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Starting March 15, 2016, the Australian government will trial a priority processing service for Chinese nationals applying for Subclass 600 (Visitor) visas in the Tourist and Business Visitor streams for an additional fee of AUD 1,000. If the trial is successful, priority processing may be expanded to applicants from other countries.
The eligibility requirements for a Subclass 600 visa under the priority service are the same as applications processed within standard timeframes, except that a priority processing form and fee are required.
The priority processing fee is in addition to the AUD 135 visa application fee.
Expedited Processing Times Under the Program
- Currently, Tourist and Business Visitor visa applications are typically processed in one month if submitted from abroad or ten business days if submitted in China.
- The priority processing service is expected to significantly reduce processing times if there are no health or character issues for a particular applicant.
- An applicant will not be entitled to a refund if the shorter processing time is not met.
What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals
Employers and Chinese nationals applying for Subclass 600 visas should benefit from the priority processing trial program and should contact their immigration professional to discuss the application process.
This alert is for information purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
MARN: 1278811
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