Andie Lam Lawyers

27/08/2026

WHEN YOU HIRE AN IMMIGRATION LAWYER, WHAT ARE YOU REALLY PAYING FOR?

When you engage an immigration lawyer, you are not simply paying someone to prepare forms and upload documents.

You are paying for experience, legal judgment and strategic thinking applied to your particular circumstances.

Every case has its own strengths, weaknesses and risks. Good legal work means identifying those issues, considering the evidence and developing the right strategy before the application or submission is made.

That is how we approach our work at Andie Lam Lawyers.

It is not simply about preparing documents. It is about knowing what matters, what could go wrong, and how the case should be presented.

Learn more about how we work before you decide whether to engage our service:

If your matter is complex or has already been refused , book a consultation to assess your options

25/08/2026

Andie Lam Lawyers – Our Office Locations

A quick update — our Sydney office remains at our existing Bankstown location:

Sydney
📍5 Kitchener Parade, Bankstown NSW 2200

Melbourne
📍 Ground Floor, 80 Dorcas St, Southbank VIC 3006

Brisbane
📍 Level 18, 324 Queen St, Brisbane QLD 4000

We continue to assist clients across Australia with Immigration Law, Family Law, and Notary Public services.

📅 Consultations by appointment only
Book online: https://andielam.com.au/book-consultation

24/08/2026

📜 Notary Public Services | Need documents notarised for use overseas?

Andie Lam Lawyers now provides Notary Public services for individuals and businesses, including:

• Notarising and certifying documents
• Witnessing signatures
• Certified copies for overseas use
• Documents for overseas property, business, immigration and legal matters
• Assistance with Authentication requirements

📍 G2, 17 Kitchener Parade, Bankstown, NSW 2000

📅 By appointment only - 02 9708 5000

19/08/2026

Sometimes, a bottle of wine tells a much bigger story. 🍷

I first met this client in 2022.His visa status was complicated. Before I could even advise him properly, I had to research the legal issues, retrieve historical records and piece together exactly what had happened before developing a strategy.

It wasn’t an easy journey.Along the way, I was probably abrupt with them more than once. But they trusted the process and, importantly, they never gave up on me.

Then came this client’s partner visa within a short time period.

The Department interviewed him, and there were inconsistencies in some of his answers. An interview like that can seriously change the direction of a case.

We dealt with the issues head-on. Seven days after the interview, his partner visa was granted offshore.

Today, he and his wife came to see me with their beautiful two-year-old daughter and brought me this bottle of Penfolds as a thank you.

Standing there looking at this little family reminded me of something important. I don’t need to fight every accusation, every rumour or every person who wants to question my professional ethics from the sidelines.

The fights worth having are the ones I undertake for my clients.My clients know how I work. They know I can be demanding, direct and sometimes abrupt. But they also know that when I accept their case, I take their problems seriously.

Four years after we first met, they didn’t come back with a complaint. They came back with their daughter and a bottle of wine to say thank you.

11/08/2026

⚖️When the Previous Arguments Had Failed - ANDIE LAM LAWYERS WON. THẮNG LỚN Ở TÒA LIÊN BANG, DÙ 3 VỤ TRƯỚC ĐÂY ĐỀU THUA CÙNG 1 LUẬN ĐIỂM.

In 2021, a client came to see me after her Business Visa application had been refused.

She subsequently engaged a migration agent to represent her at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. Unfortunately, the review was unsuccessful in 2023.

She contacted me again in 2024 after another lawyer lodged her judicial review application.

By then, the legal issue affecting her case was particularly difficult. The same issue concerning Regulation 1.11A of the Migration Regulations had already been considered unsuccessfully in three similar Federal Circuit Court cases. For some reason, my gut feelings told me we could still run this case despite a previous failed application at the same judicial level.

I worked closely with Counsel to prepare the matter, including:

• preparing a detailed chronology of the case;
• developing and refining my submissions based on Counsel’s draft;
• preparing a memorandum addressing specific points arising from the submissions; and
• identifying and analysing three similar Federal Circuit Court decisions lost relating to Regulation 1.11A.

One of the Counsel's potential arguments was based on the ultra vires principle in Shanahan v Scott. After careful consideration, I advised Counsel this argument was unlikely to succeed and focused our case on the arguments that offered the strongest legal foundation. Simply repeating arguments in previous failed cases will not result in a successful outcome if not carefully planned.

Running a judicial review application involves reviewing legal arguments why previous cases had failed, identifying what could be argued differently, and working closely with Counsel to present the strongest case available.

After a journey stretching back several years, today we received the outcome: The application was granted and remitted to the Tribunal for reconsideration.

A very satisfying result for the client — and a reminder that difficult cases require careful analysis, persistence and the right legal strategy.

Every matter turns on its own facts and applicable law. Past outcomes do not guarantee future results.

22/07/2026

Every lawyer starts somewhere.

I’m proud to introduce the two permanent members of the Andie Lam Lawyers team.

⚖️ David Thai joined us as a law student in March 2025 and is now preparing to graduate and be admitted as a lawyer.

📚 Angus Ta, also a law student, has recently joined our firm as an Immigration Paralegal and has already shown a genuine willingness to learn and grow.

Following the sudden departures of some permanent staff, we have worked hard to stabilise the team and continue providing consistent support and service to our clients. David and Angus are now permanent members of our team marks an important step forward in strengthening our practice for the future.

One of the most rewarding parts of running my own practice is having the opportunity to mentor the next generation of lawyers. Technical skills can be taught, but integrity, work ethic and the willingness to keep learning are what make a great legal practitioner.

