Greens Legislation to Extend and Reinstate Visas for Temporary Visa Holders Unable to Return to Australia

Tens of thousands of temporary visa holders, including people with established homes, jobs and in some cases partners in Australia, were overseas when Australia’s international borders closed due to Covid-19. 

Many more had spent thousands of dollars on their visas, had packed up their homes, quit their jobs and were about to move to Australia when the borders closed. 

Despite their best efforts to secure a travel exemption to enter Australia, many have been unable to get exemptions and have been left languishing overseas watching their visas run down and expire through no fault of their own. 

The pain and trauma this situation has caused is immeasurable, and with no end in sight. 

The Greens Legislation will:

• Extend visas by the amount of time people have been stranded overseas until the day they receive a travel exemption or the international borders are re-opened;
• Reinstate visas that have expired while a person was stranded overseas and unable to return due to the border closure;
• Apply to all temporary visa classes that have been affected by the international border closure, including:
  • People with a Bridging Visa B;
  • People on Skilled Visas – Subclass 482; 457; 489 and 491;
  • International Students (Subclass 500); Temporary Graduate Visa Holders (Subclass 485s); and Skilled Recognised Graduate Visas (Subclass 476); and 
  • Tourist Visas.

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