The Australian Government has strengthened its regulations regarding penalties for any visa applicants who knowingly submit false/misleading information or bogus documents. DIAC - the Department of Immigration & Citizenship - has been granted specific power to refuse visas in such cases. 

"The introduction of PIC 4020 (Public Interest Criterion) should significantly reduce the level of fraud present in visa applications by providing a strong disincentive to those considering giving false/misleading information or a bogus document in relation to a visa application", says Migration Bureau's Snezana Mitrevska (MARA Registered Migration Agent 9791795). 

Furthermore, any applicant who provides false/misleading information or a bogus document as part of their visa application will be subject to a three year bar on being granted any class of visa that has PIC 4020 as a prescribed criterion. This bar extends to any migrating dependants - that is, members of the family unit who were included in the application that has fail to meet PIC 4020 ( “one fails, all fail”). The 3 year bar does not bar a person from making a valid application. It operates as a bar on granting the visa to which that (otherwise valid) application relates. PIC 4020 does not cover: • an applicant’s broad immigration history or fraud, for example any breaches of the visa conditions (working unlawfully or deliberately overstaying visa) • fraud committed in other countries (eg. if an applicant provided bogus documents to obtain a Canadian visitor visa). 

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