Overall, our clients have had a positive experience with Australian citizenship by conferral applications. Sometimes, the client’s journey to citizenship is challenging, so the grant of citizenship is a very sweet victory. We will never forget one client in particular. A Chef at a small restaurant in Sydney, he started his Australian journey with his wife and four children. Beginning with a temporary employer-sponsored visa (subclass457), all of his Australia visa applications were up-hill battles.
Endless requests for further information, responses to comments on adverse information, lost documents, unhelpful Delegates and employers. The client’s anxieties hit an all-time high with the refusal of his Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) application. Fortunately, at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), we presented a submission to the Member that resulted in a decision ‘on the papers’ – a victory without the need for a Hearing.
Australian citizenship was now in his family’s sights. The client’s citizenship application was the only application in 10 years that progressed without issue (well, only if you don’t count that his local council rescheduled his citizenship ceremony due to COVID-19 restrictions!).
The day he attended the ceremony, he called us to thank us for all the effort over the years. What an incredibly proud moment for all of us!
