Highlights
- Australia has registered 755 positive cases and seven deaths as of March 20.
- Australia will close down its border to all, except Australian citizens and permanent residents, from Friday night, 9 pm AEDT.
- India has announced it will close down its border from March 23, 0131 hrs IST.
Wide-range travel restrictions and border control measures imposed across the world, which restricts people’s movements and entry into certain ports, have left many temporary visa holders in Australia in a limbo.
Sydney-based Vinita Rajan is one among them. Her parents were scheduled to return to India via Malaysia, but the Indian government has banned arrivals from Malaysia.
“My parents are in Australia on a visitor visa which will expire soon. They were supposed to fly back via Malaysia, but the government of India has restricted all flights from Malaysia due to coronavirus outbreak. What can I do now? Can I get an onshore extension of visitor visa?” she asks.
Melbourne-based Shobhana Kartik shares the same dilemma.
Her octogenarian father was scheduled to return to India on March 29, 2020, but it cannot go as planned after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India was shutting down its border to all international arrivals from Sunday.
“India is closing down its border. And I was left with 24 hours to reschedule by father’s departure. He is 82-years-old and I do not feel comfortable sending him off like this in such circumstances. I was worried about his wellbeing. So we have applied for his visa-extension. We hope the Australian government will approve the extension,” Ms Karthik told SBS Hindi.
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Migration expert Chaman Preet says the Department of Home Affairs has made special arrangements to deal with such cases.
“The department has informed us that they have taken a flexible approach to visa holders who have ‘No Further Stay;’ condition on their visas. So, if one’s visa is expiring and they are not able to travel back to their home countries, they can request for a waiver of the ‘No Further Stay’ condition,” Chaman Preet told SBS Hindi.
The DoHA has devoted extra resources to processing urgent waiver requests. However, these requests cannot be made through regular IMMI account.
Chaman Preet says one will have to to apply for visa extension or it can be done with the help of a registered migration agent.
Department advises people should apply for another visa
The Department of Home Affairs has advised people to apply for a new visa to extend their stay in Australia if they are unable to travel during to COVID-19 outbreak.
A spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs told SBS Hindi, “Non-citizens seeking to extend their stay in Australia should review information on the Department’s website and apply for another visa.”
“Any visa application will be assessed considering the COVID-19 enhanced border measures and an applicant’s individual circumstances.
“Applications for a new visa should be made before their current visa expires. If their current visa includes a ‘No Further Stay’ condition, a request to waive this condition must be made,” the spokesperson said.
Information on how to request a waiver can be found at
As of Tuesday afternoon, only people who have recently travelled from overseas or have been in contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case and experienced symptoms within 14 days are advised to be tested.
Coronavirus symptoms can range from mild illness to pneumonia, according to the Federal Government's website, and can include a fever, coughing, sore throat, fatigue and shortness of breath.
If you believe you may have contracted the virus, call your doctor, don’t visit, or contact the national Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
If you are struggling to breathe or experiencing a medical emergency, call 000.
Disclaimer: We’d like to point out that the information contained in this segment is general and is not specific advice. If you would like accurate information relevant to your situation, you should consult a registered migration agent.
