The 5 best immigration lawyers in Canberra to assist with visas, appeals, and residency issues
Immigration is no simple matter—more often than not, it’s about starting a new life, reuniting with family, or finding stability. And when complications arise with visas, appeals, or residency, those dreams can feel suddenly out of reach.
That feeling grows heavier as you hear or read the words ‘refused’ or ‘cancelled,’ face processing delays, or realize you’ve missed an important document. It’s even harder when you thought you’d done everything right, only to be told otherwise.
No need to worry, because the best immigration lawyers in Canberra understand what you’re going through and are here to assist you. Skilled in all areas of immigration, their trusted legal advice and support can help turn those uncertain dreams into real opportunities.
| How much does hiring an immigration lawyer cost in Canberra? Hiring an immigration lawyer in Canberra generally costs between AUD 2,500 and AUD 5,000 for basic visa applications. For appeals or cases involving a barrister, fees can reach AUD 15,000 or more, depending on the lawyer’s experience and the complexity of the matter. |
1. Canberra Visa & Migration Services
Address: Level 5/73 Northbourne Ave
Phone: +61 451 757 287
Business hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Most people turn to Canberra Visa & Migration Services for help with visa processing and permanent residency applications. But there are also those seeking assistance with more complex matters like appeals at the Administrative Review Tribunal.
Clients often say the team’s steady support and guidance made the whole process feel easy. After more than 10 years in the field, comments about their well-prepared paperwork, clear advice, and thorough attention to detail come as no surprise.
It all starts with a 45-minute to 1-hour consultation, starting at $195. While many find it well worth the price for the lawyer’s empathy, patience, and reassurance, a few felt the rates were too high for their budget.
The good news is, once you’ve decided to go with their services, they don’t charge by the hour—just a fixed price agreed upon during your official meetings. Some lawyers even go the extra mile, personally collecting documents from a client’s home.
Compassionate, thorough, and visa was granted quickly
“Jason and his team were super responsible and professional. He was compassionate and understanding. Great work! He checked things thoroughly, ensuring that every detail was being taken care of. He patiently and clearly answered my questions. Thank you once again for your outstanding work. Visa was granted very quickly.”
- Sheila, Google Review
Supportive guidance through the permanent residency process
“I had an excellent experience with Jason and Canberra Visa & Migration Services, and I am thrilled to have finally received my Australian Permanent Residency. Jason and his entire team were very supportive and guiding throughout the entire immigration process. I can’t thank them enough and I highly recommend Canberra Visa & Migration Services to anyone seeking migration services.”
- Sidney Jãnn, Google Review
2. VisaEnvoy
Address: 2 Phillip Law St
Phone: +61 2 9161 7411
Business hours:
- Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM
- Saturday & Sunday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
VisaEnvoy works with all kinds of visa—skilled, partner, parent, business, student, and more. Many visa applicants report successful outcomes, with some approved in a little over a year and others after a longer wait of up to four years.
You might’ve seen their lawyer, Ben Watt, on the news discussing immigration matters. According to clients, he brings that same confidence, clarity, and deep knowledge to his consultations—laying out clear plans, explaining each step, and answering every question.
Said consultations, done via video or phone, last 45 minutes and cost $160. To most, the sessions were helpful—but some were frustrated by the occasional focus on visa process hurdles and the suggestion to seek a second opinion coming only after paying the fee.
On the bright side, VisaEnvoy takes on visa refusal appeals, too. People whose needs fall in this category appreciate the ready-made fillable form on the website, which allows the team to easily assess their situation—along with the quick reply that follows.
Super responsive and knowledgeable
“My partner and I are incredibly grateful to Ben for his support and guidance over the past three years. Ben was always super responsive, knowledgeable, and went above and beyond to ensure we understood each step of the process. His professionalism and dedication made what could have been a stressful experience much smoother. We can’t thank him enough for all his help and highly recommend his services!”
- Marcelo Diaz, Google Review
Positive visa outcome and showed great professionalism
“I strongly recommend Ben Watt’s services to anyone hoping to obtain a positive outcome to their visa applications. At all times during my visa process, he showed a great sense of professionalism and transparency and was always upfront about all the potential scenarios I could encounter during this journey, using facts, former experience and legislation in his advise. He was always happy to share all his knowlege with me, and to answer each of my questions in detail to ensure the right decisions were made. He tiredlessly worked to ensure that the plans that we set out, were succesfully executed and I am very happy with the positive outcome that we have obtained. If you are after visa support, I highly recommend his services.”
- Jose Ruiz, Google Review
3. AusDream Migration & Education
Media credit: ausdream_migration
Address: Level 2/40 Marcus Clarke St
Phone: +61 2 6188 3588
Business hours: Monday-Friday, 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM
Among the things clients often mention about AusDream are their prompt communication and accurate responses. Those who faced confusion, delays, or documentation problems talk about how the team quickly cleared things up and eased their worries.
