Melbourne lawyers for immigration and civil appeals.
Contact us for clear advice about your options, your next step and the costs involved.
Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 5:30pm Melbourne time, excluding public holidays · English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Hokkien
Visa refused?
Your plans for Australia matter. Understand your options after a refusal.
A visa refusal can leave your family, your work and your future uncertain. You need someone to look closely at what happened—and give you a straight answer about what comes next.
At AVIA Lawyers, we examine the reasons for refusal, assess the available options and explain the strengths, risks and costs of challenging the decision. You will understand where you stand before deciding how to proceed.
What we handle
The right path depends on the decision.
Tribunal review looks at a decision afresh. Judicial review asks whether it was made lawfully. An appeal challenges a court’s decision for error. We start by working out which is open to you.
Tribunal review
Review of visa refusals and cancellations by the Administrative Review Tribunal, which replaced the AAT in October 2024.
Partner and family · Skilled and employer-sponsored · Student · Visitor
Judicial review
If the Tribunal or the Department made a legal error, we can seek judicial review in the Federal Circuit and Family Court, with further appeals to the Federal Court.
Visa cancellations
Responding to notices of intention to cancel, and challenging cancellations, including on character grounds, where time limits are especially tight.
Civil appeals
Appeals in civil and commercial matters, and applications for special leave to appeal to the High Court of Australia.
How an appeal works
We limit our caseload so that your appeal receives the attention it deserves.
Appeals work is its own discipline. We accept only a small number of matters at a time, giving each case the careful preparation and personal attention it requires.
Free 15-minute call
Discuss your situation with Francis, identify any urgent dates and understand whether we can assist. We will explain the next step and any fee for a detailed assessment.
Assessment of appeal prospects
A candid written assessment of possible grounds, risks, time limits and cost, so you can decide whether an appeal is worth bringing.
Grounds, submissions and evidence
Precisely framed grounds and written submissions, with the evidence needed to answer the reasons for refusal, prepared with counsel where the matter calls for it.
Hearing and beyond
Representation at the hearing, and advice on any further avenue, including special leave to the High Court of Australia.
Work beyond the free call begins only once we confirm the scope and fees in writing and you accept.
Your lawyer
Francis Chu
Admitted to practise in the Supreme Court of Victoria and the High Court of Australia since 2003, and a member of the Law Institute of Victoria.
Francis is fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and Hokkien, so you can explain your situation in the language you are most comfortable with. You deal with Francis directly, from your first call onwards.
Selected matters
Challenging a refusal where employment couldn’t be verified
The applicant’s former supervisor could not remember him, and there were no tax, superannuation or photographic records of the employment. We successfully appealed the refusal.
Challenging a refusal based on document authenticity
The application was refused because the form, statement and notarial certificate provided were found not to be genuine. We successfully appealed the refusal.
Described in general terms to protect client confidentiality. Every case turns on its own facts, and past results do not guarantee a particular outcome.
Confidential enquiry
Request a free 15-minute introductory call.
Tell us the type of decision and the date you received it. If a deadline is close, call us on (03) 8612 1688 (Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 5:30pm Melbourne time, excluding public holidays), or email us and tell us that it is URGENT.
Sending an enquiry does not stop a deadline running. We aim to respond to urgent enquiries within one business day, excluding weekends and public holidays.
Contact AVIA Lawyers
Call or email to request a free 15-minute introductory call. Please keep your email general until the firm confirms how to share documents.