The Global COVID-19 Pandemic has Resulted in Numerous Unforeseen Consequences

Many unforeseen repercussions of the global COVID-19 pandemic have been experienced. One of them is the fact that there are currently close to 100,000 Australians waiting for partner visa approval in the line. Due to this, thousands of couples have been placed in limbo and, in some cases, separated for months while awaiting immigration decisions.

What phrases do couples use?

Jaskomal Kaur revealed to Australian broadcaster SBS that she hasn’t seen Aditya Rajput, who lives in Melbourne, since the couple wed in India in 2019.

“I’ve been separated from my boyfriend for more than 15 months, and I’m starting to lose hope,” Kaur said. Instead of sharing these momentous milestones with Aditya, I have celebrated all of my firsts, which are known as auspicious in Indian tradition, alone at my parents’ house.

The situation for Swapnil Patel and his wife Monika is comparable. After Monika came in Australia to join Swapnil in June of last year, the pair submitted an application for a partner visa for her. Since then, the pair has continued to extend Monika’s stay in the nation by requesting further visiting visas.

Patel revealed to SBS that his overall visa application costs have been close to $11,000. Since visiting visas are only good for three months at a time, this applies to both the initial application for a partner visa as well as any subsequent applications.

What has the Australian government said?

Last month, Labour MP Julian Hill brought up the topic of partner visa requests in Congress. He emphasized the issue of separated spouses and the emotional toll it is having on them. He also demanded that the federal government take action to reduce the mounting backlog.

SBS contacted the Department of Home Affairs for comment, and a representative reassured the station that despite the COVID-19 outbreak having a substantial impact on the department’s operations, partner visa applications are still being processed.

The spokesman also noted that certain applicants for visas are unable to move further with their applications because services for particular requirements, such health examinations and biometrics, are not currently available in their home country. Again, the COVID-19 pandemic is to blame for this.

Unfortunately, without meeting all prerequisites, the Department of Home Affairs is unable to process and approve visa applications.

Why was there a delay?

Numerous couples, including the Kaurs and Patels, have sought for the category 309 visa. According to the Department of Home Affairs’ website, this visa will take between 18 and 26 months to process.

The timeframe is determined by the application’s complexity and specific circumstances.

The current issue is that the Department of Home Affairs is only functioning partially as a result of COVID-19, even though applications are still being received. Naturally, this results in the Department’s processing of visas taking much longer than usual.

If you wish to apply for a partner visa, follow our guidelines.

Simply put, talk to an immigration advisor. The easiest approach to make sure your partner visa application is submitted correctly is in this manner. The last thing you want to do in the current situation is put yourself through additional delays because of incomplete or erroneous paperwork.

Remember that a partner visa starts at AU $7,715 as well. And those are just the government fees! You will lose all of that money if your application is incorrect or is refused.