Below is a list of frequently asked questions that you might find useful.
If you have further questions, or can’t find the answer you’re looking for, the Ethos Migration Lawyers team is always on-hand to assist.
Immigration Law is widely considered to be one of the most complex areas of Australian law due to constantly changing legislation and government policy. Tackling an immigration matter is not for the inexperienced. Therefore, it’s vital to engage an expert to handle your immigration matter.
Ethos Migration Lawyers is a team of Immigration Lawyers and Registered Migration Agents. Our lawyers have completed a minimum of four years of university education to complete their Bachelor’s degrees, hold a legal practising certificate which must be renewed each year, and undergo continuing professional development.
Many of our team have also completed additional postgraduate qualifications.
As a law firm, the information you provide us and the advice we give to you is subject to legal professional privilege. This means that all information, advice, and communication is completely confidential.
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At Ethos, we pride ourselves on our ability to provide detailed, comprehensive, and thorough consultations. In our first meeting we’ll fully explore your circumstances and give you accurate, up-to-date legal advice on your immigration options in Australia.
By charging a fee for this service, we formalise the relationship between you and us, which lets you rest assured that the information, advice, and strategy we put in place for you is sound and of high legal quality, which means value for your money.
We maintain your records for seven years as per the legal profession rules.
According to our experience visa applications are most commonly refused on the following grounds:
- Providing false, incorrect or misleading information;
- Providing information that does not comprehensively demonstrate that certain legal requirements have been met;
- Nominating an incorrect occupation for a working visa or not sufficiently addressing applicable caveats;
- Failing health examinations;
- Not meeting the ‘Character Test’;
- Not providing evidence of English language test examinations, or taking these at the wrong time;
- Not demonstrating a ‘genuine and ongoing’ relationship, when applying for a partner visa.
While these issues occur most often, there can be other reasons why a visa application is refused due to the complexity of Australian immigration law.
Currently, to be eligible for Australian Citizenship by Conferral, you must:
- Hold an Australian permanent visa for at least one year;
- Have lived in Australia on a valid visa for the last four years or more;
- Have not been away from Australia for more than 12 months (total) over the past four years. That includes no more than 90 days absence in each of those four years.
Certain exemptions apply and other pathways to citizenship are available for some people.
The costs of applying for a visa can vary widely vary due to a number of factors, but in all cases you should consider the following costs and fees:
- The visa application charge.
- Immigration Lawyer/Migration Agent professional fees.
- Medical examinations.
- Police clearances.
- Document translation (if required).
- Health insurance cover.
Temporary Residence Visas allow a person to remain in Australia temporarily, usually until the visa expiry date.
Permanent residents can (in most cases) do the following:
- Remain in Australia indefinitely.
- Work without restrictions.
- Study in Australia.
- Obtain a Medicare card.
- Sponsor other visa applicants.
- Obtain social security benefits (waiting times apply).
You can read all about the different pathways to permanent residency through the TSS (subclass 482) visa by clicking here.
The TSS visa is a temporary working visa which enables the visa holder to live in Australia and work for their sponsoring employer, in their nominated occupation.
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Our team is more than happy to answer any further questions you might have. Give us a call on 1300 083 843 or contact us online.