa
- Dependent child (subclass 445) visa
- Adoption (subclass 102) visa
- Child (subclass 101) visa
This temporary concession is expected to support up to 4,000 partners of Australian citizens who will no longer be forced to make a return trip out of Australia to receive their visas.
This is not expected to commence until the beginning of 2021.
If you want to find out if you qualify for the concession, or if your visa runs out before the temporary concessions come into force, you can contact us to find out what your options are.
