I'm Kirk. If you would like to plan your study and migration pathway in Australia, add me on WeChat: NewstarsMel03.
Today, I’m sharing a case in which a Subclass 500 student visa was refused under 4020, but our efforts ultimately secured the visa (lead image).
Case background and the refusal
First, a recap of the student’s circumstances. The student had a very strong profile, having attended an international school in China, then come to Australia and received an offer from a leading private school in Victoria. Their parents also had stable sources of funds.
The student visa application was lodged without any problems on 18 December 2025.
A Department phone check leads to a misunderstanding about a deposit certificate
After lodgement, the Department conducted a phone check and questioned a deposit certificate provided by the parents.
The deposit certificate had been requested online. Many banks list the relevant branch and the issuer’s details on their deposit certificates. However, at some banks, the issuer may be an authorised signatory at a centralised approval centre for the entire city or province, rather than a staff member at the specific branch. As a result, the person who issues the certificate does not work at that branch.
When the Department phoned the branch to investigate, it simply asked whether the issuer worked there. The branch replied that there was no such person, and the Department concluded from this that the deposit was fraudulent, without making any further enquiries with the bank to verify whether the deposited funds themselves were genuine.
In these circumstances, the Department issued an S57 and 4020 request for further information in March 2026, asking for an explanation (Figure 2).
The first response fails, followed by a formal 4020 refusal letter
On 25 March, we submitted a very detailed written explanation for the client, along with a complete chain of supporting evidence, including a clarification letter from the branch and proof of the issuer’s authorisation and position (Figure 3). We explained in detail the misunderstanding during the phone check with the branch. Had the Department been willing to verify the certificate online using the verification code supplied by the bank, or make one more call to the centralised approval department, it could have confirmed that the certificate was genuine. However, even after receiving our explanation, the Department chose not to accept it and issued a refusal letter on 21 May, citing the provision of false documents under 4020.
This was a very serious outcome: if the refusal decision stood, the applicant would be unable to apply for most Australian visas for the next three years.
Starting the Internal Review process
In response, we promptly requested an Internal Review from the Department in June (Figure 4). Following our evidence-based submissions and with the facts exceptionally clear, the Department finally acknowledged in writing on 10 September that the original refusal decision was erroneous. It formally withdrew the refusal and referred the application back to the Department for reassessment (lead image).
Review outcome: the Department withdraws the refusal and the visa is granted
The exceptionally long processing period completely disrupted the applicant’s enrolment plans, and we lodged complaints with the Department several times along the way.
Yesterday, we finally received the visa grant! The applicant had sought advice from several sources from the moment the refusal letter arrived, and said they had nearly given up hope at one point. The wait was particularly long, but our persistence and determined advocacy ultimately brought a positive result!
Australian student visa applications remain subject to intense policy pressure, with increasingly stringent scrutiny of financial evidence in particular. Make sure you are thoroughly prepared. Whether it is your source of funds or a deposit certificate, ensure there are no gaps or opportunities for misunderstanding. We hope everyone secures their visa smoothly!