Like VisaEnvoy, they handle all major visa types—but their strengths are in work and skilled, student and visitor, and family or partner visas. In fact, many have achieved their goals of living, working, or studying abroad, thanks to the lawyers’ expertise and attentive efforts.
It’s the team’s approach to permanent residency cases that hasn’t always met expectations. Certain applicants, after paying the consultation fees, were let down by the limited knowledge shown and eventually went with a different provider instead.
They make up for it with their strong track record in Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) reviews. Plus, their course selection, paperwork, and enrollment support has been a big help to students aiming to enter vocational or university programs in Australia.
Always suggested the best solutions and quick, helpful responses
“AusDream Migration & Education has been amazing! In particular, consultant Xinxin has been providing outstanding assistance with me and my partner’s case, which involved some rare issues related to my previous visa. She handled everything smoothly and professionally, and always suggested the best solutions to save both our time and money. What sets them apart from other agents is their quick and helpful responses to customers. You can always count on their team to provide prompt and accurate answers.”
- Phillip H., Google Review
Guided me with patience and helped me avoid potential issues
“Highly recommend AusDream for their migration visa services, especially the consultant Xinxin! We have been working together in the last six months on my skill assessment, state nomination and 189 visa application. She guided me through every single step with patience, clarity, and of course professional knowledge. Her attention to detail was particularly impressive, helping me avoid many potential issues, such as those related to travel history and partnership documentation. I cannot imagine how many obstacles I would have faced without their assistance and advice.”
- Robin Chen, Google Review
4. Global Vision Migration
Address: Suite 529 Level 5/15 Moore St
Phone: +61 2 6190 7979
Business hours: Monday-Friday, 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM
The team at Global Vision simplifies the immigration process for many. From employer sponsorships to student visas and appeal cases, clients thank their lawyers’ and migration agents’ hardwork and quick assistance in keeping things moving smoothly.
Others didn’t even have to deal with the Department of Home Affairs, because Global took care of all the interactions and paperwork for them. This kind of support is one of the things that gave applicants more confidence in their services and assurance that they’re in the right place.
People were also impressed by how the professionalism and genuine compassion shown during initial consultations. But for some, that faded soon after—citing a lack of follow-up support, with one even waiting months for a response in the hopes of getting a refund.
It helps that a lot of clients find the $99 face-to-face consultation affordable and worth it. Though only lasting 30 minutes, people walk away with the information and advice they need to make the next steps feel less overwhelming.
Smooth, prompt, and highly professional
“Global vision migration is a one stop solution for all your education and migration services. I am highly delighted by the services that you provide. Recently, got my skill assessment done, and the process of getting it done from your guys was so smooth and prompt. Alishma is highly professional, and delivers excellent customer service. I would like to recommend global vision to everyone.”
- Supreet Kaur, Google Review
My case was handled smoothly and efficiently
“I had the privilege of working with Anusha for my immigration case, and I couldn’t be more pleased with her expertise and dedication. From the very first consultation, she was thorough, professional, and genuinely compassionate about my situation. Anusha took the time to explain every step of the process clearly and answered all of my questions in detail, which gave me a great sense of comfort during what could have been a very stressful time. Thanks to Anusha’s hard work and commitment, my case was handled smoothly and efficiently, and I received a positive outcome approved with subclass(500)student visa after expiry of covid visa.”
- Mounika Reddy, Google Review
5. NewStars
Address: Level 4/15 London Cct
Phone: +61 2 5105 7646
Business hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
NewStars’ successful cases are mostly visas for permanent residency, temporary skill shortage, and employer sponsorship. Clients who’ve benefitted from them give credit to the team’s careful document checking, quick problem-solving, and detailed planning.
Another highlight is their education support, which has made the student visa process easy for students looking to study in Australia. Having qualified education agents giving accurate and professional educational advice is a major plus, too.
On the downside, meetings and consultations tend to be transactional—there are clients who’ve reported being asked about payment methods before hearing about their concerns. Others were put off by the lack of warmth and difficulties in reaching lawyers after settling initial fees.
The upside is that some visa and residency applicants also found their legal department helpful. With services in property law, wills and estates, and divorce law, it saved them the hassle of going somewhere else.
Guided me through document preparation with attention to detail
“I had an excellent experience with their visa services! The team provided prompt responses to all my queries and guided me through the document preparation process with great attention to detail, ensuring everything was accurate and complete. Their professionalism and efficiency made the entire process smooth and stress-free. I highly recommend their services to anyone needing visa assistance – they truly go above and beyond!”
- Sharmila Lama, Google Review
Prepared materials patiently and meticulously
“Give consultant Hailey a five-star rating! From the time I moved to Canberra and started consulting with state officials to the time of nomination half a year later, they took the trouble to answer all my questions, prepared materials patiently and meticulously, and were very professional. Thanks to her help over the past six months, my immigration journey has been so smooth. If you have any questions about Canberra State immigration, please contact her!”
- Crystal Chen, Google Review