I’ve just had an email from a client which has highlighted something which I may not have made clear, so I’ll answer him as well as answer anyone else with the same questions.

Paying the Department by us is done in Australia only!

We CAN pay in the Philippines, however if we do we:

(a) CANNOT pay by credit card, and

(b) need to get a “managers check” from the bank in Philippine Pesos, where the exchange rate is usually so out-of-kilter that you would pay an extra couple of hundred dollars! We haven’t done this for many years!

So, we get you to pay us (usually directly into our bank account)…..and we pay the Department in Australia on your behalf by credit card. They then issue us with a receipt, which we include with the application. Much easier that way.

We still don’t know what the surcharge will be. Once we know, we’ll let you know.