As per the new regulation under migration to Australia, any applicant found providing false or misleading details on their visa application, will be given a 10-year ban for entering the country. The government of Australia recently announced new rules to take into effect under which providing wrong information in your visa application, whether intentional or not, can incur a complete ban of 10 years.
These changes to the rules and regulations under Australian migration are being established in order to promote the Migration Legislation Amendment (2017 Measures No. 4) Regulations 2017, that will take effect on 18th November 2017. Under the existing regulations, section 4020 of the Public Interest Criterion targets applicants who supply false documents or false and misleading information to the Australian Government in the last 12 months before an application is made.
This rule is, however, being changed to extend the period of 12 months to 10 years before applying for the visa again efficiently ensuring that the applicant cannot enter the country for another 10 years. This amendment to the old rule came into effect to stop fraud from taking place as the applicants providing such false details do not get into the country easily, as earlier they used to withdraw their application after receiving the warning from Department of Immigration and fill the form again after the period of 12 months.
It is believed by the department of immigration that individuals that have provided wrong information on their visa application are prone to provide same false details to government as well. So in the interest and safety of public it is beneficial to change this rule to ban of 10 years. The Minister of Immigration believes this change to be imperative and reasonable measure to keep the value and integrity of the Visa Framework.
“Many people knowingly provide false information. Earlier they were able to reapply after a one-year period. Now that’s being extended to ten years which effectively means they have been shut out of Australia. You are asked if you were refused a visa before and if you go to a different migration agent and he ticks ‘no’ instead of ‘yes’- if you were actually refused a visa, your prospects of getting a visa for the next ten years are gone.”
The department says officers will have discretion to determine whether or not the visa applicant has deliberately submitted fraudulent documents and applicants who accidentally provide false or incorrect information will not be subject to refusal.
