New Announcement for New Arrival in Australia

Starting Monday 16 March 2020

Courtesy The West Australian

All arrivals in Australia from today Monday 16 March 2020 will need to self-isolate for 14 days. Yes, self-isolation. And this is Law, so it must be followed absolutely. Not difficult! Inconvenient, yes maybe. But perfectly sensible when you think about it, and self isolation is MUCH better than slamming the borders shut! To me, it means they came up with a fairly sensible decision. Coronavirus has an incubation period of up to 14 days. If you discover you have it, then you remain isolated until you’re OK! You haven’t coughed and drooled over hundreds of people by the time you find out!  

Is Jeff Harvie THE authority on Coronavirus?

Am I? No, no definitely not! Do I get any special sources of insider information that no one else gets? No, that doesn’t apply to me either! I can interpret the news much the same as anyone else. All I know at this stage is how this all affects Visas to Australia from Philippines, and how it affects them right now!  

How does it affect Australian visas right now?

Not at all! No cancellations. No freezing up on visa processing and/or granting. Business As Usual with visa processing. And Down Under Visa are the same. Still at our desks Monday to Friday, working hard to prepare and lodge visa applications the same as ever. And I’m here to help you make great decisions about your future together.

The Australian Embassy has said that Tourist Visas lodged in Manila will be slower processing. So I guess adding a few weeks to processing time will be the norm for a while.  

Can Jeff answer all your questions? Again, I can’t answer all of your questions. I know what the news tells me, and nothing more.

• Can you get in and out of Manila?
• Can you get a bus to somewhere from Manila?
• How can she get home?
• Where are the safe places to go?
• Will they close the borders?

Sorry, but I only know what I hear which is from the same sources as you have. I can’t give you reliable information on any of these matters. I told someone this morning to contact the airlines themselves, and I’m sure the bus companies would also have those facts you need.  

What does Self-Isolation mean for you?

I just read a useful article this morning, and it seems to have most questions answered. And it doesn’t look so bad. Main thing to remember that you need to follow this and take it very seriously. Not the right time to rock the boat and break the Law! Please click this link HERE, and you should have a very clear idea of what to do. And for those who will spend two weeks together alone with not much to do? I implore you to read this article HERE!    

Jeff Harvie is a Registered Migration Agent from Australia, but resident in Philippines since 2010 with his Filipina wife Mila and large extended family. Experienced with the Philippines culture, cross-cultural relationships and bureaucracy as well as Australian visas and Australian Migration Law, he writes with authority and fortunately with enough informality and humour that the average Aussie gets it!