Australia mulls introducing three-year visa for low-risk Indian nationals

The Australian government, presenting the federal budget for 2016-17, said it would like to test changes to visa methods in significant markets with a view to increasing the number of visitors and investors to Australia.

Among these changes is a user-pays visa fast-track service for Indian and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) citizens, and a multiple-entry visa of three years for low-risk nationals from India, Chile, Thailand and Vietnam.

These moves are expected to generate revenue of A$1.5 million over a duration of four years starting from 2016-17.

Scott Morrison, Australian Treasurer, was of the view that the strategy builds on the 2015-16 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) step which included a trial for Chinese nationals of a user-pays visa fast-track service.

The government said it will save A$180 million over three years starting from 2017-18 by bettering automation in visa processing, offering self-service options and using more advanced evaluation capabilities.

Indians wanting to use the three-year multiple entry visa and user-pays visa fast-track service can do so by following this news on Australian websites.