The remaining relative Visa Subclass 115 is for people who want to migrate to Australia to join their close relatives with whom they have a special affiliation, and none of their family members is present in the country apart from those eligible to apply for the visa under this category. This visa is indeed advantageous for the applicant, but the following drawbacks accompany it:
Benefits of visa subclass 115 –
Family Reunification:
The major advantage of the Visa Subclass 115 is for the purpose of reunion with the family members. This visa enables one to migrate to Australia with a view of being with the remaining family members who are Australians, a PR or eligible New Zealand citizen. This goes a long way in improving the morale and psychological aspect of families that have been separated by large distances.
Permanent Residency:
The Visa Subclass 115 is permanent visa that allows a person to become an Australian permanent resident. This means that persons holding a visa can now permanently reside, work and study in Australia. They also have the right to engage in Medicare, which is the public health scheme in Australia, and after fulfilling certain conditions, add up for Australian citizenship.
Social Security Benefits:
This visa subtype also offers the applicants the right to vote and access the social security benefits of Australia which offer support in any given financially challenging times.
Education Opportunities:
Having PR status enables an individual access education in any of the Australian schools, TAFE, or universities. The Visa Subclass 115 Australia holders can be supported as domestic learners, they result in paying less tuition fees compared to international learners.
Work Rights:
It therefore gives permit to work in any job and for any employer in Australia without any limitation. This flexibility is very vital especially to the persons willing to lay down their roots financially and also in matters concerning job market in Australia.
Travel Flexibility:
The Visa Subclass 115 holders are allowed to come and go as they please in Australia. On visa grant, they are given a travel facility that is valid for five years and renewable so that they can travel to other countries and comeback to Australia without having to look for another visa.
Problems with the Visa Subclass 115
Lengthy Processing Times:
Nonetheless, there are issues that have been attributed to the Visa Subclass 115; one of them is that it takes a long time to application process for Visa Subclass 115. This is because most people applying for the family reunion visas are often many compared to the available vacancies hence the waiting is extended. Similarly it is usually several years before an applicant gets a visa to travel for his or her planned purpose.
Strict Eligibility Criteria:
Last but not the least, the access to the Visa Subclass 115 comes with some very strict criteria indeed. It is cumbersome to establish that there is no other close qualifying relative in the applicant’s country other than Australian citizens. The definition of ‘close relative” is restricted to parents, siblings and the children who are above the age of eighteen and therefore cannot be used for relatives who are grandparents, cousins or uncles and aunt.
Sponsorship Requirements:
This means that, the applicant must have a qualifying sponsor who will be willing and capable of financially sponsoring the applicant. This sponsor cannot be older than 18 years, he or she must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or a eligible New Zealand citizen, and he or she has to sign an Assurance of Support, that means that this person obliges to support the visa holder financially.
No Bridging Visa:
There is no bridging visa for Subclass 115 unlike for some of the other visa subclasses that are mentioned above. This implies that if the applicant is in Australia on some other Visa they will have to leave the country and wait until they get the Visa Subclass 115 of Australia, from an overseas country.
Health and Character Requirements:
As a General requirement, applicants intending to apply for the Subclass 115 Visa ought to be healthy, and of good character. This entails being subjected to some medical tests, and giving police clearances. Problems in these areas can result in either a denial of the visa or the visa being issued, but only after some delay.
Financial Costs:
The application of visa brings forward the charges which may be harsh in some occasions. Apart from the VIC, other related expenses may include the cost of medical examinations, certificate of police clearance among other certificates. These expenses can really accumulate as many may find out the hard way especially if one is a family.
Conclusion
Having discussed the intricacies of the visa subclass 115, it is important to state that it creates the important opportunity for family reunion and the life opportunity in Australia on the permanent basis.
However, the potential applicants should bear in mind that the processes generally take long time, there are guidelines in terms of eligibility, there are so many financial and procedural matters. Being aware of both pros and cons in general and peculiarities for a particular country can be useful for applicants in the process of decision making as well as in solving concrete problems connected with the visa application.