Introducing Tern: a better way to apply for Australian visas

If you've ever spent an evening spiralling through government websites, forum threads, and conflicting advice about Australian visas, you know the feeling. You're not quite sure what visa you need, whether you're filling in the form correctly, or if that one answer you're uncertain about will get your application refused.

You're not alone. The Australian visa system is complex, opaque, and often feels designed to trip you up. And the options for navigating it have traditionally been limited: figure it out yourself and hope for the best, or pay thousands to a migration agent.

We built Tern because we believe there should be a third option. One that combines technology with genuine legal expertise, at a price that makes sense.

The current landscape: your options for applying

Let's be honest about what's actually available to you right now if you want an Australian visa.

Option 1: DIY (Do It Yourself)

The Department of Home Affairs website technically has everything you need. The forms are there. The requirements are listed. In theory, you can do this yourself.

The appeal: It's the cheapest option. You pay only the government visa fee.

The reality: The system isn't designed to help you succeed. Policy documents are written in dense bureaucratic language. Requirements vary by visa subclass, by stream, and even by your nationality, but these differences aren't clearly signposted. A single inconsistency between documents can trigger a refusal. And if you're refused, many have no right of appeal, plus a black mark on your immigration record that follows you to future applications.

For straightforward cases, like a UK citizen applying for an eVisitor to visit Sydney for a week, DIY is fine. The visa is free, the process is automated, and approval usually comes within minutes.

But for anything more complex? The DIY approach becomes a gamble. We've seen people refused for visitor visas because they didn't know their nationality required extra evidence. We've seen student visa applicants rejected because their Genuine Temporary Student statement contradicted something they wrote years earlier on a different application. These aren't edge cases. They're the everyday reality of a system where the stakes are high and the guidance is minimal.

Option 2: Traditional migration agents or lawyers

Registered Migration Agents (RMAs) and immigration lawyers are licensed professionals who can legally provide immigration advice in Australia. They've passed exams, met ongoing professional development requirements, and are regulated by professional bodies such as the OMARA.

The appeal: You get genuine expertise. Someone who knows the system reviews your case, advises you on strategy, and prepares your application.

The reality: Quality varies enormously, and prices are steep. A good migration agent might charge $500-1,500 for a visitor visa application, $2,000-5,000 for a student visa, and $5,000-15,000+ for partner or skilled visas. For complex cases, these fees can be justified. For simpler applications, they're often overkill.

There's also a consistency problem. The advice you receive depends entirely on which agent you get. Some are meticulous; others are stretched thin across too many clients. Some stay current with policy changes; others rely on outdated knowledge. Because the process is largely manual, there's significant variation in quality even within the same firm.

The numbers bear this out. According to OMARA's own data, 34% of registered migration agents have received at least one formal complaint against them. That's not a fringe statistic. It means when you hire an agent, there's roughly a one-in-three chance they've had a client dissatisfied enough to file an official complaint with the regulator.

We've heard from people who paid thousands to agents only to receive generic applications with errors. The expensive option isn't always the reliable option.

Option 3: Online visa platforms

This is where it gets interesting, and where you need to be careful.

Over the past few years, companies like iVisa, Atlys, and various "visa expediting" services have emerged. They promise to simplify the visa process, often with slick interfaces and appealing marketing.

The appeal: Easier than DIY, cheaper than a migration agent. Modern technology instead of paper forms.

The reality: Most of these platforms operate from outside Australia. And that matters more than you might think.

The problem with offshore visa platforms

Here's something that isn't widely understood: under Australian law, only Registered Migration Agents and qualified lawyers can provide "immigration assistance" for Australian visas. This isn't a technicality. It's a consumer protection measure designed to ensure that people giving visa advice actually know what they're doing and can be held accountable if they get it wrong.

When a visa platform operates from outside Australia, they're outside the jurisdiction of the Migration Act. They're not regulated by OMARA. They don't have to employ registered agents. And critically, they can't be held to the same standards as Australian-based providers.

What does this mean in practice?

These platforms can't legally give you immigration advice. They can help you fill in forms, sure. They can process your payment and submit your application. But they can't tell you which visa is right for your situation, whether your evidence is sufficient, or how to address potential concerns with your application. Doing so would be providing immigration assistance, which they're not licensed to do.

Some operate in a grey area, providing what looks like advice while technically avoiding the legal definition. Others simply don't care about Australian regulations because they're beyond the reach of Australian authorities.

The one-size-fits-all problem

Beyond the legal limitations, there's a practical issue with how these platforms actually work. Most default every applicant to a specific visa subclass and stream, regardless of individual circumstances. Planning a short holiday? Long-term family visit? Business trip? You'll likely end up in the same application pathway.

They also pre-fill or skip questions entirely. Criminal history, for instance, is rarely asked about directly. The platform simply assumes you don't have one and moves on. Health conditions, previous visa refusals, time spent in certain countries: these nuances often get glossed over or defaulted to the "easy" answer.

This approach works fine when the assumptions happen to match your situation. But when they don't, you end up with either the wrong visa entirely or an application that contains inaccurate information. Neither outcome is good. The wrong visa wastes your money and time. Inaccurate information can lead to refusals or, worse, allegations of providing false statements, which can affect future applications for years.

Does this matter if you just want your visa?

