About Tern

We're building the future of visa applications - where technology meets expertise to create a seamless, transparent, and human-centered immigration experience.

Our Mission

Tern is your digital immigration lawyer - a visa application platform where intelligent technology meets expert legal knowledge. When you answer questions and upload documents, our technology extracts and analyzes key information, then evaluates it against comprehensive rules and frameworks meticulously designed by experienced immigration lawyers.This powerful combination delivers the precision of professional legal expertise with the speed and accessibility of modern technology. No more guesswork, no more confusion - just clear, lawyer-backed guidance through every step of your Australian visa application. We're making professional immigration support available to everyone, anywhere, anytime.

Founder Story

After navigating visa applications across four continents, Jonas experienced firsthand the anxiety, confusion, and endless paperwork that defines modern immigration. Hours spent decoding government websites, thousands of dollars in agent fees, and the constant worry of missing crucial details - he knew there had to be a better way.When Jonas partnered with Tony, one of Australia's leading migration lawyers, they shared a vision: what if visa applications could be clear, guided, and actually designed for the people using them? What if technology could handle the complexity while lawyers provided the expertise?That vision became Tern - a platform built by people who understand both sides of the migration journey, combining technical innovation with legal excellence to transform how people navigate their path to Australia.

Our Leaders

Jonas

Founder and Chief Technology Officer

A many-time migrant, Jonas understands first-hand how emotional and difficult visa applications can be. Originally from Germany, he has lived in Canada, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Australia. Now an Australian citizen, he has spent many hours of his life researching Australian visas and trying to navigate the Australian Government Immi Account and he has set out to build a better way. With a software-engineering and finance background, Jonas designed Tern so your visa application experience is clear, expertly supported and accountable. When not building Tern, you can find Jonas at the beach with his wife and daughters.

Tony

Head of Legal & Compliance

Tony is a leading migration lawyer and lecturer in migration law. He is not just a registered lawyer, he's the person who trains migration agents. He has already taught hundreds of agents as a lecturer at two leading Sydney universities. With years of hands-on experience advising on visas, corporate immigration, and regulatory compliance, Tony combines deep legal knowledge with practical insight. When you receive advice under Tony's authority, you're getting guidance from one of the most qualified professionals in the field. He specialises in complex cases and tribunal matters, bringing deep expertise to every application. Having long sought to automate and simplify the visa process, Tony provides the legal oversight and review that makes the platform lawyer-backed and fully compliant. Outside of work, Tony enjoys mentoring young lawyers and spending weekends with his family checking out Sydney's coastal walks.