The Australian immigration visa process system can be a complex and emotional journey. Our team of lawyers take the time to understand each client’s situation and personal circumstances to achieve the best migration pathway for each client. Whether it’s for a skilled visa, partner visa, or family visa, our team at Hopelights Lawyers will guide you step by step through the process.
Our main goal is to make sure we achieve the best possible cost effective and time effective outcome for you, your family or your employee.
Hopelights Lawyers is a leading boutique specialist immigration law practice providing quality immigration services. This includes services to/involving:
Immigration Lawyers in Sydney and Adelaide
Immigration Services provided by HopeLights Lawyers
- Appeals
- Skilled Visas
- Protection – Refugee and Humanitarian Visas
- Partner Visas
- Employer sponsored Visas – temporary and permanent visas
- Family Visas
- Visitors
- Citizenship
Appeals
Skilled Visas
Protection Visas
Partner visas
Student Visas
Employer Visas
Family Visas
Visitor Visas
Australian Citizenship
Immigration Appeals
Hopelights Lawyers has over 12 years of litigation experience in providing legal representation for clients in appeals to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, Federal Circuit court of Australia, Federal Court of Australia and the High Court of Australia.
Hopelights Lawyers brief specialist barristers who are experts in immigration law to be the advocates for the appeal matters
In the unfortunate event that you have received an adverse Notice (cancellation visa/refusal visa) from the Department of Home Affairs, contact us immediately to allow us to advise you and represent you in responding to the adverse Notice before the Department of Home Affairs, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal or the Federal Court.
It is very important to seek our legal advice immediately if you have received a decision refusing a visa application or a Notice to cancel a visa as strict time limits apply to appeal with no opportunity to extend the time limit.
Hopelights Lawyers has over12 years of litigation experience in providing legal representation for clients in appeals to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, Federal Circuit court of Australia, Federal Court of Australia and the High Court of Australia.Hopelights Lawyers brief specialist barristers who are experts in immigration law to be the advocates for the appeal matters.
Skilled Visas
Skilled visas allow migrants to fill skill shortages in Australia on temporary or permanent visas.
A skilled visa is a type of visa that is part of the ‘skilled stream’ of Australia’s migration program. Skilled visas are designed to attract migrants to fill skills shortages in Australia.
A skills shortage is where there are not enough Australian workers available and may affect certain occupations or certain regions of Australia.
Skilled visas can be temporary or permanent visas. Australian skilled visas include:
- Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) – Points-tested stream
- Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)
- Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191)
- Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) – Graduate Work
- Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489)
- Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)
- Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa (subclass 186)
- Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) visa (subclass 187)
- Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 494)
- Training visa (subclass 407)
- Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa (subclass 482)
Protection Visas
Australia offers Refugee, Humanitarian and Protection Visas to refugees who cannot return to their home country.
The following protection visas can be applied for if you are in Australia:
- Protection visa (subclass 866) (permanent visa)
- Safe Haven Enterprise visa (subclass 790) (5-year visa)
- Temporary Protection visa (subclass 785) (3-year visa)
If you are not in Australia, you may be able to apply for one of the following humanitarian visas:
- Refugee visa (subclass 200)
- In Country Special Humanitarian visa (subclass 201)
- Global Special Humanitarian visa (subclass 202)
- Woman at Risk visa (subclass 204)
You may be eligible for a refugee, humanitarian or protection visa if you cannot return to your home country because you fear that you will be persecuted because of your race, nationality, religion, political opinion, or membership of a particular social group or because you fear significant harm.
It is important to know what kind of humanitarian visa you are eligible to apply for. Refugee and protection visas are complicated visas so we recommend that you seek advice from a migration lawyer before making an application.
The Principal at Hopelights Lawyers is an expert in protection visas and has been advised and represented clients successfully from protection visa applications, appeals at RRT and IAA, appeals at Federal Circuit Court.
Partner visas
There are several partner visa options available depending on whether your relationship is with an Australian citizen or permanent resident, or with a New Zealand citizen.
If you are the partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen you may be able to apply for an Australian Partner visa. Partner visas can also be referred to as a “spouse visa” or “de facto visa”.
