Why can’t people just tell the truth? It’s one of those annoyingly frustrating aspects of our job at Down Under Visa when visa applicants tell us stories to cover up some indiscretion along the way, or sometimes the applicant simply lacks enthusiasm to get on with the application, sorry to say. And then they tell their Australian sponsors how scared, confused and stressed they are……and then he wants to protect her and emails us about it to try to find a solution that will make life easier for her.

No, not all. And no, not most. Most of our applicants are wonderful, and most are the most hard-working and diligent ladies you could ever hope to come across. But some you can see spend most of the day on Facebook, or shopping to spend their allowance on clothes and on taking Zumba classes, and these tend to be the ones with the excuses. And some have things in their past that they are trying to hide, and think that telling a sad story will make it all go away.

And sorry chaps, but sometimes the less-than-honest ladies lie to their menfolk too.

Examples

• We get a few occasions where a visa applicant can’t produce any details of her stays overseas, ie. requirements for a police clearance in a particular country. They might have to produce names and addresses of employers, previous passport records, and some countries require that the employer “sign off” on their employment with some type of certificate.
• Or we have ex-husbands who need to sign a Form 1229 giving permission for their child to migrate, and the husband has supposedly disappeared without a trace and no one can find him.
• Or we need to get Medical Examinations for non-migrating children, and this can’t be done because they are with the ex-husband who is either missing, or is so extremely violent that she dare not go near him.
• Or they can’t remember any details, addresses, dates, etc, and no friends or family members know either.
• Or they have lost documents, eg passports, employment contracts, etc.
• Former employer or employment agent has moved, or are uncooperative, and refuses to send them the documents they need, and will not write a letter for them.
• And of course the Qatar or Kuwait or UAE Embassy is very difficult to deal with, and won’t issue the police clearance.
• Or they can’t get the school records because the school burnt down, or they can’t get anyone to sign an affidavit stating that they’ve known them since birth and can attest to their identity

The problem

The problem, as I’ve explained before, is that the Australian Embassy in Manila have heard it all, and they are generally very suspicious when they hear these stories. We see mostly honest clients, whereas they would see far more dodgy applications than we would ever see. Hard to blame them for becoming a bit jaded and not being overly trusting.

And their job is to protect Australia’s borders. That’s their purpose. It’s not to provide a smooth passage to Australia for your Filipina wife or fiancée. If that happens, then it’s a side-effect. OUR job at Down Under Visa is to provide that smooth passage, but this will only happen if the Embassy Case Officer is happy.

Police Clearances are to keep criminals out of Australia. This is why your lady needs one from every country where she’s lived for 12 months or more. If she worked in Singapore or Kuwait (or anywhere) for more than 12 months, they want something from each of those countries to say that she behaved herself while she was there. If she can’t come up with it, then she doesn’t get a tick in that particular Regulation. No tick = no visa.

Medicals for non-migrating kids? No, I don’t know the reason they want this done, but they do. In some cases we may apply for waivers or this, however in most cases we can’t. Don’t make false statements about why you can’t bring them to a Medical, or they will check up on you and they will find out that you are lying. And lying = a false statement which = refusal and three year ban.

Not getting permission for kids to migrate? If the ex-spouse has legal joint custody of the kids, you can’t bring them overseas without his permission. To do so is kidnapping. The Embassy know this, and therefore won’t just waive them through. No permission = no visa for the child.

And issues of identity not being clear, due to late-registration of their birth? There are many people in this country with several birth certificates with different names, always done to cover something up. Uncertain identity can mean that a crime is being covered up. If you don’t cooperate and mess about with this, it can mean refusal and maybe a 10 year ban!

In conclusion

Please don’t email us and tell us that Marilou really DID lose her passport. I’m definitely NOT saying these things never happen, and no one is accusing you of anything. We tend to believe what people tell us. It’s just really disappointing when someone tells you about the missing husband, and we invest unpaid time getting them to organise affidavits, etc…..then the Embassy sends a letter asking for more definitive proof, we tell the client, then 2 days later the signed form turns up. And yes, sometimes the stories just don’t sound quite right, especially when it’s someone who has an excuse for everything.

So please cooperate with us. We’re not giving anyone a hard time because of our uncaring black hearts, rest assured. We’re just trying to get your visa approved, and we know how the Embassy views sob stories. And we also know that if in doubt they will refuse your application in a heartbeat. And nobody wants that!