26Did you receive IMMI s56 Request for More Information from the Department of Immigration and don’t know what to do next?
Please be ensured it’s nothing extraordinary. It means case officer has started considering your visa application and there are some documents missing or based on evidence provided there are some concerns and questions raised which need to be addressed. Getting this request is actually not a bad sign because once all the relevant documents will be provided in the right form and will address all the concerns in right manner case officer shall be in a position to grant a visa. Be careful – if you will not provide the requested information within the timeframe (usually 28 or 7 days) case officer may make a visa decision without waiting for documents, and you may imagine what the outcome might be. There are multiple reasons for the visa being refused, you don’t want to add another one to the list.
What should you do when asked to provide with additional information
First of all – don’t panic. Ther are usually 2 documents attached to an email from a Department of Immigration. The first one about the fact you are being requested to provide additional documents, second with a list of documents required. If you just forgot to attach some documents, upload them to the immi account and click the button documents provided. If the problem is more complex you might need to seek independent advice. We dealt with this kind of request many times on behalf of our clients who lodged applications by themselves and subsequently visas were granted. Should you require assistance do not hesitate to contact us for advice.
What to do to avoid getting section 56 request for documents
The best way to get a visa granted in the first place is to make an application complete. If the case officer would be able to “tick all the boxes” there would be no need to drag you for additional documents. They don’t like asking people for “more information” either, it delays the whole process, so consider their request as a favor and last chance to persuade the Australian Government to grant you a visa. Keep in mind the department’s website is a good start for gathering information about visa requirements, but not all the required information is there. Make yourself a favor and engage a migration agent for your visa case from a beginning. Follow up by migration agent may cost you more than if you’d have engaged an agent from the very beginning.
Extending the time frame for providing documents for Section 56 request
Sometimes there is no way you can organize documents within the required timeframe. It is out of your control. In such a situation communication with case officer is crucial. You may consider asking for an extension of time. Make sure you’ll provide a good reason for your request.
The legal ground for S56 section request
SECT 56 of MIGRATION ACT 1958 states:
“Further information may be sought
(1) In considering an application for a visa, the Minister may, if he or she wants to, get any information that he or she considers relevant but, if the Minister gets such information, the Minister must have regard to that information in making the decision whether to grant or refuse the visa.
(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the Minister may invite, orally or in writing, the applicant for a visa to give additional information in a specified way.“
It does not mean that the minister himself will be looking for information, it could be his delegate – case officer.
How a request for additional information looks like.
The first file refers to details of the visa application and states the fact that more information is required. Gives the time for response and describes the expected form of an answer (email, letter or upload to the immi account).
2nd one is essentially the list of documents requested. Example below:
REQUEST CHECKLIST AND DETAILS
The following information is required to process your application for a XXXXXX TU) Student (subclass 500) visa.
All forms are available at www.border.gov.au/allforms
If you do not provide the information sought within time, or the information is unsatisfactory, your application may be decided based on the available information.
You can attach requested document(s) to your application through ImmiAccount. You will also be able to confirm our receipt of the attachments through ImmiAccount.
Do not email attachments as this will cause delays in the processing of your application. We do not send acknowledgement advices for the receipt of attachments.
This request checklist is for xxxxxxxxxxxx
Date of Birth xxxxxxx
Client ID xxxxxxxxxxx
Application Id xxxxxxxxx
See the attached “Request Detail”, which provides a detailed explanation relating to the checklist item(s) listed below.
– Your curriculum vitae
– Genuine temporary entrant criterion
The information provided below explains the requirements relating to the checklist item(s) listed above.
followed by some explanatory notes.
hi,
I lodged my skilled migration visa (190) on 15/12/2017, case officer had ask for 2 documents i.e marriage certificate and form 80 on 5/03/2018 which we submitted on 07/03/2018 . can you assist with that how long till case officer makes his decision .
thanks
hello sir,
I have applied my subclass 190 visa on 24 Nov 2017 and co contacted me on 1 February 2018. I have submitted the documents what they asked for on 2 February 2018 since then there Is no contact or response from the immigration. How long it will take to grant visa after co contacted? I have also submitted 1023 form which I made some mistakes in my visa application which is a minor one.co didn’t asked me anything regarding that on the day when he contacted me (I thought I have already provided documents like the evidence of my citizenship,state,medical details )but still I have cleared my part.Also on the day he contacted after providing my documents I have responded to his mail too..after that I didn’t contact him because I know it may cause delay in my application process.They requested me to provide employment evidene like taxation document and transcript to prove my education in Australia.I have given my transcript but I have alredy submitted my oversea employment evidence including salary slip,reference letter,bank statement( where I couldn’t get my salary slip)salary certificate (as I did volountary work for few months)which also included as my employment evidence.I was wondering why they still asked for more evidence like taxation document.Later,I made a check through the visa application and I found that I have claimed point for my Australian job which I couldn’t gain because I have less experience. I tried to fill 1023 to Put no to claim Australian job but before submitting that to the immigration I contacted the DIBP regarding this and they adviced me not to change any claimsing things as it may cause problem so just submit whatever I can.. so I submitted contract letter,position description, reference letter and some my salary slip (9 or 10 slips)
of my current job on 2 February 2018 on the day after they asked for additional documents.Could you please tell me how long should I ait to get grant as it was really a stressfull process.