Onshore Partner visa (subclass 820/801)
- This is a partner visa that is applied for when the visa applicant is in Australia, meaning you are ‘onshore’
- You can be married or in a de facto relationship to qualify for this visa
Offshore Partner visa (subclass 309/100)
- This is a partner visa that is applied for when the visa applicant is not in Australia, meaning you are ‘offshore’
The Onshore and Offshore Partner Visa both involve a two-stage process. If you meet the criteria for a partner visa, you are first granted a temporary partner visa (either subclass 820 or subclass 309). Two years after you apply for your partner visa the visa applicant will be eligible for the second permanent visa stage (subclass 801 or subclass 100).
Partner of a New Zealand citizen
If you are the spouse or de facto partner of a New Zealand citizen who is not an eligible New Zealand citizen, and has the Special Category Visa (subclass 444) or they would be granted one when coming to Australia, the New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (Temporary) visa (subclass 461) may be available to you.
Our immigration lawyers are partner visa experts.
Call us : 0426 617 079
Student Visas
Whether you are looking to study or undergo additional training in Australia, we can assist you in submitting a student visa application.
- If you are thinking of studying in Australia, we can assist you in applying for a Student visa (subclass 500), allowing you to study full-time in a recognised education institution in Australia.
- If you are under the age of 18 and would like to have a guardian accompany you and to financially support you during your studies in Australia, we can assist your guardian in applying for a Student Guardian visa (subclass 590).
Our immigration lawyers are student visa experts.
Call us : 0426 617 079
Employer Sponsored Visas
We assist Australian companies operating in Australia or internationally who wish to sponsor and employ non Australian workers. There are a number of company sponsorship and nomination options the firm can assist with and these include:
Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS);Permanent Employer Nomination Scheme
(ENS);Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) and Labour agreements for the following visas:
- Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa (subclass 186)
- Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) visa (subclass 187)
- Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 494)
- Training visa (subclass 407)
- Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa (subclass 482)
Family Visas
There are many types of visas that allow family members to be brought to Australia temporarily or permanently. Some family visa options may include:
Child Visa Options:
- Orphan Relative (Subclass 117)
- Child visa (subclass 101 or 802) (for offshore and onshore options)
Parent Visas:
- Aged Parent visa (subclass 804)
- Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143)
- Contribotory Aged parent visa (subclass 864)
Other Family Visas:
- Remaining Relative (subclass 835)
- Aged Dependent Relative (subclass 838)
- Carer (subclass 836 )
- New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa (subclass 461)
Each specific family visa has its own requirements and rights. Our team of immigration law experts can help you and your family to determine the right family visa pathway to suit your intentions and eligibility.
If you have questions about obtaining a visa for your family, speak to our immigration lawyers about your options
Visitor Visas
We assist visitors who would like to stay temporarily in Australia, with the following types of visitor visas:
- Visitor visa – Subclass 600 : this visa has several streams under which you could apply, and there are options to apply from outside or inside Australia.
- Electronic Travel Authority – subclass 601 : this is a travel authority available for citizens from a specific list of countries that allows the holder to travel to Australia.
- eVisitor visa – subclass 651 : a visa available to citizens of a specified list of countries. Similar to the ETA subclass 601.
- Working Holiday visa – Subclass 417 : A visa available for 18 to 30-year-old citizens of specified nationalities allowing you to work and holiday in Australia.
- Work and Holiday visa – Subclass 462 : A visa available for 18 to 30-year-old citizens of specified nationalities allowing you to work and holiday in Australia.
Australian Citizenship
Australian citizens have many rights including the right to vote and have a say in Australia’s future and the right to apply for an Australian passport. If you are an Australian permanent resident, you may wish to check if you are eligible for citizenship.
You may be eligible to become an Australian Citizen if one of the following applies to you:
- You are in Australia as a permanent resident;
- You are a spouse or partner of an Australian citizen;
- You are a New Zealand citizen living in Australia;
- You arrived in Australia as a refugee;
- You are a child of a former Australian citizen;
- You were born overseas to an Australian citizen;
- You were adopted by an Australian citizen;
An expert migration lawyer can make all the difference when you need.
