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Advice Services 

'Advice Services' cartoon

arrow-right Who can use IARC’s Advice Services
arrow-right When and where to get free advice from IARC
arrow-right What to bring to a face-to-face advice service
arrow-right What IARC does NOT advise on
arrow-right What IARC DOES advise on
arrow-right Responding to email, mail, fax and voicemail inquiries
arrow-right Ongoing assistance and representation
Note: IARC’s services are also listed in the IARC Brochure.      

Who can use IARC’s Advice Services?

Any person who is financially disadvantaged (before receiving advice from our centre you will be asked to provide some information regarding your financial status) and is an actual or potential applicant, sponsor or proposer for an Australian visa may use IARC’s advice services. Please note that there are some aspects of Australian immigration law and policy which IARC does not provide advice on (see What IARC does NOT Advise on).

IARC will only provide advice to third parties (ie someone other than the applicant, sponsor or proposer) in exceptional circumstances.

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When and where to get free advice from IARC

IARC provides free immigration advice and assistance to financially disadvantaged people through the following advice services:

Face-to-face advice service

From 16 July 2007, this is an appointment-only service. Please contact IARC on (02) 9279 4300 to make an appointment.

Telephone advice

Every Tuesday and Thursday, 2-4pm only

These services do not operate on public holidays.

If you intend to use these services, please download and read IARC’s Brochure. We also ask those who intend to use our services to read the section headed What IARC does NOT Advise on. IARC does not take appointments for these services. They operate on a 'first come, first served' basis.

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What to bring to a face-to-face advice service

Please bring any relevant documents with you to the advice service, including:

  • Passport;
  • Visa details;
  • The applicant, sponsor or proposer (if possible);
  • Any documents from the Department of Immigration, Migration Review Tribunal, Refugee Review Tribunal, Minister for Immigration, Centrelink etc.;
  • Proof of financial disadvantage if available e.g. health care card or social security number etc.

What IARC does NOT advise on

IARC does not:

  • provide advice in relation to:
    • Judicial Review;
    • Economic Stream Migration (including employment, business and skills visas);
    • Retirement visas;
    • Withdrawal of sponsorship;
    • Withdrawal of an assurance of support;
    • Student visa (except where the query is in relation to cancellation and the client can demonstrate financial hardship);
    • Migration to countries other than Australia;
  • fill in forms.

If you need advice in relation to the above you will be referred to another organisation or private migration agent.

IARC will only provide advice to third parties (ie someone other than the applicant, sponsor or proposer) in exceptional circumstances.

IARC will provide advice to financially disadvantaged people in relation to most other immigration inquiries. If you are unsure about whether IARC can advise on a particular matter, please speak to an IARC staff member by phoning the Administration line (02) 9281 1609.

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What IARC DOES advise on

IARC provides advice to financially disadvantaged people in relation to:

  • most family, refugee and humanitarian visas, including:
    • De facto, spouse, fiancé and interdependency visas
    • Refugee and humanitarian visas
    • Child visas
    • Parent visas
    • Carer visas
    • Remaining relative visas
    • Aged dependent relative visas
    • Family members of a New Zealand citizen
  • many temporary visas, including bridging visas, visitor visas, electronic travel authorities and working holiday visas
  • resident return visas
  • Australian citizenship
  • the domestic violence provisions
  • conditions attached to visas, including condition 8503 (“no further stay”)
  • criteria which must be met for visas, including health, character and provision of an assurance of support
  • avenues for merits review, including:
    • MRT, RRT and AAT review
    • Ministerial intervention following a decision of a Review Tribunal
  • information for people who do not hold a visa, including advice on detention, removal, bridging visas, cancellation procedures and exclusion periods
  • procedural issues, including Freedom of Information requests and complaints, and
  • whether an application can be made onshore.

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Responding to e-mail, mail, fax and voicemail inquiries

Due to limited resources, IARC can only provide advice by telephone and face-to-face at the times set out in When and where to get free advice from IARC. IARC does not have the resources to respond to requests for advice received by email, fax, mail or voicemail.

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Ongoing assistance and representation

If you need ongoing assistance and representation, IARC will consider your case against IARC’s Advice and Casework Guidelines. Each request is considered on a case by case basis.

IARC will not provide ongoing assistance and representation in relation to any case which falls within a category that IARC does not advise on (except filling in forms for cases where IARC agrees to represent a client).

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