Source: The National, Friday
THE problems that Papua New Guineans face in obtaining visas to travel to Australia have become a thorny issue in relations between the two countries.
Amid the warm and fuzzy sentiments about the common bonds shared by PNG and Australia being expressed during the Anzac Day commemorations in both countries this week, the visa issue leaves a sour taste for many Papua New Guineans.
Indeed, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill was recently quoted as saying that “the visa situation is at odds with those bonds.’’
Papua New Guinea’s high commissioner to Australia,Charles Lepani, highlighted the issue at a recent conference on PNG in Geelong, Victoria.
Lepani told the conference that Australia’s immigration laws were extremely frustrating for Papua New Guineans trying to travel Down Under, and while he believed the matter was being considered by the highest levels of the Australian government, there was a need for urgent action.
“Immigration issues, they are galling, if I could put it bluntly and very politely in terms of how Papua New Guineans are treated entering Australia and the difficulties faced by Papua New Guineans,’’ Lepani said.
O’Neill this week also urged the Australian governmentto ease its visa requirements for PNG travellers, while also urging PNG citizens to obey Australian laws and not overstay their visas.
“We expect Aussies to obey our laws when they are in Papua New Guinea, and our people must do the same when in Australia,’’ he said.
There are several aspects to the visa issue which make it difficult for everyone involved - visa seekers as well as the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC).
One point that must be made is that Australia’s tourist visa system is non-discriminatory. The threshold of entry requirements is the same for people of all nationalities (other than those with which Australia has reciprocal visa arrangements, where a visa is not required for nationals from some countries, or one is granted on arrival). PNG does not have such a reciprocal arrangement, a matter for its government to pursue with Canberra.
Generally, a visa applicant must have a valid passport, be of good character, demonstrate a genuine reason to travel, hold return travel bookings (not actual tickets), show hotel bookings or other accommodation arrangements, and provide evidence of funds to sustain the applicant for the duration of the stay.
If all these are provided along with the correct application form, and submitted well in advance of the expected travel date, visas are granted without any problem.
When it comes to student visas, there are different categories of countries for granting a visa, which also depends on the level of courses for which the visa is sought, for instance high school certificate, diploma, undergraduate, post-graduate etc. There are varying requirements of funding evidence and English language proficiency for various categories of visas for applicants from different nationalities.
Are the studentvisa requirements discriminatory? Many applicants would feel that way. Applicants from some countries, mainly developed ones, have it easier when it comes to obtaining visas, while those from developing countries have to run an obstacle course to get there. I speak from experience. Still, that is the system. Those are the rules, and if you want to play ball, you play by the rules.
Because of its strict enforcement of government policy on “border control”, the DIAC must be among the most disliked government agencies in Australia, even among Australian themselves.
Most Australian businesses loathe dealing with the department to sponsor workers for permanent residence or work visas because of the maze of bureaucratic red-tape and documentation requirements. Many simply won’t do it.
Australians who marry foreign nationals or are in relationships with foreigners also find it extremely difficult to bring their spouses or partners into the country. There is a lengthy process to be followed.
For the federal government minister in charge, it is a poisoned chalice. Good news is rare. On the other hand, there is a steady stream of politically bad news. The asylum-seeker boats continue to arrive, detention centres are in strife with inmates regularly attempting self-harm, frequent riots, children being held in detention, and every deportation of an illegal alien attracting bad press.
Much of this is not the department’s fault. It just happens to be the agency tasked with managing one of the government’s most challenging portfolios.
Last month, Sandi Logan, national communications manager for the DIAC, defended the department against claims of “obstructive behaviour” and a “lack of compassion’’ on the part of its officers.
In a letter to the editor of The National on March 1, Logan said the department “managed around 28 million border crossings in 2011-2012, many of them involving medical evacuations and medical visas where compassion and empathy were hallmarks of the client service our staff provided”.
He reminded all visa applicants that “integrity is paramount to the fundamental underpinnings of Australia’s migration program, whether that be for, among other things, short-term visits, for medical visas or escorts, long-term business stays or permanent residence”.
It must be pointed out that the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby has a limited role in the granting of visas. Individual officers have little discretion in assessing applications, with the visa requirements being legislated in the Migration Act and officers having to abide by the strict guidelines, except in cases of medical emergencies.
So can the Australian High Commission in Waigani do things better? It sure can.
Getting rid of the queuing system outside the High Commission’s gates and replacing it with a more dignified way of dealing with applicants would be a good start.
For prospective visa applicants, the DIAC website www.immi.gov.au is a useful resource and provides all the information needed for applying for a visa.
Good luck with your application.
lSanjay Bhosale, a former associate editor with The National, is a Canberra-based journalist.