Canberra Wants to Strengthen Checks on Family Visa Sponsors in Oz

In what can be called a fairly important development, the reliability of the family visa programme of Australia is to be reportedly strengthened with the introduction of a fresh amendment to be duly introduced by the administration.

As per Peter Dutton, the in-office Immigration Minister, the Migration Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2016 will duly authorize the character checks of the sponsors of every petition filed for a Family Visa.

At present, there is a need of police checks for the sponsors in the petitions where kids are involved, and purposely focus on the protection of kids. While the legislative amendments will increase checks to each &every sponsor, as per Dutton, the same will enable improved consideration of the possibility for family violence.

They will facilitate the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) to decline sponsorship petitions in situations where the sponsor has convictions for pedophilia, other crimes against kids or crimes relating to brutality.

In refusing a petition, the Department will have to reflect on a chain of issues comprising the duration of the association, the kind of misdemeanor, and how lately it took place, the significance of the offense to the family bond, and any additional mitigating conditions.

Dutton stated that the freshly arrived migrants happen to be one of the most defenseless persons in the Australian society. They are less expected to have a recognized support system, may not boast of an English speaking background, and are less expected to know how to search for aid.

As if to explain, he indicated that the improvements add a vital safeguard to the family visa scheme, and will guarantee sponsors know their obligations under the Australian law and are properly reviewed, prior to being duly endorsed as a family sponsor.

The minister added that the reinforced information sharing provisions will also guarantee that both candidates and sponsors can make fully learned decisions, prior to committing to the visa application procedure.

Sharing the minister’s thoughts, Michaelia Cash, the Minister for Women, reportedly stated that the Bill is a crucial step toward shielding women & kids against the exceptionally real danger of family violence.

As if to drive the message home, she reportedly added that during 2015-2016, nearly 529 partner visa aspirants alleged they were victims of family brutality, vis-à-vis 458 claims made during the preceding year.

Even as candidates for a Partner Visa, who seek to stay in Oz on the grounds of family violent behavior, make up less than 2% of the Partner Visa caseload, the government is committed to executing plans to keep women, landing in the nation, pretty safe from aggression & cruelty, she further stated.

Cash also reportedly elucidated that the improvements suitably support the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children by putting into practice the sections of Action Item 11 from the Second Action Plan necessitating extra information revelation by the local fiancé or husband of filing a petition for an Overseas Spouse Visa.