Hello I applied for visitor Visa to Australia in the month of Aug’2016 through a travel agency. They submitted my file to Australian Embassy for which I deposited Rs. 25000 by online bank transfer. After that I kept following up for my visa status from them. However, they did not give me any proper reply of my calls, messages and emails. They denied to give me my visa application tracking no, even after asking for it many time. Finally in Feb’2017 (after 5 months), they sent me a letter which was sent by Australian Embassy on 22nd Dec to the agent, asking for few more documents for more clarification towards my application and in which they gave time of 28 days and within this duration, I should have submitted required documents to the embassy. Else, the embassy may refuse my visa. However, the travel agent never intimated me about their letter before and never asked for any documents to submit. They sent their letter to me after over 2 months and that too after asking them so many times. The due date to submit the docts was passed away because of agent’s negligence. It is very clear that my travel agent ignored the important letter from embassy completely. Also never shared any refusal letter with me. If my visa is refused, this is a complete fault of my travel agent. I asked the travel agent to refund my full amount (25000) because, it is their fault for not processing my visa, left it incomplete and taken my full money. They refused to refund my money. Also, behaved with me rudely when I visited them at their office and over phone. I would like to add that during this 6 months period, the travel agency never properly replied to my followup, emails, calls and messages, which disturbed me a lot, caused mental harassment. The entire process of visa, follow-ups and meetings wasted my precious time, money and disturbed me a lot. Also it will bear me more cost incase I apply for visa again in future. Therefore, In my view, it’s a matter of complete ignorance by Travel Agent, Fraud case, mental harassment, using wrong language which is against respect of any woman, grabbed my money and not ready to refund it. I wish he should be punished for this fraud act and I want refund of my full paid money. In addition, want to claim compensation against acting fraud and misbehave by agent, mental harassment, wastage of time (6 months), incurred my extra cost, spoiled my future plans and destroying trust with travel agents. I would like to claim Rs. 25000, paid to travel agency and a compensation of good amount because I had to face a difficult time out of all above factors created by travel agency. Also,wish the embassy to cancel licence of the travel agency so that it cannot deceive more people in future. Pls suggest that if my case will go as per consumer court or civil. Also advise me the compensation amount.
Thanks
