Australia urges travelers to apply for Bridging Visas a month beforehand

The Dept. of Immigration, Australia, has recently said that it would no longer accept face-to-face applications for Bridging Visa B. Hence, Australia urges international travelers to apply for Bridging Visas at least 3 to 4 weeks prior to travel.

The Dept. of Home Affairs Australia has issued a statement that it is trying to transform its online channel to a self-service model for most of the services. As per The Australian, the immigration office will only provide in-person service to visa applicants who have been invited by the Dept. for an interview, starting later in 2018. More Visas will now be lodged online or through the post as the Dept. believes it will fasten the visa process via its new website.

The Dept. of Immigration, however, has acknowledged the fact that complex visas and citizenship issues may still require face-to-face attention. The immigration department will continue to see applicants via appointment where necessary. In cases where it is necessary for the Dept. to meet the applicant in person, an Officer of the Dept. would schedule an appointment or a call.

In-person services for applicants would still be given by the Dept. of Immigration in the following scenarios:

• Biometrics collection
• Resolution of status
• Interviews for certain subclasses of Visas
• Citizenship test via appointment

Due to the above-mentioned changes, international travelers have been urged to apply for bridging visas at least a month beforehand. Stopping face-to-face consultations may lead to greater wait times limiting the applicant’s ability to address lodgement issues on time.

Y-Axis Australia team includes process consultants and RMAs who facilitate applicant immigrants with issues related to immigration and visas. Our team works in collaboration with India’s National Processing Center in Hyderabad to offer services to the clients.

The services offered by Y-Axis Melbourne include assistance and legal advice for immigration by Registered Migration Agents, Job Search Service, and Visa Assistance.

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit, Invest or Migrate to Australia, talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company.

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