Public Interest Criterion 4020 or PIC 4020 necessitates that a visa applicant proves his identity. Any fraud or misleading information about the identity of the applicant leads to application cancellation and ban on applying for another visa for the next 10 years.

Here are the details of PIC 4020

Some of the visa applications need the applicants to satisfy PIC 4020. If the immigration authorities find any discrepancy in the information provided by the applicant that places his/her identity in a questionable light, it is most likely that the visa application gets cancelled.

This condition applies to all those visa applications filed on or after 22nd March 2014. If your visa is filed before March 22nd of 2014, but the decision on that is not yet made, then the condition applies to you too.

Common mistakes that result in PIC 4020 violation

  • Not revealing criminal records
  • If you are booked for any offence, even as small a case as drink and drive
  • Employment documents such as character certificate
  • Information mismatch in identity proofs that do not have explainable evidence.

Many times the visa applicants make the mistake of overlooking minute details assuming they don’t matter. When as a matter of fact, THEY DO. Every particular about your identity, whether inconsequential or significant, matters to DIBP and they take such information very seriously.

An innocent mistake may lead to visa cancellation and ban from 3-10 years.

Visa sub classes that require meeting PIC 4020

  • Family Visas
  • Temporary Visas
  • Student Visas
  • Business Visas
  • Skilled Migration Visas

How “not satisfying PIC 4020” affects the visa applicants?

If your family member has included you in their visa application, and you don’t meet the PIC 4020; along with your visa application the family member who has included you in the visa application too will be refused a visa and banned to apply for 10 years.

Any false documents submitted with the visa application leads to refusal of visa application and ban for 3 years citing misleading material. If you (or your family member) are applying for a new visa after 3 years, must satisfy the DIBP that you had valid reason to provide those documents, such as

  • On compassionate grounds that may have affected an Australian citizen, PR holder or an eligible New Zealand citizen.
  • On compelling grounds that may have affected Australia.

These grounds can also be quoted to avoid visa refusal if your visa application has the danger of being refused and you are required to explain the misleading documents.

The visa applicant has right to apply for reviewing the visa refusal decision to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. Check with DMS Migration Experts what rights you have for review application and how can you seek one.

If you are inside or outside Australia on bridging visa or any other visa, you can apply for a new visa for reasons as mentioned earlier.

If you are in Australia and do not hold a valid visa whereas your current visa is refused for the reason of not satisfying PIC 4020, do not panic. You can choose suitable visa options from Form 1026i and apply for one.

The applicants must prudently review the documents before submitting them to the  DIBP (Department of Immigration and Border Protection). Sometimes, a minor oversight can turn into something bigger and alarming issue down the road. If you are not sure of filling some details or readying necessary documents you should reach out to a migration agent.

Contact us for help.