Immigration & Visas · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
1 visa cancellation & character (s501) firm in Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches, New South Wales, including Chatswood, North Sydney, Hornsby, Manly.
1 firm
North Sydney, NSW · Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches
DOBBIE & DEVINE Immigration Lawyers Pty Ltd provides legal services in North Sydney, NSW. Listed practice areas include Immigration & Visas, Visa Cancellation & Character (s501) and Business & Commercial Law.
These cases have serious consequences and very short timeframes. Specialist advice is essential.
Character cancellations can lead to detention and removal from Australia, even for long-term residents.
Section 501 of the Migration Act allows cancellation on character grounds, including mandatory cancellation after certain prison sentences. Ministerial Direction 110 guides decision-makers on revocation.
Understand the next step
Make the notice, current status and any custody or immediate timing issue clear at first contact. These matters can require specialist advice on the particular notice and history.
Confirm that the adviser can handle this type of cancellation and any related review or court work.
This search area brings together North Shore and Northern Beaches centres. For a property purchase, family matter or estate, compare the actual office location rather than assuming every firm is close to your suburb.
For visa cancellation & character (s501), ask which parts of the work the firm handles itself and whether it has relevant NSW experience. Let the lawyer know if a property, employer, other party or existing proceeding is outside Sydney North Shore & Northern Beaches. Your home address alone does not determine the applicable process.
Gather identity documents, visa records, decision letters and application history. Confirm who will give the advice and their scope of work.
Ask which requirements and evidence need assessment, including translations or reports. No provider can guarantee the application outcome.
Agree who receives correspondence and tracks requests. Keep a complete copy of lodged material and understand what you approve before submission.
Separate professional fees from government charges, translations and other expenses. Preparing an application does not necessarily include a review or court proceeding.
Ask for a written scope identifying the work you are authorising, the person responsible and when costs will be reviewed. If you only want advice on one step, say so before the firm begins wider work.
Provide expiry dates and the entire decision letter immediately. Review rights and dates depend on the particular decision and circumstances.
In New South Wales, most criminal and minor civil matters start in the Local Court, with more serious matters in the District Court and Supreme Court. Tenancy, strata, consumer and guardianship disputes usually go to NCAT. Solicitors are licensed by the Law Society of New South Wales, and complaints about lawyers go to the Office of the Legal Services Commissioner.
Good to know
Cancellation of a visa because the holder doesn't pass the character test, for example due to criminal history.
Most matters start in the Local Court. More serious cases go to the District Court or the Supreme Court of NSW. Family law matters are heard by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.
Practising certificates in New South Wales are managed by the Law Society of New South Wales. You can check a solicitor's status on its public register or by contacting it directly.
Directory guidance updated 19 September 2026. General information to help you prepare for a conversation with a professional; not advice about your individual matter. Check current requirements with the relevant authority.