Employer Sponsored Visas
SID (482), ENS (186), Regional 494 nominations, Labour Agreements, and DAMA streams for Australian employers and overseas workers.
Australia-wide migration law
Migration Lawyers Australia
Employer sponsored, skilled, partner and family visas, ART appeals, and judicial review. Migration law only, in every Australian capital and offshore.
Request a consultation
Or call (03) 9958 5854
Practice areas
We handle the full spectrum of Australian migration law. Each practice area is run by lawyers who specialise in it.
Skilled Migration
State-nominated PR, Independent PR, Regional skilled visas, skill assessment strategy, and points-tested pathways.
Partner & Family Visas
Partner, prospective marriage, parent, child, and dependent visas, including evidence-heavy de facto and same-sex matters.
Visa Appeals & Judicial Review
Refusal and cancellation reviews at the Administrative Review Tribunal, judicial review in the Federal Circuit and Family Court, and ministerial intervention requests.
National Innovation Visa
Subclass 858 visa pathway for individuals of internationally recognised talent, achievement, or experience in priority sectors of national interest.
Citizenship
Citizenship by conferral and descent, character and identity issues, evidence applications, and renunciation.
15+
Years specialising in Australian migration law
8
Capital cities served nationally
60+
Visa subclasses handled
6
Languages supported in client matters
How we work
Every matter follows the same five stages, scaled to complexity. The lawyer instructed at stage one stays on the matter through to court if it gets there.
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01
Initial legal assessment
A lawyer reviews your circumstances, flags risk factors, and gives written advice, privileged from the first instruction.
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02
Strategy and pathway selection
Which subclass, sponsorship structure, evidence plan, and timing, selected on legal merit where multiple pathways exist.
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03
Application preparation
Submissions, statutory declarations, and evidence prepared to court-grade standard. Every adverse fact addressed in writing before lodgement.
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04
Lodgement and Department engagement
We lodge, manage information requests, prepare you for any interview, and answer natural justice letters with legal submissions.
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05
Post-decision: review and court
If refused, we advise on ART prospects, represent you at hearing, and run judicial review where jurisdictional error exists.
Why instruct Visa Plan
Legal professional privilege from day one
What you tell us cannot be compelled by the Department or any tribunal. Migration agents do not hold this privilege.
Court advocacy where it counts
Only admitted lawyers can run judicial review in the Federal Circuit and Family Court. We run review and court as one continuous strategy.
Strategic specialisation
Migration law exclusively: sponsorship structures, points-tested pathways, partner evidence, and s501 character matters.
Speak to a migration lawyer
A lawyer assesses viability, identifies the strongest pathway, and quotes in writing.
Request a consultationOr call (03) 9958 5854
Migration lawyers near you
Visa Plan Lawyers acts for clients in every Australian state and territory, and offshore. The firm's office is at Level 13, 257 Collins Street, Melbourne; nearly every stage of a migration matter, initial advice, evidence preparation, lodgement, Department engagement, and most ART hearings, is conducted by video wherever you are. Where a matter requires physical presence, we travel, and we appear in person for Federal Circuit and Family Court proceedings.
Choose your capital city below for the local ART registry, state nomination program, and DAMA detail, or contact the firm directly.
Migration lawyers by capital city
Each city page covers the local ART registry, state nomination programs, and DAMA pathways.
Verified Google Reviews
5.0 from 250+ client reviews on Google.
★★★★★
"Before I chose to work with Visa Plan Lawyers, I talked with so many other lawyers but none of them seemed to have the knowledge related to my case."
★★★★★
"I had an excellent experience with Andrew and the team throughout my visa journey. From start to finish, they were professional, supportive, and incredibly knowledgeable. They guided me through every step of the process, answered all my questions patiently, and made everything feel much less stressful."
★★★★★
"They took the time to understand my situation, explained all my options clearly, and provided straightforward advice on the best path forward… Really appreciated their honest, no-pressure approach."
Frequently asked questions
Does Visa Plan Lawyers charge fixed fees?
Yes. Visa Plan Lawyers operates on a fixed-fee basis. The fee for your matter is agreed in writing at the start of the engagement, with the scope of work clearly defined. There are no hourly billing surprises as the matter progresses.
Do you handle visa appeals at the Administrative Review Tribunal?
Yes. The Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) replaced the former Administrative Appeals Tribunal on 14 October 2024 and now conducts merits review of Department of Home Affairs visa decisions through its Migration jurisdictional area (and the Protection jurisdictional area for protection visa decisions). We prepare written submissions, brief expert evidence where required, and appear at hearings. Where the ART affirms the original refusal, we advise on judicial review prospects in the Federal Circuit and Family Court.
Do you provide judicial review services?
Yes. Visa Plan Lawyers represents clients in judicial review proceedings before the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia for jurisdictional error in Administrative Review Tribunal decisions.
Can Visa Plan act for clients outside Victoria, or outside Australia?
Yes. We represent clients in every Australian capital and regional centre, and from overseas. Initial consultations and most ongoing work are conducted by video conference. ART hearings are held nationally and we appear at the relevant registry. Court matters in the Federal Circuit and Family Court are filed at the appropriate registry and we appear in person where required. Our Melbourne office remains the single physical location; we do not maintain branch offices.
How long does a migration matter typically take?
Application timeframes are set by the Department of Home Affairs and vary significantly by visa subclass. Published processing times are available at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. ART review typically takes between 12 and 36 months from application lodgement to hearing. Judicial review in the Federal Circuit and Family Court generally takes 12 to 24 months. Visa Plan Lawyers keeps each matter as efficient as possible by preparing applications correctly the first time, responding promptly to Department requests, and managing milestones actively. Indicative timeframes for your specific matter are discussed at the initial consultation.
What happens at the initial consultation?
Visa Plan Lawyers' initial consultation is a paid appointment with a lawyer. You receive a written analysis of your circumstances, a recommended pathway, and a fixed-fee quote for the matter. Consultations are conducted in person at our Melbourne office or by video conference for clients elsewhere in Australia and overseas.
Information current as of 6 October 2026. Australian migration law changes frequently. Visa Plan Lawyers reviews this page regularly; for the most current legislation, refer to the Migration Act 1958 and the Migration Regulations 1994.