Sometimes it doesn't. If you're a US citizen applying for an ETA to spend two weeks in Melbourne, these platforms can process your application just fine. You'd probably be approved regardless of who submitted it.

But when things get complicated, when you're from a country that faces extra scrutiny, when your circumstances require explaining, when you need to know whether to apply for a tourist visa or a different subclass entirely, the limitations of these platforms become painfully apparent.

The reviews tell a story

We're not saying platforms like Atlys and iVisa don't work at all. They do process visas, and many people have positive experiences.

But look at the reviews carefully. Atlys, for example, has a significant portion of negative reviews on Trustpilot. Roughly 25% of all reviews are one star. Common complaints include poor customer support, delays, and issues when applications hit problems.

When everything goes smoothly, these platforms work fine. When something goes wrong, customers often find themselves without meaningful support, unable to get answers, and without the legal expertise to understand what happened or what to do next.

How Tern is different

We built Tern to be the option that should have existed all along: technology-powered efficiency with genuine legal backing, at prices that make sense.

We're based in Australia. This isn't just a flag we wave for marketing. It means we operate under Australian migration law. We're within DHA jurisdiction. We're accountable to Australian regulators. When we give advice, it's because we have licensed professionals who are qualified to give it.

Every rule is configured by an immigration lawyer. Our platform isn't just a fancy form-filler. Under the hood, there's a rules engine that encodes Australian migration law. Questions about eligibility, evidence requirements, and visa selection are all configured by a licensed immigration lawyer. When the platform tells you something, that advice is attributable to a real professional who is responsible for its accuracy.

The technology handles what technology does best. Extracting data from documents? That's automation. Cross-checking your answers for consistency? That's automation. Validating your application against legal requirements before submission? Automation. Flagging potential issues so they can be addressed before a case officer finds them? Also automation.

What we don't automate is professional judgment. The rules that govern these checks are written by lawyers who understand the law. The platform facilitates the provision of immigration advice; it doesn't replace the need for qualified professionals to create that advice in the first place.

Support that actually responds. We answer support requests within 24 hours. That might sound basic, but if you've ever been stuck waiting for a response from an offshore platform while your visa deadline approaches, you know how much it matters.

Advice in real time. You don't have to wait for an agent to review your case and get back to you days later. Our platform assesses your situation as you provide information, giving you immediate guidance based on the rules our lawyers have configured. This means you get the benefit of legal expertise without the delays of traditional agent communication.

Is Tern Visa legit?

Let's address this directly, because it's a reasonable question to ask about any new platform handling something as important as your visa.

Yes, Tern is legitimate.

We're an Australian company, registered and operating in Australia. We're not hiding behind an offshore structure or operating in regulatory grey areas.

The immigration advice provided through our platform is rendered by licensed immigration lawyers. Every rule in our system is attributable to a qualified professional. This isn't a claim we make lightly; it's the foundation of how we've built the platform.

What does this mean for you?

• Support within 24 hours: When you have a question or issue, we respond. This alone sets us apart from many competitors where customers report waiting days or weeks for responses to urgent queries.

• Real-time advice: You don't submit your application and then wait to hear back about problems. Our platform identifies issues as you go, so you can address them before submission.

• Compliant operations: We operate under Australian law, which means we're held to the standards of the Migration Act. If something goes wrong, you have recourse through Australian regulatory bodies.

• Transparent pricing: We charge a service fee on top of the government visa fee. You know what you're paying for before you start.

We're not the cheapest option if you're comparing us to doing everything yourself. But we're substantially more affordable than traditional migration agents, and we offer something the offshore platforms can't: genuine legal backing within a compliant Australian framework.

Who should use Tern?

Tern is ideal if:

• You want more confidence than DIY but can't justify thousands in agent fees
• You're from a country that faces extra scrutiny and need guidance on evidence requirements
• You're not sure which visa is right for your situation
• You want your documents checked for consistency before submission
• You value responsive support when you have questions
• You care about using a service that operates legitimately under Australian law

You might not need Tern if:

• You're applying for an ETA or eVisitor from an eligible country with a straightforward trip. These visas are simple enough that DIY is fine
• You have a highly complex case involving previous refusals, character issues, or unusual circumstances. You might need the hands-on attention of a dedicated migration lawyer
• You're applying for a visa we don't yet support. We're expanding our coverage, but we don't offer every visa subclass yet

What we're building toward

We started with visitor visas because they're the most common entry point into the Australian visa system. But our goal is broader: to be the platform that handles all Australian visas, making compliant immigration advice accessible to everyone, not just those who can afford premium agent fees.

We're not there yet. Building this properly, with genuine legal oversight rather than shortcuts, takes time. But every visa category we add follows the same model: technology that handles the administrative burden, rules configured by qualified lawyers, and a service that operates within Australian law.

Immigration matters. For many people, a visa application isn't just about a holiday. It's about reuniting with family, pursuing education, building a career, or starting a new chapter in life. The stakes are high, and the system shouldn't be a lottery where your outcome depends on whether you happened to know the right things or could afford to pay someone who did.

We believe everyone deserves access to quality immigration guidance. That's why we built Tern.

Ready to get started?

If you're applying for an Australian visa, we can help. Our platform assesses your eligibility, recommends the right visa for your situation, guides you through the evidence requirements, and checks your application for issues before submission.

Have questions? Our support team responds within 24 hours. We're here to help you navigate the system.