In December 2014, Australia’s immigration laws changed, broadening the capacity for a visa to be refused (or cancelled) on grounds of character. These changes have the potential to dramatically affect non-citizens.
The character requirement is not new. But the introduced changes see it covering a greater cross-section of the non-Australian population.
Who is affected by changes to the character test?
Amongst those potentially affected by the change include:
- prisoners sentenced to more than 12 months
- non-citizens whose past general conduct may be an issue
- offenders who are involved with crimes concerning children.
One of the most significant changes is the creation of a circumstance in which mandatory visa cancellation occurs. Prior to the changes, visa cancellation was a discretionary power.
If you may be affected by cancellation on character grounds, please get in touch with us for advice as soon as possible »
