The Department of Immigration and Boarder Protection has issued these two comments as of 7 January 2014:
Q&A
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I am lodging a 485 online but it won’t accept my IELTS date even though it is within the 3 year limit – what should I do?
Background
It is a known issue that the online 485 Graduate Skilled application will not accept IELTS results more than 2 years old even though IELTS results up to 3 years old are acceptable for a 485 application.
Workaround
It is acceptable for clients in this situation enter an IELTS date that the eVisa system accepts even if this date is not accurate. Clients who use this workaround must also attach form 1023 to the application advising DIBP of the incorrect information, cite the test reference number in the application and include a cover letter explaining why incorrect information has been put into the application.
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I am lodging a 485 online but the system won’t recognise my newborn baby – what should I do?
Background
The 485 processing area are aware of an issue with the online system where clients are unable to include their child in the online application. This happens where a child is born onshore when the parent(s) hold/s a student visa but the department is never notified and the child is not added to the student visa. In these instances the online 485 application will not recognise the child as onshore and allow them to be included as a migrating family member in the 485 application.
Workaround
Ideally clients should add the newborn to the existing student visa by sending a request to their nearest student processing centre the child’s birth certificate and evidence of the parents current visas and then re-attempt the online application once this request has been actioned.
If this is not possible (for example if the student visa or other eligibility is expiring imminently) the client should enter the child in the e485 application as a non-migrating family member and attach form 1023 with supporting documents (requesting that the child be listed as a migrating family member). The client will also need to:
·email a scanned Form 1436 to the Graduate Processing Centre authorising the payment of the Additional Application Charge for the child.
·include their TRN number in the subject line and the word ‘urgent’ to assist with prioritisation
·send the scanned form 1436 to qld.temporary.graduate@immi.gov.au (unless they are clients from Afghanistan, China or Pakistan, in which case the mailbox would be sa.temporary.graduate@immi.gov.au ).
