Good news for nearly 800,000 people of Indian origin in Australia: after a 23-day stand-still, passport, visa and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) services are back. The High Commission of India switched contractors on 1 July, forcing a nationwide pause while new centres were fitted out. VFS Global went live on 23 July, and on 28 July confirmed that six Indian Consular Application Centres—in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra—are now accepting all categories of applications. The shutdown left students unable to renew expiring passports and skilled-visa applicants waiting for Police Clearance Certificates. Airlines even reported a spike in “no-show” passengers whose passports were caught in transit. With operations restored, turnaround times are expected to normalise in two to three weeks, although VFS will run Saturday shifts to clear the backlog. Practical impact: Indian nationals who need to update their passport numbers in ongoing Australian visa or citizenship files should now lodge replacement documents through ImmiAccount. Universities are advising international students to check passport validity at least six months before expiry to avoid future disruptions. Fees remain unchanged (AUD 16.50 service fee plus government charges), but applicants must pre-book biometric appointments online. Walk-ins are no longer accepted except for documented medical emergencies. Bottom line: continuity of consular documentation is critical for everything from student-visa extensions to employer‐sponsored permanent residence. The restored network reduces risk for Indian mobility into Australia just as Canberra raises foreign-worker caps under its “Future Made in Australia” skills agenda.
Source: Riverwood Migration
