Guidelines and Policies for prioritizing visa cases
Dear Department of Home Affairs,
As we know, visa processing can take quite a a bit of time in Australia.
I was wondering if there are any official policies or guidelines for visa officers when prioritizing visa cases. Specifically,
Cases are generally processed in a queue by date but
1. Are cases with s56 requests that have been fulfilled given priority for processing over other cases? For such cases, do the case remain assigned to the same visa officer / visa office or are they put back in the queue to be reassigned to another visa officer / visa office generally? How are such cases queued for processing?
2. While there is generally no statutory timeframe for processing visa cases, are there checks / mechanisms in place by the department to ensure timely follow ups of s56 requests to avoid expiry of police, medical and other checks, especially if they were requested by the department in the first place due to the costs involved in repeating the checks?
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
Jay
** This is an automated response. Please do not reply to this email **
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Your email has been received by the Department of Home Affairs Freedom of
Information (FOI) Section.
The FOI section only responds to valid FOI requests and other matters
relating to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act). Visit the
FOI Information on our Website for more information on what [1]information
can be accessed under the FOI Act 1982.
What is a valid FOI request?
A valid FOI request may be for:
- documents you previously provided to the Department as part of a visa
application
- a copy of a decision record made by the Department
- statistical information held by the Department
- papers or briefings the Department prepared.
If your email is a valid FOI request, the Department will contact you
shortly to acknowledge your request.
A valid FOI request must:
o Be in writing and state the request is for consideration under the FOI
Act.
o Have enough information for us to be able to identify the documents
you are seeking.
o Provide a physical or electronic address where we can send our
decision.
Do not send duplicate emails as this may cause longer delays in processing
times.
What is an invalid FOI request?
Invalid FOI requests may include:
- Making a visa application
- Seeking evidence of your Australian Citizenship
- Seeking information about traveling to or departing Australia.
If your email is not specific an FOI request or FOI related matter, the
FOI section will not respond.
What happens next?
Once we receive and have registered your FOI request, we will send you an
acknowledgment letter by email. Read the acknowledgment letter carefully
for further instructions.
FOI requests are generally processed in the order they are received.
We will contact you as soon as the Department has assessed your request
under the FOI Act.
We’re responding to a large volume of requests
Due to the current high volume of requests, we will not provide progress
up-dates on current FOI requests. This is to ensure we are able to
process as many requests as possible, including yours.
If processing your request is going to take us a lot of time and because
it is large or unspecific, it may be refused.
Still have a question or request?
If you still have a question, which has not been answered above, and which
is about the work of the Department, use our general enquiries web page
[2]https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-sup...
You may be able to resolve your enquiry faster using these other resources
We only action and respond to FOI requests that are valid under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982. You may be able to resolve your enquiry
faster by using these resources:
General information about travelling to Australia:
The Department of Home Affairs, “Entering Australia” site
[3]https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering...
· For visa and our requirements for entry to Australia
[4]https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/ge...
For a copy of your visa refusal or visa grant letter you should contact
the office where you lodged your visa application.
· To check your current visa details and conditions use the
Department’s Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) portal which can
be accessed [5]here
· If you are experiencing technical difficulties in lodging your
visa application through ImmiAccount, submit your concerns through the
ImmiAccount Technical Support Form, which is accessible [6]here.
· For evidence of your Australian Citizenship please refer [7]here.
The FOI Section does not process these requests.
· For movement records or travel history complete the online
International Movement Records form [8]here. The FOI Section does not
process these requests.
· To update your details, including your Passport details, you can
notify the Department [9]here. The FOI Section does not process these
requests.
We appreciate your feedback
We appreciate your feedback to help improve our services.
If you would like to provide feedback to us please use our Compliments,
complaints and suggestions form.
[10]https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-and-...
Thank you
Information updated 11 January 2022
Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately. This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.
Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited.
The Department of Home Affairs and ABF respect your privacy and have
obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.
Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/access-an...
2. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-sup...
3. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering...
4. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/ge...
5. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/al...
6. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-sup...
7. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizens...
8. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering...
9. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/change-i...
