Immigration Solutions Lawyers

17/10/2026

James Cockayne looks forward to working with Parliamentary Friendship Group Against Modern Slavery

16/10/2026

This week’s consultations in Canberra highlighted the importance of international accountability and continued practical support for Afghan women and girls.
 
Discussions included the CEDAW Initiative, launched in September 2024 by Australia, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands to hold Afghanistan accountable for violations of women’s rights under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
 
At Immigration Solutions Lawyers, our commitment has included 643.7 hours of pro bono work supporting Afghan women and their families.
 
Our involvement began in 2021, following an approach from the International Bar Association (IBA) and Baroness Helena Kennedy, who had helped evacuate Afghan women judges, prosecutors, activists and their families to Greece after the Taliban’s return to power. These women faced serious threats because of their work upholding the rule of law and defending human rights.
 
Led by Principal Lawyer and Managing Director Anne O’Donoghue, our firm made representations to the Minister for Immigration, securing temporary subclass 449 visas for all 90 applicants—20 women and their family members. We have also lodged permanent residence applications for those who chose to settle in Australia.
 
The value of this work is reflected across the wider profession. As recently reported by Australasian Lawyer, National Pro Bono Target signatories contributed a record 887,910 pro bono hours in the 2026 financial year, demonstrating a sustained commitment to improving access to legal assistance.
 
For our firm, those hours represent a commitment to helping women and families find safety and rebuild their lives.
 
Immigration Solutions Lawyers remains committed to supporting Afghan women and girls through practical legal assistance and advocacy.
 

12/10/2026

⚠️ New Australian Visa Compliance Measures Officially Announced
 
The Australian Government has announced a significant increase in immigration compliance activity, including:
 
• 100 additional Australian Border Force compliance officers
• 250 additional immigration detention beds
• A renewed focus on people remaining in Australia without a valid visa
 
The Minister for Home Affairs, the Hon Tony Bourke MP, described the measures as a return to the compliance approach used in Australia before 2015, not an Australian version of the immigration operations seen in the United States.
 
The announcement is directed at people who have overstayed their visas or otherwise remain in Australia without a valid visa.
 
It is important to distinguish this group from people who remain lawfully in Australia on an in-effect visa, including an in-effect bridging visa.
 
However, having a pending visa application, Tribunal review, court proceeding or other immigration request does not, by itself, confirm that you currently hold a valid visa.
 
If your substantive visa has expired, your application has been refused, your review options are ending or you are uncertain about your bridging visa arrangements, you should:
 
✅ Check your current visa status through VEVO
✅ Review your visa expiry date and conditions
✅ Read all correspondence from Home Affairs carefully
✅ Ensure your contact details are current
✅ Obtain advice before your status changes
 
Do not wait until you are contacted by Australian Border Force. The options available to you may depend on your current status, immigration history and the steps you take now.
 
Contact Immigration Solutions Lawyers to obtain advice about your individual circumstances.
 
Source: Minister for Home Affairs, National Press Club Address, 17 September 2026: https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/TonyBurke/Pages/speech-national-press-club-17092026.aspx?
 
Anne O’Donoghue Lihini Konara Diane Markantonakis Palwasha Nawabi Noel Shea Adila Amjad
 

09/10/2026

欢迎关注 Immigration Solutions Lawyers 官方微信账号！👋
我们将在微信平台定期分享：
 
🔹 澳大利亚移民法律及政策动态
🔹 技术移民、雇主担保及家庭签证资讯
🔹 签证拒签、取消及行政复审信息
🔹 实用申请提示与案例分享  
 
扫描图片中的二维码，即可关注我们的官方微信账号，获取更多中文资讯。
—
Welcome to the official WeChat account of Immigration Solutions Lawyers! 👋
 
We will be sharing:
🔹 Australian immigration law and policy updates
🔹 Skilled, employer-sponsored and family visa information
🔹 Visa refusal, cancellation and review information
🔹 Practical guidance and case insights  
 
Scan the QR code in the image to follow our WeChat account and access information in Chinese.
 
澳大利亚移民 澳洲签证 移民法律

09/10/2026

Successful Subclass 189 Visa Grant – Hong Kong Stream!

