Tourist visa processing times out of Australian Embassy Manila seem to be a bit varied lately. “Varied” is a polite way of wording it. We’ve had some take 2 weeks, and we’ve had some take 6 weeks. Not predictable at all!

We at Down Under Visa know when things are a bit slow in the processing of visa grants in Manila, because we get an increase in emails from worried visa clients. The more worried our clients get, the more stressed they get. And the more worried and stressed they get, the less they are inclined to listen to us and to accept what we have to say.

We will always say:

• There is nothing wrong with the application, otherwise we would never have lodged it

• We can’t predict when it will be granted

• We cannot “chase it up” and make it go faster

• And attempts to “chase it up” will only take the Australian Embassy staff away from their job of processing visas in order to answer chase-up emails with answers that don’t make anything any better for anybody

We are only human, and we probably don’t always sound as understanding as you would like us to sound. It’s a challenge especially when we work hard and work long hours, but we do try and we never cease to care and to understand how much this all means to you. And whilst you want to hear something definite, like “Your application will be finalised next Thursday”, or “All visas are taking between 13 and 16 days to process”, it simply won’t happen. And just because we don’t tell you what you want to hear is no reason to think we are trying to fob you off.

I will tell you something which you may or may not find funny. Very often when clients lose patience and “go off” at us, the visa grant often comes just a few days later! It happens just as we always said it would, ie. just a matter of time. Of course we are glad we didn’t do what was asked of us and nag the Embassy staff when there was nothing wrong in the first place. Whilst none of us like waiting, waiting is what you need to do.

Despite the high level of emotions, we still love what we do. It’s never dull. And the end result is that couples get together. Often hard work, but our motto really is that we never give up on a client. The tougher the situation, the harder we try. Bringing couples together and helping new families to form, this is a great thing to be a part of.

But back to the tourist visas and all other visas…..

Please just be patient. We prepare and lodge applications that we believe to be sound, and with enough information to show the Case Officer that the application is a genuine application and meets the Migration Regulations for that visa type. That’s the best we can do and that’s the best anyone can do. Making it go faster, or finding out when it will be finalised, no one can do that. We can’t, and we make that very clear.

So please help us to help you (as Tom Cruise said in Jerry McGuire), and get us what we ask you for. We are most definitely on your side. Be accurate and detailed in the information you give us. And with our experience and dedication to YOU, soon enough we should get a positive result for you.