As you may know, COVID-19 significantly impacted the immigration system for Australian nationals looking to obtain E-3 visas. Though things have improved slightly over the last few months, they are not entirely back to normal. One of the most common questions we receive regarding E-3 visas in today’s day and age is “where do I have to go to get mine?” Please continue reading and contact the Lightman Law Firm to learn more.
Where can I go to get an E-3 visa?
Technically, you can get an E-3 visa basically anywhere you can get an appointment. Unfortunately, however, it is more challenging these days to get third-country national appointments. Prior to the COVID pandemic, Australian nationals could apply for E-3 visas basically anywhere, including London, Iceland, Canada, and more.
However, post-COVID, it is generally easier for Australians looking to get E-3 visas to apply in their country of citizenship (Australia), as other consulates began devoting most of their resources to working with citizens and residents of their countries. This, in turn, made it more difficult for third-country nationals (in this case, Australians) to have their cases processed in foreign consulates.
What is a third-country national, exactly?
Essentially, a third-country national is a person who is looking to apply for an E-3 visa in another country. So, the first country is the country the individual is applying for a visa in, the second country is where the visa is for, and the third country is where the individual is a citizen. For example, an Australian citizen would be a third-country national, and if they applied for a visa in Canada for the United States, Canada would be the first country, and the United States would be the second country.
Where should I apply if I am a dual citizen?
We’ve found that individuals who are dual citizens, meaning they have Australian citizenship and citizenship in another country, may receive preferential treatment when applying for an E-3 visa in their other country of citizenship because they are not applying as third-country nationals, even though they are applying for an E-3 visa.
What are the wait times for E-3 visa applications?
Unfortunately, wait times are rather unpredictable, as they do change fairly regularly at every consulate, and for various reasons. That said, the best location to get an E-3 visa other than Australia is, currently, London, in large part due to the fact that the London location is well-organized and has a vast amount of resources available.
For more in-depth information regarding E-3 visas, we recommend you click the video below, which features Attorney Matthew Curtis of the Lightman Law Firm speaking about the current state of E-3 visas, where might be the best places to apply for one, and more.
Additionally, if you have further questions about the E-3 visa process or you’d like the help of a seasoned immigration lawyer, simply contact Lightman Immigration Law today.
