As those who are applying for subclass 864 Contributory Parent visa applications will be acutely aware, there has been no allocation of applications under this subclass for over 9 months – the last lodgment date allocated for assessment has been stubbornly stuck on the 8th of September 2016 since the end of April 2017.

At that time a reasonable expectation for the processing time of a subclass 864 visa applications was 12 months at most.

Here we are in February 2018, and what can subclass 864 visa applicants reasonably expect?

We have been advised in the last few days to expect “modest progress” with the cohort of subclass 864 applications in the first part of 2018.

Also, that the processing timeline for subclass 864 visa applications is now apparently to be brought closer to that of subclass 143 visa applications – which as many will know has now blown out to over 3 years.

This is patently a change in the prioritisation of Contributory Parent visa applications, which has not – so far as we know – been made known generally.

Indeed, we think it improbable that the result of this decision will be to markedly reduce the timeline for subclass 143 visa applications.

In our opinion keeping applicants in the dark by not advising a change in processing priorities is treating applicants and their advisors with contempt. A lack of transparency antagonises parent visa applicants and their families who are anxiously waiting for some certainty about their loved ones.

The Parent Visa Centre has an auto generated email available to all who send a blank email to parents@homeaffairs.gov.au. Is it unreasonable to ask to be better informed as to processing expectations through this communication channel?

Come on PVC, you can do better than this!