COVID-19 has turned the migration plans of many people around the world upside down. One group that has been impacted are people who are in stuck in Australia due to travel restrictions with pending visa applications that require them to leave the country for their visa to be granted. This is the case for many people who have applied for Family Stream visas, which can require applicants to go offshore for their visa grant.
We are very pleased to see the Australian government has announced a resolution to this situation, with plans to grant visas for certain applicants while in Australia, if they are not able to travel offshore as normally required.
27 February 2021 changes – Child and Partner visas
The first round of changes are planned to take effect on 27 February 2021 and will allow some Family Stream visas, which have been applied for outside Australia, to be granted while the visa applicant is in Australia. This will apply to people who are in Australia and who are not able to travel offshore because of border closures and travel restrictions.
The relevant Family Stream visas are:
- Child visa (subclass 101)
- Adoption visa (subclass 102)
- Dependent Child visa (subclass 445)
- Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300)
- Partner visa (subclass 309)
24 March 2021 changes – Parent visas
The second round of changes are planned to take effect on 24 March 2021 and will apply to eligible Parent visa applicants. This change will allow certain Parent visa applicants to have their visa granted while the applicant is in Australia, without requiring them to leave.
The relevant Parent visas are:
- Parent visa (subclass 103)
- Contributory Parent visa (subclass 173)
- Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143)
If you would like migration advice in relation to a family stream visa, you can book a free 10 minute call with one of our migration lawyers.
We note the above is information only and is not legal advice. This information is current as at the time of publishing. We recommend you speak to one of our migration lawyers for a free 10 minute phone or video call to discuss your visa application if you have any questions.