Australian Tourist Visa Payment Dispute
I Applied for Australian Tourist Visa and paid the fee and while waiting to get an approval, i learned that I can just do Transit visa since I'm only staying there for 2.5 days from a cruise trip. I got both approval for tourist and transit and then I called to cancel my tourist before my trip and the fee returned to my credit card. I am thinking i can use the transit visa. After 3months, Australian visa emailed me that I need to repay them back for the tourist visa that i used because they said it was automatically ceased my transit since they approved my tourist.
My question is, can i just ignore this and not pay it or am I going to have trouble here in the US where I reside? They said if i didn't pay, it will go to debtors section in their National Headquarters and will result having a debt to the commonwealth. Waht will happen if I don't and im not planning to go back there.
Best Answer
So, if I have this correct, you applied for two visas, paid the fee(s) and got both approved.
Somehow, you got a refund for one. I'd guess this is the mistake of Australian Immigration. Now they are saying you should pay them. Australian Immigration have done the work, so morally you owe them the money.
I doubt they'll coming banging in your door in the US. However, if you leave it unpaid it could result in you being stopped at immigration if you visit Australia again.
Perhaps more pertinent is the possibility that they'll notify any credit reference agencies they deal with. Credit reference agencies work internationally, so an unpaid debt could bite you from an unexpected direction in the US.
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How do I dispute a visa transaction?
Contact your bank to make a claim A good place to start is to visit their website and look for details on 'disputed transactions' or 'chargeback claims'. If you can't find it, get in touch with your card provider and tell them you want to use the 'chargeback scheme'.Can I get a refund on my Australian visa?
\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200bVisa application charges and citizenship application fees are paid to assess your application. You can't get a refund just because your application was not successful. If you reverse a payment for your application: your application might become invalid.How do I get my money back from visa?
You claim back through your card company in a similar way to Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. To claim, get in contact with your bank or card company within 120 days of the purchase.Do you get your money back if your visa is denied Australia?
The Department will not usually refund any visa application fees and charges that you have paid if your visa is refused or withdrawn.How to Pay for Paper Visa Applications For Australia
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