Blessing Immigration

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About Us

Blessing Immigration

 we understand that moving to a new country is a major life decision. We are a leading immigration consultancy committed to transforming your global ambitions into reality. Our team of experienced consultants offers transparent and reliable services, providing unwavering support at every step.
 

Our Services About Australia 

FAQs
 

1. What is a permanent resident?

PR will give you a permanent right to live and work in Australia and unlimited travel and entry to Australia. You are eligible for medical care (medicare) immediately, but must be resident in Australia for two years before qualifying for social welfare assistance (i.e. unemployment benefits). You are not permitted to vote as a permanent resident in Australia.
 

After four years, you can apply for citizenship, entitling you to an Australian passport. This visa will be renewed after 5 years. To renew your permanent residency, you must have been lawfully present in Australia for a period of, or periods that total, not less than two years in the period of five years. Limited exceptions to the two-year rule apply Temporary residents (those on student and work visas) are generally not entitled to medical care or social welfare assistance at any time and are generally unable to remain for longer than 4 years. These applicants are recommended to take out private health insurance. There are many other social security benefits once you get PR.
 

2. How long does the Visa process take?

Australia’s visa processing times vary by the type of visa being applied for. Factors which influence processing times include:

 The place where the visa application was made
Visa processing workload at the time
Whether all the necessary documents have been provided
The complexity of the visa application
Turnaround times for medicals and character checks

On an average, a general skilled independent Australia skilled migration visa can take around 9+ months to process. If you are having a sponsorship, your application will be having priority processing.

Spousal cases and temporary work visas tend to be a little quicker at 3 to 6 months, while applicants requiring professional registration can take an additional 6 to 12 months to process.
 

3. Can I live in one of Australia’s External Territories as an Australian citizen or PR?
Australia has a number of External Territories, three of which are reasonably populated, Norfolk Island, Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Norfolk Island has the most autonomy of the three. PR status (or Australian citizenship) does not give you the right to live in these territories, unless the local government agrees to admit you (this is certainly the case with Norfolk Island). In reality, opportunities in all three are quite limited.
 

4. What are the reasons of delay for my visa application?
Delays can possibly result from and include:
 

1. Poor documentation and presentation
2. Misunderstanding of visa requirements
3. The need for an interview
4. Health issues
5. Complications regarding the criminal or security status of the applicant or dependants
6. Applicant’s difficulty in obtaining satisfactory supporting documents
7. Requests by the Visa Office for additional supporting information
8. Visa Office workload demands, staffing limits, application backlogs and identified priorities
 

5. Why pay for Immigration Consultant?

There are various self assessment facilities on the Internet which can give you a Common idea on whether you are eligible to apply for an Australian skilled visa.

These facilities are simply not sophisticated enough to recognize the subtleties of a case which (more often than not) can have a significant impact on the viability of an application.

A constant change in the immigration law makes it more difficult to have an accurate analysis. Many times it ends up in a wrong application. Due to diversity of the visa structure, sometimes you will lose an important option which will lead to faster processing.

An assessment done by a registered Australian migration agent (esp. one who works primarily on skilled migration to Australia) should be far more accurate when assessing skilled related Australian visas.

Will the immigration authorities or Embassy help me to prepare my application and make sure that everything is as per guidelines before applying?

No. This type of service is no longer provided by Immigration department. The authorities exists to enforce the immigration law, make decisions on residence applications and to issue visas. Although basic information and application forms are available on the immigration website, the authorities are unable to provide independent advice and personalized guidance on your specific case. That is the reason the department encourages people to utilize the services of only registered migration agents.
 

6. Must I leave my job as soon as I get my PR?
The Australian Immigration Department does not expect you to resign from your overseas job as soon as you gain your permanent residence visa.

There is an expectation however that you enter Australia by a certain date, usually stipulated in the decision letter, & take reasonable steps to progressively relocate to Australia with your family

If you have been granted a permanent visa but it is taking an unreasonably long time to move to Australia, you may have problems getting a Resident Return Visa (RRV) at a later stage. Under certain circumstances, your permanent residence visa may be subject to cancellation.

7. Can the immigration authorities refuse my application?
Yes. A surprisingly large number of applicants are unaware how strictly the immigration regulations are enforced and how often applications are refused or delayed due to technical errors on their application due to wrong supporting documentation. So the moral of the story is, seek the professional guidance and independent advice of a migration consultant before lodging a visa application.

