London: Australians are suffering delays, huge expense and frustration in the UK's newly privatised visa processing system – and have warned the Australian government to call a halt to its ongoing multibillion-dollar plan to go down the same path.

The UK outsourced its visa processing to the private sector at the end of last year, and users regularly take to social media to complain of a dire lack of free appointments for interviews, an absurdly overpriced phone helpline and a discriminatory "fast track" for those who can afford to pay for premium service.

Australian travellers and expats are telling the government not to go down the same path as the UK. Credit:Heathrow Photo Library

But Australia's Home Affairs Department is already well on the way to privatising the vast bulk of its own visa processing, with the first stage tender winner due to be announced soon, and the first visas due to be delivered on the new platform in early 2021.

The Australian version will charge an extra "service fee" on top of the usual visa fee for applicants to pay for the privatisation, and "premium services" for applicants "including for those who may make the highest economic contribution to Australia", according to tender documents on the Home Affairs website.