I look forward to watching both David and Angus develop their careers at Andie Lam Lawyers into ethical and competent lawyers.

16/07/2026

⚠️ **WARNING – Immigration Scam Alert**

We have become aware that scammers are impersonating the Department of Home Affairs and contacting members of the public.

These scammers may:

* Claim there is a problem with your visa.
* Tell you your visa will be cancelled or you will be deported unless you act immediately.
* Ask you to verify your identity, provide personal information, or make a payment.
* Call from numbers that appear legitimate or send convincing text messages and emails.

Please remember:
✅ Do not provide your passport details, bank details, passwords, or verification codes over the phone.
✅ Do not make any payment because of a threatening phone call.
✅ If you are unsure, hang up immediately.

If you are a client of **Andie Lam Lawyers** and receive any suspicious call, email or text message claiming to be from the Department of Home Affairs, please contact our office first before responding. We are happy to verify whether the communication is genuine.

Scammers rely on fear and urgency. Take a moment to verify before taking any action.

15/07/2026

I offered them the opportunity to engage another lawyer. They chose to stay. VISA CARER SUÝT BỊ TỪ CHỐI THÀNH CÔNG CẤP VISA

This Carer visa matter was transferred to me from a retiring law practice.

After reviewing the file, I told the family that the case required significantly more work than originally expected. I gave them two options: continue with me under a revised fee that reflected the amount of work involved, or receive a refund and engage another lawyer.

They chose to stay. To be frank, the case was weak when I took it over.

The child requiring care had autism. There were eight relatives already living in Australia. The available evidence was minimal, and based on what I had in front of me, I wasn't comfortable finalising the application without substantially strengthening the case. So we started again.

I asked the family for a large amount of additional evidence. We documented the child's care needs in detail, obtained medical evidence regarding the mother's condition, and gathered independent evidence to support every aspect of the application.I know I probably drove the family crazy asking for more documents, but there was a reason for it.

Within one month of lodgement of all supporting evidence, the Department granted permanent visas for the entire family.

When I called to tell them the news, the client was shaking over the phone. They could hardly believe it.

This is why I never take shortcuts on evidence. Clients don't always understand why I ask for so much documents, but when a difficult case succeeds, they usually understand why.

03/07/2026

Three years ago today.

Facebook reminded me of another memorable result from 30 June 2023 — a successful Administrative Appeals Tribunal appeal involving a Subclass 887 Skilled Residence visa.

People often associate me with protection visas or partner visa appeals, but over the years, I have been fortunate to achieve successful outcomes across a broad range of migration matters, including skilled migration, employer-sponsored visas, health waivers, family visas, judicial review and Tribunal litigation.

Immigration law is not about specialising in just one visa category. It requires understanding a complex legislative framework and applying those principles across many different areas of practice. Every case presents its own legal and factual challenges.

Looking back at this decision reminds me how diverse my practice has become over the years. Whether it is a protection visa, partner visa, skilled migration matter or a complex appeal before the Tribunal or the Federal Courts, the approach remains the same: thorough preparation, careful legal analysis and relentless attention to detail.

I am grateful to every client who has entrusted me with their future, and I look forward to continuing to deliver the best outcomes I can for those who place their confidence in my firm.

30/06/2026

HỒ SƠ THẮNG SAU KHI TRẢ LỜI MÂU THUẪN TẠI TOÀ ÁN - WON AN ART HEARING AFTER INCONSISTENT EVIDENCE PROVIDED DURING THE HEARING - Hôm nay, tôi tiếp tục nhận được một quyết định thành công trong một hồ sơ visa diện vợ chồng tại ART.

Đây là một hồ sơ do khách hàng **tự nộp (DIY)** trước khi tìm đến tôi để được đại diện.

Vụ việc có nhiều khó khăn. Tại phiên điều trần, hai đương đơn đã đưa ra một số lời khai không nhất quán về các vấn đề quan trọng. Thay vì xem đây là bất lợi không thể khắc phục, tôi đã chuẩn bị bản bổ sung lập luận pháp lý để giải quyết các điểm mâu thuẫn, phân tích quy định pháp luật và đánh giá toàn bộ chứng cứ trong hồ sơ.

Hồ sơ được củng cố bằng **hơn 800 trang tài liệu chứng cứ**, **06 bản tường trình của nhân chứng**, cùng với **bản lập luận pháp lý dài 31 trang**.

Vụ việc này một lần nữa cho thấy rằng phiên điều trần không phải lúc nào cũng là điểm kết thúc. Sự chuẩn bị kỹ lưỡng, chứng cứ đầy đủ và các lập luận pháp lý có căn cứ vững chắc có thể tạo nên sự khác biệt đối với kết quả cuối cùng.

**🇦🇺 English**

Today I received another successful decision in an ART Partner visa matter.

This was originally a DIY application before I was engaged to assist.

The case presented significant challenges. At the hearing, the couple provided inconsistent evidence on a number of important issues. Rather than accepting that the case was lost, I prepared comprehensive supplementary submissions addressing the inconsistencies, the applicable law, and the evidence before the Tribunal.

The matter was supported by extensive evidence, including **over 800 pages of documentary evidence**, **six witness statements**, and a **31-page legal submission** and working until midnight before the submission due.

I'm pleased that the Tribunal accepted the evidence and submissions, and the review was successful.

This case is a reminder that a hearing is not always the end of the process. Careful preparation, comprehensive evidence, and well-reasoned legal submissions can make a significant difference to the final outcome.

Congratulations to my clients, and thank you for placing your trust in me.