Thanking you
sincerely,
I was on student visa before which ended on 7 of September this year,now can I apply or get student visa or mrt ?If yes you can give me your address I will follow up you
If you have no other visa, you can apply for another student visa up to 28 days after the expiry date of your previous student visa. If you have missed the deadline, sorry I see no way you can get it onshore.
S56 request more information about 482 visa? My bank statement, pay slip, letter from my current employer. Which I provided all. How long will it take for approval of my visa providing the documents
482 team is quite efficient, from my experience max 2-3 weeks. Sometimes a day or two. It depends on the location and status of the business (regional Australia and accredited sponsors are going on the front of the cue) and your occupation.
Hey, I applied for an online tourist visa on the 9th of December. Then I received an email on the 11th of December that they needed more informations. And the informations they needed are my partner’s passport detail, invitation letter and marriage certificate. But since my partner is a UK citizen and he is gonna travel with me and we are not married we couldn’t provide those informations except his passport detail. I uploaded this information on the same day as I received the email. Actually I have attached a document with the name ‘invitation letter’ and ‘marriage certificate’ but both of them contain information that you are not married and that my partner is not an Australian citizen so he does not have the authority to make an invitation letter. And then the status on my visa application changed to further assessment. Do you know how long it might take for my visa to be granted? Or do you think it will be declined since I couldn’t provide the other documents?
*While the bank statement I submitted is my own bank account.
The requirements of the visitor visa differ based on your personal situation:
– country of your passport
– your financial situation
– ties to your country of passport
– ties to Australia
– your visa history
to name a few. I can only assume they have asked for a marriage certificate because you have chosen the option “married” on your visa application. If you are unemployed – that’s another issue, if you have applied for a visa for more then 3 months – another reason for scrutiny. There are so many factors they are taking into consideration nowadays.
Going back to your question – it can take from a few days to a few weeks before you’ll get a decision. Before a new year more people tan usual are applying for a visa, they have less staff, so you may expect delays.
It must have been mistaken. I put a right information before. That I was traveling with my partner who is a UK citizen, and I also put him as my de facto partner in the form so I assume they don’t need to ask for marriage certificate and invitation letter. That’s why I am so confused.
Maybe a case officer made a mistake – it happens. I’d suggest to write a letter explaining a situation and upload it to the application
Hi there, For my 190 visa application, I got request for more info on Dec 9, 2019. I submitted the polio vaccination certificates for the complete family on Dec 10, 2019. I had already supplied this information in the application when lodged the visa application on July 4, 2019 then why CO even asked for this information again? Is this common for them to do? How long does it usually take after supplying the requested info one can expect to get the grant letter? Can they ask to supply more info as the status of my application is ‘Further Assessment’?
Kindly Advise.
We had situations where case officers requested documents that were already provided.
Make sure you understand their request correctly, upload again if that’s what they want and wait.
After supplying documents it may take from a few hours to a few months.
Hi,
When I entered to my application status, it says Initial assessment.
However, below that, “it says Important information! This application requires additional supporting documentation. Please check correspondence and attach the requested documents. By clicking on the ‘Information Provided’ button you acknowledge that the Department may proceed to make a decision on the application. Not clicking the ‘Information Provided’ button in no way lengthens or overrides the period specified in the correspondence.”
I already checked my messages and the only one is about the biometrics, which I did two days ago.
So I don’t know what additional supporting documentation they mean or if it is about the biometrics only or if it’s something that appears by default.
I will really appreciate your help on this.
1. Have a look if there is any other correspondence in your IMMI account. If nothing else there – well, that’s probably it.
2. Read carefully all pages of s56 request – sometimes people don’t see the obvious.
Hi,
In the checklist there is this: Evidence of employment
bank statements/tax records/pay slips/superannuation
In the Details there is this:
Request Detail Evidence of employment
Provide evidence of your claimed period of employment prior to the date of invitation. Evidence can include, but are not limited to:
employment references
contracts
pay slips
tax returns
group certificates superannuation information.
Do I need to provide employment references?
That would be quite important part of the evidence.
Whatever you’ve provided earlier does not seem to be enough to substantiate claims for work experience – they want more.