Australian Government Media Release
From today, parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply for a travel exemption, for travel to Australia from 1 November 2021.
Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews said the changes would reunite many families separated by the pandemic.
See the full media release here.
In an update to our earlier blog post, Go Matilda Visas has obtained details of the current number of Contributory Parent Visa (CPV) applications that were lodged and in train at the Parent Visa Centre up to the end of August 2021.
The 2021/22 Migration Program allows for 4,500 visas to be granted across the Contributory and non-Contributory parent visa subclasses.
We understand that about 3,600 of this total will be allocated to Contributory Parent visa applications.
Given nearly 8,000 applications have been lodged for Contributory Parent visas in the first 8 months of 2021 alone we foresee a relentless and significant increase in the processing time for these visas – certainly some years more than the 64 months that is currently being referenced on the Department of Home Affairs website.
Details of the current number of CPV applications broken down between the number submitted each month are in this pdf document.
Temporary relaxations in the place where parent visa applicants are required to be at the time of visa grant come into effect today.
The Migration Amendment (Parent Visas) Regulations amend the Migration Regulations to allow specified Parent Visas to be granted during the COVID concession period in locations other than those usually applying.
For applicants for the following Parent visa classes who are located in Australia, but who would be otherwise required to be outside Australia at the time of visa grant, these visas may be granted when onshore:
For applicants for the following Parent visa subclasses who are located outside Australia, but who would otherwise be required to be in Australia at the time of visa grant, these visas may be granted when offshore:
These COVID concessions apply to visas that were lodged before 24 March 2021 and before the end of the concession period prescribed in Regulation 1.15N(1).
No end date for the concession period has been prescribed at the time of writing this article.
For the grant of a Subclass 103, Subclass 143 or Subclass 173 visa while the applicant is in Australia, the applicant must have been in Australia on 24 March 2021, but not in immigration clearance.
For grant of a Subclass 804 or Subclass 864 while the applicant is overseas, the applicant must have been outside Australia on 24 March 2021 and must not be in immigration clearance.
Go Matilda Visas has details of the breakdown of the number of Contributory Parent Visa (CPV) applications that were lodged and in train at the Parent Visa Centre at the end of October 2020.
A table that provides details of the number of CPV applications that were lodged with the Department of Home Affairs as at 30 October, 2020 is accessible at the link below.
Even allowing for the fact that some of these applications will be withdrawn or will be refused rather than granted – the numbers in these regards are unlikely to be more than 10% of the total – we believe that these details support our view published on this blog a month ago: CPV application processing times are likely to be somewhat longer than has been advertised by the Department of Home Affairs to date.
Unless of course there is a step up in the number of CPV grants over the next few years.
Allowing for a 10% rate of refusal and withdrawal there are some 50,000 applications waiting to be granted.
The number of parent visas to be granted over this program year to 30 June 2021 – including non Contributory subclass 103s and 804s – is slated to be 4,500.
In previous years the number of CPV grants has been around 7,000 for each program year.
As some might say – you do the maths!
Go Matilda Visas is an informed migration advisory practice, and believes it has a responsibility to advise intending migrants of what should be expected as to outcomes and timelines, and not to set unrealistic expectations.
If you already have a parent visa application submitted to the Parent Visa Centre and think you might like some professional assistance to get you through to your visa being granted – or are planning to submit a parent visa application with the support of a registered migration agent – and would like a free no obligation conversation with us please feel able to complete the enquiry form on this page.
We will then contact you to tee up an initial discussion.
