Since the start of the war in Israel and Palestine, Australia has granted visas to more than 800 Palestinians and 1700 Israelis. This is not specifically humanitarian action, since those people have been granted a simple visitor visa for Australia. Nonetheless, the action has raised questions related to hypothetical hazards.
Large volume of visa applications from the Middle East
Australia is receiving a high amount of visa applications from the Middle East. It is a direct consequence of the recent escalation of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which has already claimed many lives. Many fleeing Palestinians and Israelis are now seeking temporary refuge in Australia. Since the start of the war, 860 Palestinians and nearly 1800 Israelis have already been granted visas for Australia. Nonetheless, the number of Palestinians who have actually managed to travel tu Australia is still unknown. In fact, leaving Gaza is no easy feat, and holding a valid visa does not help people in many cases.
Officially, visa applications from Israel and Palestine are not asylum applications, but mainly applications for a temporary visitor visa (subclass 600). The same visa is used by travellers who visit Australia for a holiday or business trip, and allows visitors to stay in the country up to 12 consecutive months. Due to the war, an exceptional amount of applications for this visa to Australia have been submitted from Israel and Palestine. Numerous applications have been approved. The issuing of so many visas has raised questions in Australia about the control of the applications.
Australia’s strict immigration policy
Australia is notorious for its strict immigration policy. Visa applications for Australia are always thoroughly checked, and very few exceptions are made to the regulations in force. For example, in 2022, the world-famous tennis player Novak Djokovic was not allowed to enter the country due to not complying with the corona-related safety measures. Moreover, the country has been criticised by several human right organisations for its harsh treament of immigrants who tried to reach Australia without a valid travel authorisation in the past.
Notwithstanding, Australia is committed to humanitarian causes and people in need. For example, the country is now trying to help people leave the war zone in Gaza through the Australian consulate in Cairo. Australia is mainly landing aid to Australians, people with valid Australian residency permits, and people with valid visas to Australia, such as the 860 Palestinians who have been granted a visa in the recent months.
Criticism of the visa procedure
Recently, the opposition in Australia has raised questions regarding the way Australian visas are issued to Palestinians, questioning whether the inspections and security checks have been thorough enough. In fact, the opposition believes Palestinians fleeing the war zone could pose a threat to Australia’s security. Furthermore, the Australian government has been accused of not being sufficiently transparent about the amount of visas issued and about the procedures.
The Australian government has responded to these criticisms, claiming that all visa applications were checked thoroughly and according to the guidelines. For humanitarian reasons, applications from war zones may have been given priority over regular visa applications, but that does not mean the visas were issued without thorough inspections. Australian Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil stressed that national security was the top priority and accused the opposition of misusing the war for political purposes.
Requirements of the temporary visitor visa
The visitor visa (subclass 600) allows travellers to stay up to 1 year in Australia. This visa does not allow to work in Australia or to study for more than three months in the country. Travellers who cannot return to their country of origin for security reasons might be able to extend the authorised duration of stay under certain circumstances. Moreover, visitor visa holders are not considered Australian residents. They are therefore not entitled to the amenities of the welfare state.
Travellers from several European and non-European countries may apply for an eVisitor visa (subclass 651) instead of a visitor visa (subclass 600). The visas have similar requirements, but applying for the eVisitor visa is easier and faster. Moreover, the eVisitor visa Australia is cheaper than a regular visitor visa.