Migration Agents exist to help you find the best way through the immigration maze and are highly effective in doing so. “ A doctor should do a doctors work”

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8. My Migration Agent has assessed me as being eligible for residence in Australia. If I apply without his or her help, can I be certain of success?

No. Although you may fundamentally qualify under the immigration policy, you are by no means guaranteed of success. Your application must be prepared in accordance with the prevailing immigration regulations and submitted together with the appropriate supporting documentation in order to be approved by the immigration authorities.

The ways in which to do this are not always clearly set out by the immigration authorities and result in many applicants presenting their cases incorrectly, inevitably leading to refusal. So you are strongly advised to seek the advice of a Registered Migration Agent.
 

9. What is the difference between getting a permanent or temporary visa ?
Holders of permanent visas are permitted to remain in Australia indefinitely. Holders of temporary visas are permitted to remain for the specified period. The period varies depending on the class of visa

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10. Can I remain in Australia permanently on a Bridging Visa?
Bridging visa does not permit you to remain in Australia permanently. It will maintain your lawful status in certain situations, for example during the processing of your application for a substantivevisa.

If you wish to remain permanently you will need to apply for and be granted a substantive visa, which allows you to remain permanently

11. How do I become an Australian Citizen?
You may become a citizen of Australia in one of three possible ways.

 By Birth: In Australia people automatically become an Australian citizen if they are born here and one or both of their parents must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia.
By Descent: If you are the child of an Australian citizen but you are born overseas you will generally be granted Australian citizenship. There are a number of rules that might apply to people in this category. These are indicated in the Australian Citizenship Act, 1948.
By Grant: If you are a non-citizen of Australia you can apply to become an Australian citizen. You must meet several requirements, which generally are that, you:
Are an Australian permanent resident
Are over 16 years of age
Have lived in Australia as a permanent resident for a total of two years in the previous five, including a total of 12 months in the two years immediately preceding the date of application. Total stay in Australia should be more than 4 years
Have knowledge of Basic English
Understand your responsibilities and privileges as a citizen
 

12. Are there any restrictions on taking money into or out of Australia?
Australia no longer operates Exchange Control, and Australian residents are free to move money into and out of Australia, and save and invest overseas as they wish. However, amounts of more than AUD 10,000 in cash (but not bank drafts, or traveller’s cheques) must be reported to Australian customs when carried into or out of Australia. Keeping your money overseas does not exempt you from paying Australian tax on it either.

13. Can I open a bank account in Australia before I arrive?
It depends on where you are arriving from. If your home country operates exchange controls, you may find it difficult. If not, you should check with your current bank to see if it has any special links with an Australian bank or check with Comman wealth bank of Australian who operate in your current country of residence. They are opening accounts for migrants before you land in Australia. They will help you to open an account with one of their Australian branches.

Once you arrive in Australia, you can open a bank account with no identification other than your passport for the first number of weeks (it depends on the bank – about 6 weeks is typical). After that you need additional forms of ID under the 100 point system that operates in Australia. A passport and driving licence are enough evidence to meet this requirement.
 

14. Can I apply for more than one visa at a time?
Yes, u can apply for more than one visa at a time. Only thing is that u have to satisfy requirements for all visas and pay separate fees for each visa, u are going to apply
 

15. Can I appeal the decision to refuse to grant a visa or to cancel a visa?
Most decisions made in Australia can be reviewed, as well as some applications made overseas. However, there are strict time limits.

When you are notified of a decision to refuse to grant or to cancel a visa, you will also be advised as to whether you may seek a review of the decision made.

Generally, a decision made outside Australia refusing to grant a visa where there is no nomination or sponsorship in that subclass is not reviewable. Where sponsorship or nomination is involved, then the sponsor or nominator in Australia or an Australian relative of the visa applicant can seek rights of review.

If your review is unsuccessful, and you still believe Immigration is wrong, it may be possible to seek review of that decision by the Federal Court. The review by the Court is not a review of the merits of the decision. This is only if the tribunal has made a mistake in applying the law in decision-making process.

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16. What household goods should I bring / not bring to Australia?
That is a very personal decision, and often depends on which country you are coming from. Australia’s electrical system operates on the same voltage as in Western Europe, but the plugs are different and you will need to either change them or use a socket adapter. If you are coming from North America, you will additionally need a voltage adaptor, which is more expensive.

Shipping companies will generally charge by volume rather than weight.

