Boat People - Will they affect our visa processing both on / offshore ??
 

Hello everyone, Am just wondering whether all those people that have arrived under the banner of "Asylum seekers" have any significant effect on the processing of our visas?:)

but you are from zambia. and you yourself have to come by boat to Australia as an Asylum seeker. Why are you complaining about Asylum seekers?

Samfisher Let me educate you !!!!!!!!!!...Zambia has NEVER NEVER had any civil war or conflict ever since we kicked out the colonial government therefore there is no Zambian here or abroad that has traveled to any country as an "Asylum seeker" (go and look up the definition of asylum seeker.) Myself included i came here via the proper channel.
Secondly, I was not "COMPLAINING" but trying to find out what ,if any the effects of people coming in through other illegal means.

You didn't get the sarcasm in my post?

To my knowledge yes it will affect the processing times for our visas. Asylum seekers get first priority and that is also for the ASIO checks too.

LOL...I did :D

I'm sure it was innocuous by you, but can we please avoid referring to them as "boat people"? They're refugees, plain and simple.

so there are thousands of Asylum seekers. They all get priority over the visa applications lodged in the Australian embassies in Australia and overseas?

OP is from zambia and is an immigrant and he is referring the asylum seekers as boat people. #gofigure.

I don't particularly like the term "boat people," either. =\

Honestly, yes, I do think they should take priority. My physical safety is not threatened on a daily basis because of war in my country or because I am of a religion or a sexual orientation my government doesn't agree with. I absolutely feel people who cannot live their lives in relative physical safety on a daily basis should take priority.