COVID-19 visa concessions
After September 2021 several allowances will be accessible for specific visa holders impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you have a short-term or temporary visa listed here, during the COVID-19 concession period you may be qualified for a COVID-19 concession.
COVID-19 concessions are to assist you endure on your visa path if you have been disadvantaged by COVID-19 border closures, economic recession, or the business restrictions.
The COVID-19 concession period commences from February 2021 and is an interim preparation.
See information on COVID-19 concessions available for:
- Skilled Regional (Subclass 887) visa
- Business Investment and Innovation visa
- Safe Haven Enterprise (Subclass 790) visa
- Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) visa
Partner and Child visas
Some classifications of visas need applicants to be offshore of Australia at the time the visa is granted. Division is conscious that COVID-19 travel limitations are affecting visa applicants mostly applicants for family visas who have come to Canberra, Australia.
The division is taking disruptions rising from the pandemic into account when considering visa applications, comprising any current requirement to be offshore at the time of visa grant.
If you have smeared for a Partner or Child visa outside Australia but are in Australia during the COVID-19 concession period, you can be settled a visa in Australia if you meet all other visa standards.
- Visa applicants who made their visa application offshore Australia before the end of the COVID-19 concession period, but have been in Canberra, Australia during that period, will be capable to have their visa granted in Australia if all the other necessities for the visa are met.
- Candidates who are offshore Australia and those who encounters the common visa allowance requirements will be capable to be granted the visa outside Australia.
The COVID-19 concession period started on Feb 2021 and is a temporary plan.
Visas included in this concession are:
- Child (subclass 101) visa
- Adoption (subclass 102) visa
- Partner (subclass 309) visa.
- Dependent Child (subclass 445) visa
- Parent visas
Parent visa applications lodged outside Australia
If individual, applied for one of the Parent visas listed below offshore Australia and you are in Australia on March 2021, your visa can be approved in Australia if you encounter all other visa principles during the COVID-19 concession period.
- Parent (subclass 103) visa
- Contributory Parent (subclass 173) visa
- Contributory Parent (subclass 143) visa
Any candidate for these visas who are outside Australia and who meet the common visa grant requirements will be capable to be granted the visa outside Canberra, Australia (as per the current process).
Parent visa applications lodged in Canberra, Australia
If individual, smeared for one of the visas listed below in Canberra, Australia, and you are offshore Australia on March 2021, your visa can be granted while you are offshore Australia if you encounter all other visa criteria during the COVID-19 concession period.
- Aged Parent (subclass 804) visa
- Contributory Aged Parent (subclass 864) visa
Any candidate for these visas who is in Australia and who encounters the common visa grant requests will be capable to be granted the visa in Australia (as per the current procedure).
These amendments will not influence current processing timeframes for Parent visa applications. For further information, Contact IME Advisors.
If your visa has expired or is about to expire, see staying in Canberra, Australia or our Visa finder for options to remain in Australia lawfully or contact IME Advisors.
If you wish to smear for a bridging visa, post a completed Form 1005 to the WA Parent Visa Centre.
Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (subclass 870) visas
If you held a Temporary visa and were offshore Australia on July 2021, your visa period has been automatically prolonged by 18 months. This concessions objectives to assist SPTV holders who could not expend the full 3 or 6 years on their visa in Australia due to COVID-19 travel limitations.
