HomeServicesPracticesVisa Cancellation & Crimmigration (s501)
Practice

Visa cancellation, section 501 and crimmigration

When a criminal matter meets a visa, the two must be run together. We act on cancellation notices, revocation requests, character refusals, detention and removal — with the deadlines that cannot be missed.

Australia

Crimmigration is the point where criminal law and migration law collide: a conviction, a charge or even an allegation can trigger a visa refusal or cancellation under the character provisions of the Migration Act. Mandatory cancellation on a substantial criminal record happens automatically, and the request to revoke it must be made within a strict period.

We act quickly on notices of intention to cancel, mandatory cancellation revocation requests, character refusals and detention, and we coordinate with criminal defence lawyers so that a plea or sentence does not quietly destroy a visa.

Who this is for

  • Visa holders who have received a cancellation notice
  • People in immigration detention and their families
  • Criminal defence lawyers seeking migration advice for a client
  • Applicants refused on character grounds

What we do

  • Responses to notices of intention to consider cancellation (NOICC)
  • Revocation requests after mandatory cancellation under section 501(3A)
  • Character refusals and section 116 cancellations
  • Merits review at the Administrative Review Tribunal and judicial review in the Federal courts
  • Ministerial intervention requests
  • Immigration detention, bridging visas and removal matters
  • Advice to criminal lawyers on the migration consequences of charges and pleas

How it works

Same-day assessment

Send us the notice. We identify the deadline, the test that applies and the evidence that matters most.

Submissions

We prepare the representations and evidence — family, employment, rehabilitation, risk — within the statutory window.

Review and beyond

If the decision goes against you we advise on Tribunal review, judicial review or ministerial intervention, and act at each stage.

Questions

How long do I have to respond to a mandatory cancellation?

The revocation request must be made within the period stated in the notice — currently 28 days — and it cannot be extended. Contact us the day you receive it.

Can a visa be cancelled without a conviction?

Yes. The character test looks at conduct as well as convictions, and associations, charges and past behaviour can all be relevant.

What is the difference between merits review and judicial review?

Merits review at the Tribunal re-decides the case on its facts; judicial review in court asks only whether the decision was lawfully made. We advise which is open and which is worth pursuing.

Talk to us about visa cancellation & crimmigration (s501).

A short message with the countries involved is enough to start. We reply within one business day.