Plain-English glossary
Words you'll see on this site and on official government pages, explained simply.
- Case (also called a “matter”)
- A migration firm's file for one piece of work — usually one visa application. Law firms traditionally call this a “matter”; on this site we say “case” wherever we can.
- Case reference
- The file number a firm gives your case. Quoting it when you contact the firm helps them find your file quickly.
- Practitioner
- Our word for the two kinds of professional who give immigration assistance on this platform: registered migration agents and Australian lawyers.
- Registered migration agent
- A person registered with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) who is legally allowed to give Australian immigration assistance. With only narrow exceptions, this kind of advice can be given only by registered migration agents and Australian lawyers.
- MARN
- Migration Agent Registration Number — the ID that OMARA issues to every registered migration agent. Any MARN can be checked on OMARA's public register.
- Practising certificate
- The licence an Australian lawyer holds from their state or territory authority. Lawyers give migration advice under this certificate instead of a MARN.
- Subclass
- The number the Department of Home Affairs gives each visa type — for example, subclass 820 is the onshore Partner visa. The number is the surest way to identify a visa, because visa names can look similar.
- ImmiAccount
- The Department of Home Affairs' official website where visa applications are lodged and tracked. It belongs to the government, not to this platform.
- Lodgement
- Officially submitting a visa application to the Department of Home Affairs, usually through ImmiAccount. “Lodged” means the application has been submitted.
- Visa Application Charge (VAC)
- The government fee for lodging a visa application, paid to the Department of Home Affairs. It is separate from any fee charged by a practitioner or by this platform.
- Request for more information
- A letter from the Department of Home Affairs asking for extra documents or details before a decision is made (often sent under section 56 of the Migration Act). It always comes with a deadline.
- Bridging visa
- A temporary visa the Department grants so a person stays lawful in Australia while something else happens — for example, while an application is waiting for a decision. Different bridging visa types carry different conditions.
- Vault
- Your private document storage on this site. Only you can see what's in it unless you choose to share specific documents with a practitioner.
- Portal
- The secure area where you see updates, messages, and document requests from the migration firm helping you. Everything in it comes from your firm — not from this platform.
- Questionnaire
- A set of questions a firm sends you to collect the details they need for your case — things like identity, passport, contact details, and history.
- Engagement
- The formal step where a practitioner agrees to take you on as a client and manage your application.
- Toolkit
- Our paid organiser for one visa subclass: a walkthrough of the official process, a document checklist, and reminders. It's general information to keep you organised — not advice.
- Tracker
- Community-reported visa processing times shared by other applicants on this site. Indicative only — official processing times are published by the Department of Home Affairs.
General information only — not immigration assistance or legal advice.