[AislingM]

Hey, looking for some advice if anyone can help...
I applied for a Student Visa over 4 years ago and have had no decision made yet and have been on a Bridging Visa since January 2018!
We have been asked for documentation, insurance and medicals etc. multiple times and have provided immigration with everything. A complaint was made regarding the processing times and they blamed COVID

When I called Department of Home Affairs they basically blamed the pandemic again and said that because we fall outside the standard processing times they cannot give any indication of when a decision will be made on the application and that basically it could be 1 week or 10 years from now!
Our only option now seems to be hiring a migration lawyer which could could set us back around $11,000.
If anyone has been in a similar situation or is a migration agent that has dealt with something similar I'd love to hear from you.
Thank you

 

[JandE]

Hey, looking for some advice if anyone can help...
I applied for a Student Visa over 4 years ago and have had no decision made yet and have been on a Bridging Visa since January 2018!
We have been asked for documentation, insurance and medicals etc. multiple times and have provided immigration with everything. A complaint was made regarding the processing times and they blamed COVID

When I called Department of Home Affairs they basically blamed the pandemic again and said that because we fall outside the standard processing times they cannot give any indication of when a decision will be made on the application and that basically it could be 1 week or 10 years from now!
Our only option now seems to be hiring a migration lawyer which could could set us back around $11,000.
If anyone has been in a similar situation or is a migration agent that has dealt with something similar I'd love to hear from you.
Thank you

Pretty sure that there are still restrictions on student visas entering Australia, due to Covid.

I would guess they might wait for all existing visa holders to be able to return, before granting too many student visas at the moment.

What you are planning to study might have a bearing on the timing of a grant.

 

[paulhand]

could set us back around $11,000.

If that’s what you have been quoted, then ask someone else!

 

[westlyrussell]

Note Paul's advice, and act on it!

Before, or when, you do it might pay you to lodge a freedom of information request for your entire immigration file. This costs nothing.

If you contact an immigration 'help' line you are likely to hear the first silly thing the unqualified operator thinks of; the same for many/most lawyers who dabble in migration matters.

Consult a registered migration agent, Paul is a RMA.