OTHER VISAS

TOURIST VISAS

There are various types of visas available for visiting Australia and most of the Visitor Visas can be lodged online but applicant must be outside of Australia at the time of lodgment.

The type of visa that you may be able to get depends on a number of factors such as, the length of your intended stay, your passport, your current location and the purpose of your visit:

  • Visitor visa (Subclass 600)

  • Electronic Travel Authority visa (Subclass 601)

  • eVisitor (Subclass 651)

Take a Free Visa Assessment or Contact Us now to check which type of Tourist Visa best suits your situation.

RESIDENT RETURN VISAS

The Resident Return Visas (Subclass 155 & Subclass 157) are for current or former Australian permanent residents and former Australian citizens who want to travel overseas and return to Australia as permanent residents and to live in Australia indefinitely.

These visas are usually issued with a 5 years or 3 months travel facility, which allows you to travel to and from Australia for up to five years from the date it is granted. Once the travel facility expires you will need to apply for, and be granted, another permanent visa if you want to leave Australia and return as a permanent resident. This visa will let you keep or regain your status as an Australian permanent resident.

To be eligible for a Subclass 155 with 5 years travel facility, you must:

  1. Be a current Australian permanent resident or a former Australian permanent resident whose visa is not being cancelled or is a former Australian citizen.

  1. Have spent a period totaling 2 years in the last 5 years in Australia as either an Australian permanent resident or citizen.

  1. Have not spent 2 of the last 5 years in Australia as a permanent resident or citizen, but are the partner or dependent family member of a person who holds a Subclass 155 visa, or who has also applied for a Resident Return Visa and satisfies criteria for grant.

  2. Have not spent two of the last five years in Australia as a permanent resident or citizen, but can satisfy the processing officer that you have substantial business, cultural, employment or personal ties of benefit to Australia and

  • Lodging while in Australia and can show compelling reasons for any continuous absence from Australia of more than 5 years;

  • Lodging while overseas, were a permanent resident or citizen when you last departed Australia and can show compelling reasons for any continuous absence from Australia for more than 5 years;

  • Lodging while overseas, were a permanent resident or citizen in the last 10 years and can show compelling reasons for absence(s) over 5 years;

If you have not spent 2 of the last 5 years in Australia as a permanent resident or citizen, but can show and is satisfied by the case officer that you have substantial business, cultural, employment or personal ties of benefit to Australia. Your travel facility will be for 1 year from the date of grant.

To be eligible for a Subclass 157 with 3 months travel facility, you must:

  • Have lawfully spent at least 1 day in the past 5 years in Australia

  • Have spent less than 2 years in the past 5 years in Australia

  • Have been a permanent resident or an Australian Citizen for the entire period spent in Australia

  • Have ‘compelling and compassionate reasons’ that caused your last departure from Australia or if you are in Australia and need to travel, you can show a compelling and compassionate reason for having to leave Australia

If you have been living outside Australia for more than three continuous months immediately before applying, you must also show that you were absent for a compelling and compassionate reason.

Contact Us now to check if you are eligible to apply for a Resident Return Visa.

BRIDGING VISAS

Bridging visa is a temporary visa that allows you to stay in Australia legally to avoid being removed by the immigration department. Some bridging visas, however, can serve a different purpose such as by allowing you to stay lawfully in Australia while waiting for you appeal at Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT)

Bridging visas are only granted and valid while you are in Australia. The bridging visa will cease once you leave the country. The only exception to this rule is the Bridging B visa that has a travel facility attached allowing you to travel overseas and return back to Australia.

Types of Bridging Visas:

  1. Bridging A

  2. Bridging B

  3. Bridging C

  4. Bridging D

  5. Bridging E

  6. Bridging F

If your Australian visa has expired, you may need a bridging visa to:

  • Remain in Australia while you are waiting for a decision on another Australian visa application

  • Travel to and from Australia while you are waiting for a decision on another Australian visa application

  • Stay in Australia while you make arrangements to leave or finalise your immigration matter

There are different types of Bridging Visas. Contact Us now to check which bridging visa is applicable to your circumstances.

AUSTRALIAN CITIZENSHIP

The general requirements for Australian Citizenship are:

  • Over 16 years of age at the time of application

  • Have met the residency requirement and lived lawfully in Australia for at least 4 years

  • Have passed the Citizenship Test

  • Meet the good moral character requirement

  • Intend to reside in, or to maintain a close and continuing association with Australia

New Zealand Citizen:

For New Zealand Citizens holding Special Category Visa, you are eligible to apply for Australian Citizenship if:

  1. Hold a Permanent Resident Visa, or if you do not hold a permanent resident visa and one of the followings apply to you:

  • You arrived before 26 February 2001 or

  • You had spent a period or periods totaling 12 months in Australia as the holder of a SCV in the two years immediately before 26 February 2001 or

  • Have a Centrelink Certificate stating that you were residing in Australia on a particular date.

  1. Meet the residence requirement

  1. Are of good character if you are 18 years of age or older

On the 19 February 2016 the Prime Minister announced an additional pathway for New Zealand citizens which is in effect from 1 July 2017.  To qualify you must have been living in Australia for the past 5 years prior to the application and show that:

  • You have been resident in Australia for the 5 years immediately prior to visa application

  • Contributed to Australia, demonstrated through income tax returns (Notice of Assessment) for the period of residence evidencing taxable income at or above the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) 

  • Mandatory health, character, and security checks.

Contact Us now to check if you are eligible to become an Australian Citizen

VISA APPEAL

A visa can be rejected or cancelled for breach of visa conditions, character grounds, fraud, genuineness of partner relationship, failure to articulate required evidence in accordance with relevant immigration laws, etc… If you have received a visa refusal/cancellation from the Department of Immigration, we suggest you to contact our office immediately as strict timeframes apply to have your case reviewed.

Our firm has significant experience in this area to help prepare new evidence and to articulate your facts to support your appeal claims so that the Tribunal is able to make a merit review and to substitute a favorable decision in respect of your circumstances and to have your visa adverse decision be revoked.

Our immigration consultant has significant experience in preparing submissions and appearing on behalf of clients in a range of visa refusal matters. We can assist you with:

  • Reviewing case and advise on prospects of appeal or if any other options available.

  • Preparing all documents for lodging an appeal including submissions to the Tribunal / Court.

  • Preparing and compiling documents for the case to support the claims

  • Representing and advocating your case at the hearing.

In the event all the avenues have been exhausted there is still an ability to request for Ministerial Intervention which requires comprehensive submission. Our Immigration Consultant will be able to assist the visa applicant

Contact Us if you need any professional advice to have your visa appealed.