Visa to Australia on compassionate grounds

[AlmostAway]

Posting here for traffic in hope of ideas.

My SIL, DH sister, was diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer about four months ago. She has been given just three to six months. It's all very sad. However, DH is beside himself because she lives in Australia. He is an Irish passport holder, but has been asked to pay AU$24k for the tourist visa.

Does anyone have any idea how he might be able to visit her on compassionate grounds? I have checked other visa types to no avail.

Thanks in advance

He’s lying to you. Even people with minor criminal convictions don’t need to pay that much. My guess? He has something horrendous on his criminal record and has actually been told no.

We can't offer you a different solution if we don't know why he's been rejected.

The only other thing I can suggest if you won't ask him to be honest with you, or you are sure you've not used a scam website instead, is to ask if his sister is fit enough to fly to New Zealand/Singapore, and you visit her there instead.

And call here: ireland.embassy.gov.au/ in the morning They don't process applications but they may be able to provide advice.

Something's not right here.

Are you sure he isn't lying to you about his criminal background?

My husband did the E-visa last month to attend a meeting at a client in Sydney. It was free and he got approved within the hour. He was allowed to stay up to 3 months although he was only there for 3 days.

There is no way it costs $24k so either you’re missing out a massive piece of information or your dh is not telling you something.

No way. It doesn’t cost that to even emigrate. He’s being scammed.

My total visa and medical costs to emigrate to the USA for good came to a shade under $2000 (USD). That was for a full medical, vaccinations, criminal record checks, interview, green card fee, etc.

Governments are not supposed to make money on visa processing fees, they have to be able to justify the costs and that the fees only cover the costs involved.

No no no.
I live in Australia. An e-visitor visa which is valid for 3 months entry is completely free from the my.gov.au website. Free. They're granted within 24 hours. So as long as he doesn't work while he's here then he's able to use an e visitor visa.

I'm from the UK and am a permanent resident here now. Even my PR visa didn't cost $24k! I think you or him have got confused as some visas require you to have $24k in savings, but an e visitor one doesn't. Hope that helps.

Wife of Australian citizen here. Banned in 2001 for overstaying by 28 + 3 days. 3 year ban served, been back repeatedly. Overstaying a visa is not the issue here.

This may be a cloned website, they exist for Canadian immigration (originally Canadian) - and my husband has immigrated twice.

I'm ringing the consulate tomorrow to speak about renewing my husband's passport. I'll ask them if there is a compassionate visa which can be applied for at the Embassy when I'm on with them.

All my best to your sil and your family at this difficult time.

That sounds extremely strange OP. I lived in Australia for many years and often had visitors from the UK. One time my dad forgot to organise the tourist visa and did it on his phone in the airport in Singapore while on the layover between flights! Cost about $20.

I didn't pay anything approaching 24k to get citizenship!

There must be something specific to your DHs background that is causing them to charge this much. I have never ever heard of this.

More holes than Swiss cheese!

Should add that I have heard of agency's rigging up websites with identical facade to the immi gov website and using a near identical url. I had friends who paid about 100 quid to visit me because they paid through an agency thinking they were doing it directly. I'm wondering if this is what has happened here.

If you look at this page, the maximum visa charge is just over AUD 1000
immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/fees-and-charges/current-visa-pricing/visit

The most expensive one I could see was a Premium Investor visa at AUD 9000. There are several residence visas for ‘remaining relative’ at around $4000 so maybe the application has gone down the wrong route and theres a typo ?

Ah yes perhaps he's misunderstood the 24k thing! Presumably it's like here where if you want to move somewhere to live, you need to earn a certain amount or be supported by someone who earns a certain amount/has savings? That's not the same as a tourist visa. No one is charging $24,000 for a tourist visa!

How did you DH get this information. Via phone, letter, email?

I know you said you did it through the official website, BUT that's no guarantee. There are websites looking EXACTLY like the official ones with nearly the same url. HMRC scam is good in this.
The fact that you were approved and he is now being asked for 24k can very easily be a tactic. If only one is left out, they might pay that massive amount so they can go with the rest...

I second pp and call the embassy. Not the number from the website you used!

Eh? I'm Australian in Britain with British wife and two kids. On our last trip back in March i didn't realise we needed visas until we were trying to get on our flight in Singapore. Even then it was only about $50 each person and was done in 10 minutes at the Singapore airlines desk. You're being had

Has he overstayed a visa there before?

Has he ever visited Australia before? Or been refused a visa to visit any other country?

immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/evisitor-651#Eligibility

Requirements to get an evisitor visa to Australia. Is it possible your sil owes the Australian government money? It says that debts of family to the government can be chased at visa application stage even if they are not applying for a visa.

Grasping at straws if OP is adamant this was the proper Australian government website for an evisitor visa.

I believe he has spoken to the high commission in London and they weren't in a position to assist any further, but I will check.

Try the Australian embassy in Dublin? They might be better placed to help an Irish citizen.

ireland.embassy.gov.au/

This is confusing. He can stay for up to 3 months on a visa which is about 20£ or $

An eVisitor visa is free.

It’s immediate or very fast.

True, this thread prompted me to apply for mine ten minutes ago and it arrived about a second after I hit the "submit" button.

Is there any possibility that he has an unpaid debt for medical treatment or similar from a previous visit? (Just clutching at straws here..)

I used to work in visas, so I know this scenario quite well - family apply for visas, all are granted through except one, Australian government demand a personal application directly which takes months/costs a lot of money. Family member who was refused swears blind to no criminal conviction/any other reason why visa was refused...then ultimately admits to breaking law in youth/ has previous visited and left Australia owing tax and/or other debt that has now caught up with them.

There is 'no other way' of entering Australia (or any other country) except through a visa.

ConFusion I’ve always paid £20 as do it through the travel agent. Although now I think I shouldn’t be

If he isn't being scammed, then he is ommiting telling you the reason why. This isn't just a random thing the Australian government decide to do from time to time. Also, there is no way around having a visa.