We’re pleased to share another successful outcome for a couple who came to us after receiving a Natural Justice letter, raising concerns about their compliance with previous visa conditions.

The applicants had not maintained health insurance for a substantial portion of the time they held their Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) visas due to compelling circumstances.

Under Regulation 189.241, applicants must have substantially complied with the conditions of their previous Subclass 485 visa. We prepared submissions addressing the compelling circumstances and relevant policy considerations to support their case.

Through a carefully considered approach, we successfully secured the grant of their Subclass 189 visas! ✅

This case highlights the importance of responding strategically to Natural Justice concerns and presenting a well-supported argument that considers the legislation, policy and individual circumstances.

Anne O’Donoghue Palwasha Nawabi Lihini Konara Diane Markantonakis Noel Shea Adila Amjad

07/10/2026

⚖️ Immigration law rarely operates in isolation.

We are pleased to share that our Principal Solicitor and Managing Director, Anne O’Donoghue’s recent interview with Australasian Lawyer TV, in which she discusses the complex intersection between immigration law, human rights, criminal law and modern slavery.

For many clients, an immigration matter extends well beyond the requirements of a particular visa. It may involve vulnerability, exploitation, criminal allegations, family circumstances or serious human rights considerations. Recognising these intersections is essential to understanding the complete legal and personal context of a matter.

During the interview, Anne highlights the importance of:
- Multidisciplinary legal knowledge when navigating complex immigration matters
- Recognising when immigration issues overlap with other areas of law
- Providing clients with clear, transparent and realistic advice
- Ensuring that advocacy remains focused on each client’s individual circumstances
- Approaching vulnerable clients with care, compassion and professional integrity

At Immigration Solutions Lawyers, we believe effective representation requires more than technical knowledge of migration legislation. It requires a broader understanding of the legal issues affecting our clients, careful strategic thinking and honest communication throughout the process.

🎥 Thank you to Australasian Lawyer for the opportunity to contribute to this important discussion.

👉 Watch the full interview here:
https://hubs.la/Q04z5Yfx0

05/10/2026

Absolutely delighted for our MD to be interview by Australasian Lawyer

The face of Immigration Solutions Lawyers credits the help she’s received from the IBA

04/10/2026

A new book on Australian immigration history reveals the nation’s two-century debate over border control has always been fraught and politically exploited by both sides. Read the full review: https://bit.ly/4iYsPMv

02/10/2026

There are new rules for Student visa (subclass 500) and Student Guardian visa (subclass 590) applications.

From 2 October 2026, the rules affect who can apply while in Australia and whether family can be included in an application. Limited exemptions apply.

Check how the new rules might affect you before enrolling in a course, making travel or relocation plans, or applying for a Student visa.

Find out more at: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/changes-to-student-visa-application-rules-500-590

29/09/2026

SUCCESSFUL ART REMITTAL – SUBCLASS 801 APPLICATION 🎉
 
We are pleased to share a successful outcome in a complex Subclass 801 Partner visa review.
 
After our client’s initial visa refusal, the former AAT accepted that she had suffered family violence and remitted her application to the Department. During reassessment, the Department raised PIC 4020 concerns about her child’s paternity because another person was named as the father on the birth certificate. The application was then refused for a second time, with the Department relying on the birth certificate and the absence of DNA evidence.
 
At the ART, we explained that the birth-registration information was provided while our client was recovering from childbirth, experiencing significant psychological distress and dealing with family violence and the breakdown of her relationship.
 
We submitted that the birth certificate did not conclusively establish biological paternity and that the absence of DNA evidence did not prove that the person named on the certificate was the biological father. We also relied on contemporaneous evidence showing that our client and her former partner were living together during the relevant conception and pregnancy period.
 
The ART set aside the refusal decision and remitted the applications to the Department for reconsideration, directing that the primary applicant meets PIC 4020 for the purposes of clause 801.226.
 
This is not yet a visa grant, but it is a significant result that resolves the PIC 4020 issue in our client’s favour.
 
If your visa application has been refused or you are facing PIC 4020 concerns, contact Immigration Solutions Lawyers to discuss your review options.