Considered one of the top destinations for higher education globally, Australia is home to some of the most renowned universities and promising career avenues. The country receives thousands of student visa applications every year. Unfortunately, some of them may get rejected, leaving students disappointed and confused about the next steps.
If you are someone who is seeking the coveted approval stamp and study in the country of your dreams but is finding yourself stuck in the process, a little guidance from expert migration consultants for Australia will go a long way. In this blog, we have compiled the contexts under which a student visa may get rejected, and how to defend your application in case it falls into the abyss of complications.
Read all the way through!
The Top 9 Reasons Why Your Australian Visa is Getting Denied
1. Failure to Meet Genuine Temporary Entrant Requirements
Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirements in Australia serve as an integrity check to ensure that the students are coming to Australia temporarily to gain quality education. Think of the GTE test as a tool used by the Government to weed out candidates trying to use the student visa program as a shield for entering the country for other reasons.
You must provide a personal statement that addresses how you meet the GTE criteria. Also, it is highly recommended to provide evidentiary documentation with your application to support the information included in your statement. Your application will not be weighed heavily on assessment if your statement is too general and lacks documentary support.
2. Incomplete Application Form
Applicants need to fill out their application form with accurate facts to support a student visa request. When any one or more sections of an application form are not filled out, the form will be considered incomplete. Unfortunately, it is common for applicants to commit this error while leaving out a section of the application or filling it out improperly.
You can easily avoid this mistake by taking the time and care to proofread each portion of the application several times.
3. Invalid Passport
Your passport is a key piece of documentation for the visa application process. The applicant’s passport must be valid for the entire duration of your stay and must have been issued within the last ten years.
The Australian Immigration Department can refuse any application for a student visa in specific circumstances where the conditions for a passport are not met. For example, a torn or missing page passport can impair your application for a visa and make it more likely that your visa will be denied. Additionally, make sure your passport has two or more blank pages.
4. Visa Character Requirements Unfulfilled
If the applicants fail the character test, the Minister or a delegate can refuse the application or cancel the visa.
The Minister for Home Affairs evaluates each application individually, and even if the character standards aren’t reached, he or she may still decide to grant a visa.
A criminal conviction in your native country or any other country may significantly influence your visa application. Your student visa might get rejected in Australia in case you have:
- A substantial crime record
- Been convicted of escaping from immigration detention or an offence committed while under immigration detention
- Been a member of a criminal organization
- Been associated with a person/organization involved in criminal conduct
- Been suspected of being involved in organized crime
The most crucial thing to keep in mind is to reveal any criminal history on the application, regardless of the offence. A clear criminal history demonstrates that you do not pose a threat to the community or pose a security risk.
5. Missing or Incomplete Documents
Any visa application in Australia requires a sizable quantity of supporting documents, and applicants frequently make the error of not taking care of this aspect. In fact, missing documentary support is one of the primary reasons for student visa requests getting turned down. Make sure to check out the documentation required for a student visa application beforehand and tick all the boxes.
6. Misleading or Fraudulent Information
Any document that is suspected to be either forged, illegally altered, or issued to some recipient other than the applicant in question can be declared as fraudulent by the competent authorities.
You must submit authentic, unaltered documentation with your visa application for it to get approved by competent authorities. A visa application may be rejected if you give incorrect or deceptive information about it or about a prior visa you had and had held for 12 months earlier.
7. Health Requirements Unfulfilled
An essential component of the student visa application procedure is to fulfil important health requirements. There are a few health examinations that applicants must pass to be granted a visa.
For instance, a visa may not be issued if a person has HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis, cancer, serious cardiac problems, or mental diseases. Even though they are not travelling to Australia, a candidate’s family members may need to meet the health criteria depending on the visa they are applying for.
Keep in mind that health waivers are not common or easy to come by and are usually granted only under exceptional conditions. It is best to take the support and guidance of experienced migration consultants in Australia before submitting your application for this waiver to make sure such a waiver is available for your case.
8. Financial Requirements Unfulfilled
The Department of Home Affairs must be convinced that the applicant is financially sound and can sustain themselves in the country before issuing an Australian visa. For some types of visas, Australia demands that applicants present comprehensive financial information, including bank statements, to demonstrate their ability to make ends meet. Any financial irregularities could result in the visa application being denied.
9. Failure to Submit Additional Documents or Answers
Even after you submit the student visa application form and supporting documents, the process does not end there. While the visa is in processing, the Department of Home Affairs keeps in touch with the applicant and might even request further paperwork or information for successful validation. The applicant must react as quickly as possible and within the advised window of time.
The visa may be denied if the additional documents are not submitted by such a deadline. The visa office asking for additional documentation is a common practice, and it is advisable to stay in contact with experienced migration consultants for Australia throughout the process to prevent getting stuck at this stage due to any misunderstanding.
What To Do in Case of a Student Visa Rejection in Australia?
Fret not if your student visa request has been denied – you still have some choices to get out of the mess!
The next possible action is to file an appeal with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) within a set deadline for re-evaluation. The decision for visa denial may be overturned by the AAT and sent back to the department for revision, after which you might be granted the visa or be able to apply for another.
A student visa denial does not necessarily spell the end of your aspirations to pursue further education in Australia. What you need is a team of skilled migration consultants like Expert Education & Visa Services by your side to assess your present circumstances and come up with the best action plan to get your Australia dream going.
Need help with your student visa application? Schedule an appointment with one of our expert visa consultants right away!