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Fact Sheet
Changes to Nepal banking arrangements for Australian Student Visas
Current arrangements
Following a review of the list of "Acceptable Financial Institutions" (AFIs) in Nepal for the purpose of Australian student visa processing, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship in Canberra amended the list from 2 February 2009. The current AFI list comprises Nabil Bank and Nepal SBI Bank.
The Department’s Visa Office in New Delhi is assessing student visa applications lodged before 2 February 2009 according to the previous AFIs list. It is assessing student visa applications lodged on or after 2 February 2009 according to the current AFI list.
Recent visa application refusals
The Visa Office has recently refused a number of student visa applications lodged before 2 February 2009. Some visa applicants and/or their agents have since approached the Visa Office to enquire about the reasons for the refusal decisions.
Australian privacy legislation prevents public comment on individual visa applications. However, the Department can confirm that Australian legislation requires that each visa application be decided on its merits and that visa decision makers take account of all relevant information available to them. Such information may include the outcomes of any verification procedures with involved entities (including checks made on documents or claims presented) and/or information obtained from visa applicants during interview and/or instances where fraud is evident.
Any applicant or authorised agent who considers the Visa Office has taken incorrect information into account in coming to a refusal decision for applications made in the two months immediately proceeding 2 February 2009 and where the refusal was based solely on financial capacity are invited to provide full details without delay by e-mail to india.students@dfat.gov.au.
Future arrangements
The Visa Office takes this opportunity to remind all interested parties that a further review of the AFI list will occur in August 2009. Further details of this review will be available for interested parties on this website in July 2009.
Since the 2 February changes, a number of stakeholders have given feedback to the Visa Office about the new arrangements. DIAC will take this feedback into account as part of the August review.
Department of Immigration and Citizenship
6 May 2009