 Televisions: As there are a number of different TV standards in the world, a television is mostly not worth bringing, unless it’s a particularly expensive model, or is designed to work in Australia as well as your home country. Check with the manufacturer for details.
VCRs: Any VHS video tapes you have will play on an Australian VCR.
DVDs: Due to the region coding system operated on many DVDs, you may have problems playing ‘Region 4’ DVDs bought in Australia. The best option with a DVD player is only to buy one in the first place that is capable of playing DVDs from all regions of the world.
CD players: CD players should work without any problems, and CDs you bring will play on an Australian CD player.
PCs: PCs should work without any problems in Australia. Monitors should work also, although there have been reports of slight distortions caused by bringing a monitor designed for the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere (hasn’t affected my monitor, though).
Telephones: You will need to be careful in attaching any non-Australian telephone unit to the Australian phone network, and it’s best to check with the Australian authorities in advance. Your moving company may be able to help. Fixed line units may only require an adaptor, whereas cordless phones may not be acceptable due to the radio frequency they operate on. Your mobile phone will work in Australia, as long as it can operate on the GSM-900 frequency.
Household Appliances: Because of high shipping costs, it is usually better to buy new ones in Australia. In addition, some appliances may not be designed for Australian conditions and may not be sufficiently effective for the climate in most parts of Australia).
Cars: Shipping costs, import duties, parts availability and resale values make importing a car very costly compared to simply buying a new car in Australia
 

17. What is the Average income of an Australian?
The average Australian lives a somewhat relaxed and reasonable lifestyle with a good disposable income. Many Australians now work from home in their own business sometimes having 2 or 3 different part-time jobs although most are still employed by small to medium size companies. In many families, the wife also has a part or full-time job. Typical yearly income for a family where both the husband and wife work would be approx. AU$60-70,000.
 

18. How is the cost of Living in Australia?
Living costs in Australia are low compared to Europe but probably higher than the USA. Interest rates are quite low with typical mortgage rates being about 5.5-6.5%.

Fuel costs (petrol, diesel etc.) are again lower than Europe but higher than the USA with a litre of unleaded petrol costing just under AU$1.00.

Food, Clothing etc. cost about the same or slightly less than in Europe or USA which is surprising given the proximity to Asia – you would expect such items to be significantly less expensive.

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19. Law and order in Australia
Although Australian crime rates are not low, they are significantly lower than, for example, USA. Also violent crime is relatively rare – the average Australian will not suffer a mugging, see a stabbing or shooting or otherwise have to worry about such things during his/her life. It is a Gun free country. One side effect of this however is that the occasional violent crime that does take place tends to receive a disproportionate amount of media publicity making it seem as if Australia has a worse problem than it really does.

House and car break-ins are more common but if you adopt common sense precautions such as not leaving valuables on display in your car then you are unlikely to be affected.
 

20. How advanced is the Health care system in Australia?
Australia operates a nationwide medical insurance scheme (‘Medicare’) that ensures free or low cost treatment for injuries & illnesses. Most Australians tend to ‘top up’ this scheme with additional medical insurance.

Permanent Residents and Citizens of Australia are entitled to the basic medical insurance but overseas visitors on holiday or temporary visitors need to take private insurance. The doctors, hospitals and associated people and organisations are of high quality and strictly controlled.
 

21. How long does it take to get a permanent residence visa to immigrate to Australia?
Every application is different and processing times largely depend on the type of visa being applied for. For the most recent guidelines for Australian visa processing times, see Global visa and citizenship processing times on the Department of Immigration and Border Protection website.
 

22. Can I visit Australia while my migration application is being processed?
Yes. But……You will need to meet the requirements for that class of visa, which may include the requirement that you only intend a holiday or short visit. Visitors visas are not intended to provide residence in Australia for migration applicants awaiting the outcome of their application…and you must inform us if you are temporarily in Australia as DIBP can continue your processing whilst you are there.

23. Do I have to send original documents with my application?
Yes. Generally for permanent migration applications original documentation is required, or properly certified copies.
 

24. Do I have to lodge my passport with my application?
Passports are NOT required to make a valid application. However, for all temporary residence visa applications (except Retirement visa applications) you should provide your passport with 2 unused visa pages with your application. If you think that you will need your passport during this time, DO NOT send it with your application. DIBP deals with a large number of visa applications and can not guarantee that they will be able to return your passport to you when you need it.
 

25. I am applying under the partner provisions do you need to interview me and my partner/sponsor?
In most cases DIBP may need to interview you, but this will usually be over the telephone. We will contact you if we need to arrange an interview.
 

