About us

Visa applications without the stress or the massive bills.

Tern was built by people who've been through the visa process and know exactly how broken it is. Expert guidance from real immigration lawyers, at a price that actually makes sense.

Why Tern exists

Applying for a visa isn't just paperwork. It's your future, your family, and one of the highest-stakes decisions you'll ever navigate. For too long, that process has been defined by poor advice, inconsistent service, and eye-watering fees. Did you know 34% of Registered Migration Agents have had formal complaints made against them?Tern was built to change that. Transparent pricing, consistent quality, and accountability at every step. Apply through Tern and you get the confidence of real legal expertise, at a fraction of the traditional cost.Source: Migration Agents Registration Authority Annual Report Jan-June 2024

The people behind Tern

Jonas

Founder & CTO

Jonas knows exactly how stressful visa applications can be. He's been through the process more times than he can count. Originally from Germany, he's lived in Canada, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and now Australia, where he's finally a citizen. All those hours lost on government websites and forums, second-guessing every answer, wondering if one mistake would ruin everything? That's why he built Tern. With a background in software engineering and finance, Jonas designed the platform to give you clear guidance, expert support, and complete transparency. When he's not working on Tern, you'll find him at the beach with his wife and daughters.

Tony

Head of Legal & Compliance

Tony (Immigration Legal Practitioner Number 5513641) isn't just a migration lawyer. He's the person who trains migration agents. As a lecturer at two leading Sydney universities, he's taught hundreds of professionals how to do this work properly. With years of hands-on experience in visa applications, corporate immigration, and regulatory compliance, Tony brings both deep legal knowledge and practical insight. When you see advice through Tern, it's backed by his expertise. He's one of the most qualified people in the field, and he makes sure everything we do is compliant and above board. Outside work, Tony mentors young lawyers and explores Sydney's coastal walks with his family.

How it started

After years of applying for visas across different countries, Jonas kept hitting the same impossible choice:Option 1: Do it yourself. Spend countless hours on government websites and forums, second-guess every answer, and lie awake wondering if one small mistake will get your application refused.Option 2: Pay thousands to a migration agent and hope for the best. Jonas watched friends pay premium fees only to get bad advice that put their applications at risk. Even the expensive option wasn't reliable.There had to be a better way. Jonas partnered with Tony, one of Australia's leading immigration lawyers and the person who actually trains migration agents. The vision was clear: use technology to handle the complexity, backed by consistent, expert legal oversight on every application. That's Tern. Affordable, reliable, and backed by the same legal expertise that costs thousands elsewhere.