2012-Mar 30: Sponsorship and onshore extensions (temporary entry)

Visa Pak 58: Clarification about sponsorship obligations when an applicant applies for a further visa while onshore (temporary entry)

Visa Paks

30 March 2012

Compliance Operations manage the cost recovery process for clients who are deported and have been sponsored. Sponsors are liable for “all costs incurred by the Crown”, including deportation costs, escort and warrant of commitment applications etc.

A recent challenge by an eligible sponsor has highlighted an issue where clients change their visa type once they are onshore. Please note that sponsor's obligations are confined to the original visa type issued from offshore and that their obligations cease to apply where the client changes their visa type once onshore.

Where a client has been sponsored at their first application and is seeking an onshore extension utilising another Visa Type, immigration officers should consider requesting fresh sponsorship for the subsequent application.

This will mitigate any risk and enable the cost recovery process to trigger should the client become unlawful and is subject to deportation.