Lawyer expertise.App simplicity.
Australian visa applications without the confusion, the cost, or the back-and-forth, backed by expert legal support.Designed by Australian immigration lawyers
Full price shown before you pay
Legal guidance as you go
4.7 on Trustpilot, 99 reviews
Visa types
Which visa do you need?
What it's for, who qualifies, the timeline, and how Tern handles it.
Why choose Tern?
Lawyer-designed framework
Immigration lawyers write every rule your application is checked against. They update those rules whenever immigration law changes.Never wonder if your evidence is enough
Immigration lawyers design the process. You get real-time feedback on your evidence as you go, so you know exactly what's needed and what's strong. Your application is checked before submission, and if refused, your service fee is refunded.Modern software, lower price
Software handles the clerical work, so the lawyers' time goes to legal judgement, not a law firm's overhead. That's how the price stays low.A person answers
No bots. We reply within one business day, and a lawyer consultation can usually be booked for the next business day.Visa granted, or your money back.
Our service fee, refunded in full. Full terms apply.How it works
1
Your passport fills in the form
Upload a photo of your passport and your name, nationality, and document details populate instantly. One click confirms your current visa status and which subclass you qualify for.
2
Which visa you need, and why
Select your purpose of stay and an advice panel built by immigration lawyers tells you which subclass fits your situation. Change your answer and the recommendation, and the price, updates to match.
3
Know your evidence is strong before you finish
Upload a document and real-time checks show whether it meets what the Department actually looks for: name match, income regularity, fund levels. Anything flagged comes with a specific explanation of what was found and what to fix.
Talk to an immigration lawyer
Book a one-on-one video call with a licensed Australian immigration lawyer. Pay online, then pick a time that works for you.Licensed immigration lawyer
Secure video call
Getting a visa should not cost thousands or require a law degree to navigate
Common questions
General
Which visas can I apply for?
Right now you can apply for:
• Visitor visas (Subclass 600/651) for tourism, family visits, or business• Working Holiday visas (Subclass 417/462) for young travellers• Transit visas (Subclass 771) for short stopovers through Australia• Partner visas (Subclass 820/801 onshore, 309/100 offshore) for spouses and de facto partners• Prospective Marriage visas (Subclass 300) for fiancés planning to marry in Australia
More visa types are in progress, including student, employer-sponsored, and skilled visas.What if my situation is complicated?
Some situations require a consultation with an immigration lawyer before your application can proceed, including:
• A criminal conviction• A previous visa refusal• Other unusual circumstances
It's included free on partner visas, and available as a paid consultation on other visas. You'll always see the cost, if any, before you decide.How it works
What's the application process like?
Every application follows the same shape:
• Check your eligibility for the right visa• If your situation needs a lawyer's judgement first, for example a declared conviction, that consultation happens before you continue: free on partner visas, paid on others• Upload your documents and answer guided questions (works on your phone or laptop)• Your application is reviewed before submission, including a thorough immigration lawyer review depending on the visa and plan• Submitted to Home Affairs and tracked until your decision arrives
See your visa's own page for the specifics.Is the legal advice coming from AI?
No.All the legal advice you see comes from licensed immigration lawyers. We use AI for admin tasks like reading your documents, but it never interprets migration law or gives you advice.
How do I know what's happening with my application?
Your dashboard shows you exactly where things are at:
• Application submitted• Health checks or biometrics requested• More information needed• Decision made
We'll email you whenever the Department asks for something, and you can respond directly through your dashboard. On the partner Direct and Reviewed plans, once your application is submitted and accepted, we share it with your own ImmiAccount so you can track it there, and the Department writes to you directly from that point.Pricing & refunds
What does Tern cost, and what am I paying for?
The price is published before you start, with no hourly billing.You'll always see your total before you pay. It includes:
• Our service fee (fixed for each visa type, shown on the visa page)• Government fees (paid to Home Affairs, either through us or directly)• Optional extras like a criminal record check, document translation, or additional case preparation for partner visas (only if you need them)
No hidden fees: any extras are listed above, and you'll see your exact total before you pay anything.What happens if my visa is refused?
If your visa is refused, we refund our service fee in full.Exceptions include a refusal caused by:
• Information in your application wasn't accurate or complete• Your circumstances changed after you paid• You missed a deadline or didn't provide information the Department requested
Direct, the self-serve partner plan, carries no refund guarantee. Applications with a declared criminal conviction aren't covered by this guarantee. Government fees can't be refunded (the Department keeps those). We process refunds within 14 days of the decision.What do I actually get for my money?
• Guidance built into your application by immigration lawyers, shown to you as you go• Help drafting any statements you need• Your application and documents checked before submission, with a thorough immigration lawyer review on the plans that include it• Submitted to Home Affairs by us, on every plan• Regular updates on your application status
Some things are charged separately if you need them:• Police checks• Medical exams• Document translations• Extra legal work for complex cases
You can sort these yourself, or we can coordinate everything through our trusted partners.Legal & security
Who is behind Tern?
Tern Visa Pty Ltd is an Australian company. Check our ABN (63 690 495 991) on the Australian Business Register.An Australian immigration lawyer, admitted to practice and regulated by the Law Society of New South Wales, authors and maintains the entire application process. You can verify the practising certificate on the Law Society's public Register of Lawyers. Your data is stored in Australia. If the Department refuses your visa, we refund our service fee. Our reviews are public on Trustpilot.One thing to know: only the Department of Home Affairs can grant a visa. No service, including ours, can guarantee approval.
Is my personal information safe?
Tern is an Australian company. Your data stays in Australia, stored securely on AWS.Here's how your data is protected:
• Bank-level encryption in transit and at rest• Only authorised staff and your assigned lawyers can access your file• You can request deletion of your data (some records may be retained for legal compliance)• Full details are in our Privacy Policy