26. Does my sponsor (ie spouse or partner) have to remain in the country of residence during processing?
No.
 

27. If I am approved, how long do I have before I must travel to Australia?
The initial entry date (stated on your visa) is the date by which you must travel to Australia on your visa. This date is calculated based on the validity of your health and character clearances. These clearances are usually only valid for 12 months. If you (and any members of your family included in your application) do not enter Australia by the initial entry date, you will breached a condition of your visa and consideration will be given to cancelling your visa.

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28. Can I do my medical processing in Australia ?
Yes. If you are in Australia temporarily you can approach an office of the DIBP to collect the medical forms (Form 26 and Form 160) and details on approved doctors and radiologists. You should sent your sealed medical results, marked with your file reference, to teh HSA or to DIBP directly when completed.
 

29. Who needs a visa for Australia?
All persons, other than Australian citizens require a visa or authority to enter Australia. All Indian citizens require a visa to enter Australia.
 

30. How can I find out what kind of visa to apply for?
The category of visa you wish to apply for depends on the purpose of your visit. You can use the Find Visa facility available on the Department of Home Affairs website to assist you with determining which visa category to apply for and the requirements for that category of visa.  See: Visa Finder 
 

31. More information on 457 visa
https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/Trav/Work/457-abolition-replacement

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia
 

32. Should I purchase my airline ticket before travelling?
You should not purchase non-refundable tickets or accommodation prior to the grant of a visa. Any such purchases are the sole responsibility of the visa applicant. The Department of Home Affairs recommends that you lodge your visa application well ahead of your proposed travel date and finalise travel arrangements after visa issue.
 

33. What documents are required with a visa application?
The documents required with a visa application are specific to the visa category under which you wish to apply. Please visit the VISA TYPES section of this website for document checklists for various visa categories.

You may also visit the website of the Department of Home Affairs for further information on document requirements.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that an application is complete and accompanied by relevant documents and information. An incomplete application form and/or the absence of required or relevant information and documents may result in delays in processing or in the application being refused.

Note : Additional documents, if submitted after lodgment of the visa application, will be charged a separate service charge by VFS.

See: Department of Home Affairs
 

34. Who decides if I will get a visa?
The Australian Department of Home Affairs assesses and decides all visa applications. The VFS Application Centre staff are not employees of the Australian Government and do not have the authority to assess or decide applications.
 

35. What is the role of VFS?
VFS Global Services Pvt Ltd (VFS) is the Service Delivery Partner (SDP) for the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs in India.

The role of VFS is to accept visa applications and to dispatch documents back to clients, on behalf of the Department of Home Affairs .

VFS does not play any part in or influence the outcome of your visa application. If a VFS employee claims to be able to influence your visa application, you should inform the Australian High Commission, New Delhi immediately.
 

36. Do I need an appointment to lodge my application with VFS?
Individual clients do not require a prior appointment to lodge their application at VFS Australian Visa Application Centres..

However, the submission timings for Travel Agents are restricted. For details on Travel agent timings, visit the “CONTACT US” section of this website.
 

37. How do I pay?
Clients are required to pay a Visa Application Charge (Visa fee), and a VFS service charge. Please visit the “VISA TYPES” section of this website for category relevant visa fee and VFS service charge.

Clients can also get their visa fee paid on their behalf, in Australia at a DIBP Office.

See: Click Here
 

38. Am I required to undergo a medical examination or chest X-Ray?
All applicants for a visa to Australia must meet the health requirement. Whether you are required to undergo a medical examination and/or chest x-ray depends on your age, how long you intend to stay in Australia and your intended activity in Australia.

See : Information Sheet 1163i
 

39. Where can I get my medical examination or chest X-Ray done?
The medical examination must be undertaken by a Panel Doctor nominated by the Australian High Commission. Please visit the PANEL DOCTORS section of this website to find out the contact details of panel doctors in India, Nepal and Bhutan.
 

40. Can I undertake medical examinations before lodging the application?
No. If a medical and/or x-ray examination is required, the New Delhi visa office will notify you after your visa application is lodged. You will then need to make arrangements to attend an approved immigration panel doctor of your choice.

See : eHealth – Australian High Commission
 

41. What is ETA?
An ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) is equivalent to a visa, but there is no stamp or label in the passport and there is no need for the client to visit an Australian diplomatic office to submit an application. Only citizens of certain countries are eligible to apply for an ETA. Indian citizens are not eligible for an ETA.