10. https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-and-...
OFFICIAL: Sensitive
Personal-Privacy
Dear Jay,
On 7 June 2022 the Department received an FOI request with a very similar scope to this one.
The acknowledgement letter was sent out today (9 June 2022).
Please consider the following options as to how to proceed:
- you would like the scope below to be registered as a new FOI request, or
- no need to register a new FOI request, since the 7 June 2022 FOI request already accurately describes the information you require, or
- you will provide an updated scope for the 7 June 2022 FOI request.
Please advise the Department of your preferred option by reply email at your earliest convenience.
Kind regards,
FOI Officer - Geoff
Freedom of Information
Department of Home Affairs
E: [Department of Home Affairs request email]
Personal-Privacy
OFFICIAL: Sensitive
** This is an automated response. Please do not reply to this email **
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Your email has been received by the Department of Home Affairs Freedom of
Information (FOI) Section.
The FOI section only responds to valid FOI requests and other matters
relating to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act). Visit the
FOI Information on our Website for more information on what [1]information
can be accessed under the FOI Act 1982.
What is a valid FOI request?
A valid FOI request may be for:
- documents you previously provided to the Department as part of a visa
application
- a copy of a decision record made by the Department
- statistical information held by the Department
- papers or briefings the Department prepared.
If your email is a valid FOI request, the Department will contact you
shortly to acknowledge your request.
A valid FOI request must:
o Be in writing and state the request is for consideration under the FOI
Act.
o Have enough information for us to be able to identify the documents
you are seeking.
o Provide a physical or electronic address where we can send our
decision.
Do not send duplicate emails as this may cause longer delays in processing
times.
What is an invalid FOI request?
Invalid FOI requests may include:
- Making a visa application
- Seeking evidence of your Australian Citizenship
- Seeking information about traveling to or departing Australia.
If your email is not specific an FOI request or FOI related matter, the
FOI section will not respond.
What happens next?
Once we receive and have registered your FOI request, we will send you an
acknowledgment letter by email. Read the acknowledgment letter carefully
for further instructions.
FOI requests are generally processed in the order they are received.
We will contact you as soon as the Department has assessed your request
under the FOI Act.
We’re responding to a large volume of requests
Due to the current high volume of requests, we will not provide progress
up-dates on current FOI requests. This is to ensure we are able to
process as many requests as possible, including yours.
If processing your request is going to take us a lot of time and because
it is large or unspecific, it may be refused.
Still have a question or request?
If you still have a question, which has not been answered above, and which
is about the work of the Department, use our general enquiries web page
[2]https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-sup...
You may be able to resolve your enquiry faster using these other resources
We only action and respond to FOI requests that are valid under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982. You may be able to resolve your enquiry
faster by using these resources:
General information about travelling to Australia:
The Department of Home Affairs, “Entering Australia” site
[3]https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering...
· For visa and our requirements for entry to Australia
[4]https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/ge...
For a copy of your visa refusal or visa grant letter you should contact
the office where you lodged your visa application.
· To check your current visa details and conditions use the
Department’s Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) portal which can
be accessed [5]here
· If you are experiencing technical difficulties in lodging your
visa application through ImmiAccount, submit your concerns through the
ImmiAccount Technical Support Form, which is accessible [6]here.
· For evidence of your Australian Citizenship please refer [7]here.
The FOI Section does not process these requests.
· For movement records or travel history complete the online
International Movement Records form [8]here. The FOI Section does not
process these requests.
· To update your details, including your Passport details, you can
notify the Department [9]here. The FOI Section does not process these
requests.
We appreciate your feedback
We appreciate your feedback to help improve our services.
If you would like to provide feedback to us please use our Compliments,
complaints and suggestions form.
[10]https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-and-...
Thank you
Information updated 11 January 2022
Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately. This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.
Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited.
The Department of Home Affairs and ABF respect your privacy and have
obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.
Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/access-an...
2. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-sup...
3. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering...
4. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/ge...
5. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/al...
6. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-sup...
7. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizens...
8. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering...
9. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/change-i...
10. https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-and-...