Requests for Information & Invitations to Comment

Visa applicants often receive emails from the Department of Home Affairs formally requesting for more information or inviting the applicants to comment on certain information received by the Department in relation to the visa application.

If you have received such a request, it is important that you note the due date given to you in the request and respond before the due date. It is also equally important that you respond fully and provide all relevant information.

Section 56 Requests for Information

If you have received a request for information from the Department of Home Affairs, it may well be your first and last chance at providing all the required information needed for the Department to process your visa application. An inadequate or late response may lead to adverse consequences for your visa application.

Most visa applicants tend to focus on the wrong issues raised in such requests, and in doing so, they may miss the main query contained in the Department's request. Many applicants also may not realise that a response to the Department need not necessarily be lengthy - indeed, a succinct but relevant response is far better than a lengthy reply with voluminous but irrelevant supporting documents.

Arlington Legal is experienced in assisting clients respond to s56 requests from the Department. As such requests must be responded to in extremely tight timeframes, we recommend that you do not delay in contacting us.

Section 57 Invitations to Comment

The Department of Home Affairs generally invites a visa applicant to comment when the Department has received or has been made aware of adverse information related to the visa application. This is popularly called a "Natural Justice" letter and a visa applicant who has received such an invitaion should seriously consider engaging professional assistance when responding to the Department.

The consequence of focusing on the wrong issue, or providing an inadequate and/or irrelevant response can be serious.

Arlington Legal is experienced in assisting clients respond to s57 invitations from the Department. Due to the extremely tight timeframes, urgency and importance surrounding s57 invitations, we strongly recommend that you contact us immediately if you have recently received a s57 letter. In addition to ringing our office, please send us an email attaching the s57 request from the Department and all other relevant documents.