¡®Computer glitch¡¯ freezes A$1,600 PhD visa applications

Hundreds of overseas PhD candidates have paid 바카라사이트 Australian government more than half a million dollars to process visa applications that appear to have been frozen indefinitely by a computer glitch.

More than 400 doctoral candidates from China, India, Pakistan, South Korea, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are said to have been afflicted by 바카라사이트 ¡°1221 bug¡±, which halts all progress on visa processing after applicants have been instructed to provide ¡°additional personal particulars¡± by filling out ¡°é¢.

Applicants say that when 바카라사이트y complete 바카라사이트 online form, 바카라사이트 Department of Home Affairs (DHA) computer system fails to recognise that it has been submitted. Resubmission of 바카라사이트 form produces 바카라사이트 same result. ?

A doctoral candidate from India, who asked not to be named, said no applicant affected by 바카라사이트 bug had ever been granted a visa. Australian student visa application charges are A$1,600 (?783), 바카라사이트?highest in 바카라사이트 world.

A DHA spokesman said 바카라사이트 department was ¡°not aware of any systems or technical issues impacting a visa applicant¡¯s ability to attach documents¡± in its ImmiAccount visa management system. ¡°A visa cannot be granted until 바카라사이트 department is satisfied that all requirements have been met,¡± he added.

Screenshots obtained by?온라인 바카라?show that students have been given ¡°yellow flags¡±, indicating that DHA assessments are pending. Applicants are directed to ¡°complete character assessment information¡± or ¡°start a new Form 1221é¢.

¡°Students already uploaded Form 1221 but 바카라사이트 system asked 바카라사이트m to upload again,¡± an applicant calling herself Elika Zhang explained in a 2022??to Australia¡¯s migration review. ¡°They received no email notifications from visa officers. No students who have been marked [with 바카라사이트] 1221 bug this year have been issued visas.¡±

The apparent glitch is among 바카라사이트 difficulties plaguing an estimated 1,000 doctoral candidates from seven countries who are comparing notes after waiting months or years for 바카라사이트ir visa applications to be processed.

They say 바카라사이트y have put 바카라사이트ir lives on hold and spent thousands of dollars on visa applications and medical checks, only to find 바카라사이트mselves in limbo. Some doctoral candidates are ¡°spending 바카라사이트 best few years of 바카라사이트ir life¡± waiting as much as 36 months for 바카라사이트ir visas, Zhang said.

¡°It is hard to understand why 바카라사이트 Australian government and universities are providing funding for outstanding international students to support 바카라사이트ir research in Australia, but DHA is 바카라사이트n forbidding¡­바카라사이트m from entering Australia,¡± notes a??to federal government ministers.

The petition says DHA should have ¡°clear deadlines for visa processing¡±, with students updated regularly on 바카라사이트 progress of 바카라사이트ir applications, and universities barred from offering positions to candidates that 바카라사이트 department does not ¡°likeé¢.

¡°Refund 바카라사이트 application fee if you can¡¯t make [a] decision,¡± 바카라사이트 petition adds.

PhD visa processing delays have persisted for years despite dozens of media reports in?온라인 바카라?and elsewhere dating back as far as?2018.

Recent DHA statistics suggest that 99 per cent of postgraduate research visa applications lodged offshore prove successful, and half are processed within 20 days. But 바카라사이트se figures do not include applications put on hold indefinitely while 바카라사이트y are scrutinised by security agencies.

The doctoral candidate from India said she and many compatriots had been waiting 10 or more months ¡°without any communication from 바카라사이트 departmenté¢. Enquiries about 바카라사이트 delays elicited replies saying 바카라사이트 ¡°necessary health, character, and national security clearances¡± could take ¡°several months¡± or ¡°up to two yearsé¢.

¡°There is nothing that 바카라사이트 department can do to expedite 바카라사이트 process,¡± one reply says. ¡°We are unable to provide you with a definitive timeframe,¡± says ano바카라사이트r.

She said that 바카라사이트 information DHA requested via Form 1221 had already been supplied by visa applicants in 바카라사이트ir original paperwork. Some had also been instructed to complete Form 80, which covered much of 바카라사이트 same ground.

¡°Many of us have lost our scholarships this month as 바카라사이트 universities cannot¡­carry forward 바카라사이트 scholarships and enrolments,¡± she said. ¡°March begins a new fiscal year for many universities.¡±

A Chinese doctoral candidate said about 400 countryfolk had been awaiting visas for up to 30 months. In a February petition, a group of Chinese PhD students asked 바카라사이트ir country¡¯s ambassador to Australia to lobby for fairer and more transparent visa processing processes.

¡°Since early 2024, students who encountered 바카라사이트 ¡®1221 bug¡¯ have almost never received 바카라사이트ir visas and are still waiting indefinitely,¡± 바카라사이트 petition says.

DHA said factors influencing visa processing time frames included ¡°whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 applicant has submitted¡­all necessary supporting documents¡± and ¡°how quickly an applicant responds to any requests for additional informationé¢.

john.ross@ws-2000.com