Today’s article shares the story of Tiani (pseudonym), an Indonesian student who forgot to renew her student visa and how education ONE resolved her complex student visa issue so she can continue her studies legally.
education ONE is a Perth-based education agency with in-house registered migration agents. We assist international students in Australia with university placement, visa applications, and complex case management.
Tiani’s Journey
Tiani was first enrolled at M College in Melbourne, where she pursued a Diploma of Art and Design. After finishing her studies at M College, she continued to M University to pursue her Bachelor of Design.
She chose to continue her studies in the Bachelor of Design because she likes illustration and animation. She felt happy and earned several achievements for her studies at M College.
Unfortunately, when she continued to M University, she felt that everything was too academic and didn’t satisfy her desire to study illustration and animation.
She failed two units: “Research for Design for Home and Away” and “Design and the City.”
Mental Health Struggles
Her dissatisfaction worsened as she had severe anxiety and had to cope with it alone in Australia without telling her parents, as she thought they would worry. This made her anxiety worse, and she didn’t do well with her studies, nor did she like the course.
She tried to help herself by going to several psychologists and taking medication while she was in Australia to lessen her anxiety. At the same time, she was trying to find another university that suited her better for her design studies.
Tiani needed to personally approach the universities to find a course for her and to enroll in a class since she was transferring credit from her previous studies. Tiani needed to actively approach the student headquarters at some of the universities to ask for assistance and discuss this matter.
We can also help you find the right university and handle the paperwork, so you don’t have to. Book a free case assessment with us today.
She found a new course, but…
She went through all that to find a university that would suit her desire to study design. Finally, she decided on Swinburne, which allowed her to transfer credit from her previous studies at M University.
She found the staff and counsellors to be much friendlier and more helpful for students with anxiety and depression.
Sadly, Tiani’s situation didn’t improve after finding a new university; she then had another problem related to her housing.
Her old apartment was in Caulfield, near her previous campus at M University, but a 23-minute walk away from Swinburne. She needed to find new accommodation closer to Swinburne.
Overstaying Her Student Visa
While arranging her accommodation and studies, Tiani was also busy maintaining her health as her anxiety kept returning and worsening with all the situations she had faced in the last few weeks.
This forced her to see several psychologists and counsellors, as well as take multiple medications to lessen her anxiety.
She was so busy with everything that she missed the most important thing to support her studies in Australia: renewing her student visa. It had already expired when she started her new studies.
Tiani had overstayed her student visa in Australia when she contacted education ONE to help her renew her Australian student visa. It was beyond her control; she had no intention of overstaying in Australia and breaching the regulations of her student visa. Tiani told us,
“Despite the foregoing facts, when my credit transfer was accepted by Swinburne University of Technology, I was very determined to focus on my studies and not to make the same mistake that I forgot and unintentionally overstayed my student visa. As I was already a student in Australia since 2015, I am fully aware that a student visa is essential for me to stay legally in Australia and that I will never try to break the rules. I hope I will be able to continue my studies and finish them on time.”
How education ONE Resolved the Visa Crisis
Since Tiani had overstayed in Australia for several days, we encouraged Tiani to speak with our Principal Migration Agent to know what options she had.
After the consultation, Tiani received all the necessary information on what to do next to save her visa, despite having overstayed. She then agreed to let us take care of her student visa extension to prevent deportation or a three-year ban from Australia.
Get straightforward answers from our registered migration agent before making any decision.
Swift and Strategic Visa Application Process
We understood that time was of the essence, so we gathered all the necessary documents and information from Tiani as quickly as possible and lodged her student visa application once we had obtained some of the essential information about her.
We asked Tiani to provide us with documents regarding her health problems and other essential information to show there was no intention to overstay or breach her visa conditions.
Documentation Challenges
Tiani also needed to go back and forth to her doctor, counsellor, and M University to get her release letter and medical certificate to prove her health was the reason she needed to change her course and universities. We also required Tiani to contact her psychiatrist in Indonesia to provide us with her medical reports.
Tiani was also catching up on her new course and university, having already missed a week of classes, which made it difficult for her to reach out as she was swamped.
It was also tricky for her to gather all the documents, as some were in Indonesia. We not only kept in contact with Tiani but also communicated with her parents and asked for their help to gather her documents in Indonesia.
We made every effort to secure Tiani’s student visa by exploring all possible avenues and gathering all necessary documents to support her case. She wanted to renew her student visa independently, without involving her family, and earn her Australian degree so she could return home with pride.
Finally, we gathered all her information and documents in less than a week and lodged her visa application only a week after her visa expired.
We communicated with Tiani and her parents to get additional information about her and her family that hadn’t already been submitted. We made every effort to ensure Tiani’s student visa application was bulletproof and decision-ready.
Don’t worry about chasing documents alone. We’ll guide you and make sure your student visa application is decision-ready. Start with a free case assessment.
After we lodged her student visa, she was issued a Bridging Visa C.
Dear Kristiani,
We have issued you a Bridging Visa C while your Student (subclass 500) visa application is being processed.
Application Status
-
- New Student (subclass 500) visa application: Received
- Bridging Visa C: Active
Bridging Visa C Conditions
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- 8101 – No work
An explanation of each condition of this Bridging Visa C is included below.
You can check the conditions of your Bridging Visa at any time by using the Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) service. The four-digit number next to each condition above is used in VEVO to identify each condition that applies to this Bridging Visa C.
Planning to travel? This Bridging Visa will end if you leave Australia.
Bridging Visa C Restrictions
The next problem was that Tiani wanted to go back to Indonesia for a medical check-up for her TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) and her braces before her student visa was granted.
She insisted she had to go back to Indonesia because she already had an appointment with her doctor for a medical check-up. We advised her that under the Bridging Visa C’s conditions, she was not allowed to leave Australia.
At this time, Tiani had already received the medical check-up request for her visa. We suggested she wait until her visa was granted first, and then she could go to Indonesia.
After a lengthy discussion, she agreed to do the medical check-up in Australia and wait for her visa to be granted.
It’s easy to make mistakes while waiting for a visa decision. We’ll help you stay on the right track and keep your legal status in Australia.
Student Visa Grant
After undergoing the medical check-up, Tiani successfully renewed her student visa just a week later.
Dear Tiani,
We granted you a Student (subclass 500) visa on May 29, 2019.
We were very happy that we were able to get Tiani’s visa application processed in just a week after her previous visa expired.
Despite numerous obstacles and difficulties, we successfully overcame them all to our client’s satisfaction.
Tiani and her parents were happy because she could now go back to Indonesia without any worries about her legal status, as she wished to have a medical check-up with her doctor and maintain her health before returning to Australia.
She is now delighted and happy with her new course and university, as they suit her preferences for studying design. She is also getting better with her anxiety and is now able to go out, socialise, and meet her friends.
We are glad this case had a happy ending for Tiani, that she was able to get her student visa granted, and we were pleased to assist her in continuing her studies in Australia.
If you’re facing issues with your studies or visa, as Tiani did, we can help you find the way forward. Contact us for a free case assessment.
