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IMPORTANT INFORMATION

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OFFICIAL: Sensitive
Personal-Privacy

In reply please quote:
FOI Request: FA 21/10/00909
File Number: OBJ2021/31215

Dear Ray Mehta,

Acknowledgement of Freedom of Information Access request
I refer to your correspondence received on 20 October 2021 seeking access to documents held by the Department of Home Affairs (the Department) under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act).

Scope of request
You have requested access to the following:

Kindly provde the below data for Visa applications decided between 1 July 2018 till date (20 October 2021) where a registered migration agent or an authorised recipient was used.

- Visas Granted where the application is represented by a registered migration agent
- Visas refused where the application is represented by a registered migration agent

and for the same years:

- Visa granted where the application is unrepresented or represented by a person who is not a registered migration agent.
- Visa refused where the application is unrepresented or represented by a person who is not a registered migration agent.

Please provide separate statistics for the above for at least each of the following visa subclasses:

Student for Subclass 500
Visitor Visa for Subclass 600
Skilled for Subclass 189, 190
Partner for Subclass 309, 100.

Your request was received by the Department on 20 October 2021 and has been allocated FOI request number FA 21/10/00909 . Please include your FOI request number in all correspondence with the Freedom of Information Section.
Timeframe for receiving your decision

The statutory timeframe for processing a request is 30 days from the date upon which your application was received by the Department.

Your review rights in relation to your request are available on the website of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner here.
Exclusion of staff details

The Department’s policy is to exclude the personal details of staff not in the Senior Executive Service (SES), as well as the direct contact details of SES staff, contained in documents that fall within scope of an FOI request. If you require personal details of non-SES officers, or direct contact details of SES staff, please inform us so the decision maker may consider your request. Otherwise we will take it that you agree to that information being excluded from the scope of your request.

Duplicate documents
If the FOI decision-maker deems a document to be a duplicate, they will not assess those pages as part of your FOI request. This means that if a there is a decision to release the document to you, you will receive only one copy, even if multiple copies of that document exists.
Publication of document

Where documents are released to you in response to your request, the Department may be required to publish these documents on its website within 10 working days in accordance with section 11C of the FOI Act. Publication will not be required where the documents contain personal or business affairs information.

Contacting the FOI Section

Should you wish to discuss your request you may contact the FOI Section at [Department of Home Affairs request email].

Kind regards,

FOI Officer - Geoff
Freedom of Information
Department of Home Affairs

E: [Department of Home Affairs request email]

Personal-Privacy
OFFICIAL: Sensitive

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OFFICIAL

In reply, please quote:

Client Name:     Mehta, Ray

FOI Request:    FA 21/10/00909

File Number:     OBJ2021/31215

FOI due date:   19 November 2021

Dear Ray Mehta,

Request for an extension of time:

This correspondence refers to an access request received by the Department
of Home Affairs (‘the Department’) under the Freedom of Information Act
1982 (the FOI Act) on 20 October 2021, seeking access to:

‘Kindly provde the below data for Visa applications decided between 1 July
2018 till date (20 October 2021) where a registered migration agent or an
authorised recipient was used.

- Visas Granted where the application is represented by a registered
migration agent

- Visas refused where the application is represented by a registered
migration agent

and for the same years:

- Visa granted where the application is unrepresented or represented by a
person who is not a registered migration agent.

- Visa refused where the application is unrepresented or represented by a
person who is not a registered migration agent.

Please provide separate statistics for the above for at least each of the
following visa subclasses:

Student for Subclass 500

Visitor Visa for Subclass 600

Skilled for Subclass 189, 190

Partner for Subclass 309, 100’

Timeframe for processing your request:

The FOI Act provides a statutory period for processing your request of 30
calendar days unless an extension of time is agreed to, or provided for,
under a provision of the FOI Act.

The due date for a decision on your request is 19 November 2021.

Request for an extension of time:

Unfortunately, the search and retrieval of documents related to the scope
of your request is taking longer than anticipated. The Department
therefore seeks your agreement (under section 15AA of the FOI Act) to
extend the timeframe for the processing of your request by 30 days. The
additional time will support completing this process, and assist us in
making a decision on access within statutory timeframes.

If you agree to the extension of time please advise the Department before
18 November 2021 close of business, by email at:
[1][Department of Home Affairs request email].

For more information on section 15AA and the FOI Act:

[2]The Australian Information Commissioner FOI Guidelines

[3]Freedom of Information Act 1982

Thank you for taking the time to consider my request and I look forward to
hearing from you.

Kind regards,

Karen

Position: 60114871

Assistant Director | Freedom of Information

Freedom of Information & Records Management Branch | Data Division

Strategy and National Resilience Group

Department of Home Affairs

E: [4][Department of Home Affairs request email]

OFFICIAL

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately.  This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.
 

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. 
The Department of Home Affairs and ABF respect your privacy and have
obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.  

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[Department of Home Affairs request email]
2. https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor...
3. https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/C2...
4. mailto:[Department of Home Affairs request email]

OFFICIAL

Dear Mr Mehta

The Department has made a decision on this request. Please see attached
the signed decision record and document released under the FOI Act.    

This request has now been closed.

Signed electronically

Min Ai

Position number 60120967

Authorised Decision Maker | Freedom of Information Section

FOI and Records Management Branch

Strategy and National Resilience Group

Department of Home Affairs

OFFICIAL

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately.  This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.
 

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. 
The Department of Home Affairs and ABF respect your privacy and have
obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.  

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.

OFFICIAL

Dear Mr Mehta

The Department has made a decision on this request. Please see attached
the signed decision record and document released under the FOI Act.    

This request has now been closed.

Signed electronically

Min Ai

Position number 60120967

Authorised Decision Maker | Freedom of Information Section

FOI and Records Management Branch

Strategy and National Resilience Group

Department of Home Affairs

OFFICIAL

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately.  This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.
 

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. 
The Department of Home Affairs and ABF respect your privacy and have
obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.  

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.