Living the abroad dream is one of the most sought after choices for many young people today. It requires a lot of grit, determination and not to forget, resource accumulation to want to pursue this dream for real. However, this often gets hampered for some due to visa refusal and their dream comes crashing down. Now if you are someone whose visa got rejected you might be wondering what exactly went wrong. You can find your answers below.
What if My student visa gets refused? – There are multiple reasons visa gets refused. One needs to tread these waters carefully as many a time one rejection can create a lot of difficulties for the next time. Not just that, it costs you time and money. You need to avoid these things if you haven’t applied for visa yet.
1. Genuine Documents
The primary thing you need in order is real, genuine documents. This means that any proof or evidence that you are providing, which will be in the form of relevant documents, should be authorized. Do not go for any fake certification as this can also lead to getting black listed. Most of the times, a visa gets rejected as the authorities are not convinced that the documents you have provided are genuine or not. The bottom line is never fake documents! This is the most practical demand which most people are generally aware of. Moving on to the next point!
2. Fees and Living Expenses
It is crucial that you determine a practical sum for expenditure and then need to show that you have enough funds for the same. Evidence of fees and living expense fund matters a lot. It should reflect that you are financially sound. You might need to show relevant receipts and statements that support your claim of having enough money to be able to live there. To be on the safer side, it is better to show a little more than the exact amount so that they are assured you won’t go bankrupt. Source of income needs to be shown and all the proofs have to be accurate.
To check your financial stability, the embassy checks credibility as of legal status, tax obligations and of course, income. Discrepancies in the finances will most definitely result in the student’s visa application refusal.
3. The Dreaded Interview
The part of the visa process which most people are super nervous about is the interview. It is natural to get a little nervous during or before any interview but it is extremely important that you maintain your thought process. Do not blurt out anything just for the sake of it. A little confidence goes a long way.
Now they reason that they might reject your visa application is that is they found some suspicious motives or if they thought the information you provided them with was false information. To be able to convince them of your motives, you need to be convinced yourself. This is the reason that you need that little confidence I mentioned before.
To avoid last minute mess-ups, write down important answers beforehand. Prepare how you will be tackling certain questions and practice with a friend or a family member. Back your answers with examples and evidence and do not say something just because you need to say something.
4. Gap and Unemployment
When there’s a gap where you haven’t been studying or working then it becomes difficult to justify it. Try to avoid such gaps. While justifying, make sure that you have a good enough reason not just personal but one that wouldn’t hamper your professional growth. If you are showing some internships or work experience, it has to have relevant certification and palpable evidence. Note that authorities, while acting as someone else, do call the employers or relatives in suspicious cases.
5. Choice of Course/Program Matters Too!
Your student visa is likely to meet with refusal when what you have done so far and what you plan to do are not aligned. If you have applied for a student visa in Australia, try to study the same stream but an advanced course. Do not divert and stay aligned to your educational background. It is advisable to have a score of at least 60% to be on the safer side. Your Statement of Purpose should also reflect your passion and justify your choice for the selected program of study. The best way to go about it is by stating your past, present and future regarding the field. Do not make it look like you might exploit their resources and definitely do not make any answer sound like you are going to start a side business while studying there thus proving to be a threat to the existing citizens.
6. Health and Criminal Record
Health requirements play a vital role as many an application gets rejected as people do not qualify for the same. However, there are certain points to it that can result in a health waiver but for more knowledge on that one should consult an immigration lawyer or a reliable and knowledgeable agent.
A criminal conviction can generate a lot of problems for visa. In such a case, your visa is bound to be rejected on the grounds of substantial criminal record. A clean criminal record is preferred as it proves that a person is not a threat or a security concern. This is also related to your character test. If they feel your entry can threaten the destination country, it results in visa refusal as it has for many.
Finally, what should be the Next Step if Visa is rejected?
The immediate and next best step after your student visa refusal can be to lodge student visa refusal appeal with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for them to review and reconsider. If you are eligible for applying again for another visa then do so but before that check why the department refused it in the first place, what were the reasons and if your visa was rejected and you were onshore, you might have limited time to apply again if at all you are eligible to do so.
Ghothane is Melbourne based Immigration lawyer. He has represented clients at the Department of Home Affairs, Immigration Assessment Authority, AAT and Federal Court. He is an experienced in helping clients with partner and family visas, visa cancellation matters, and business laws and more. He takes great pride in her advocacy skills and helping her clients to achieve successful outcomes in complex cases.
