Hi all,
I am currently doing a PhD and therefore hold a 500 student visa. I have applied for an onshore partner visa on October 2017 and am awaiting for it. Due to some personal reasons, I cannot continue my PhD anymore (currently almost a year in, started in March). What are my best options to not violate any conditions so as to not affect my partner visa application.
As far as I know, if I stop my PhD, my student visa will be cancelled as I am no longer enrolled in a course and therefore violating my student visa condition. If I do this, I will be an unlawful citizen and would have to apply for a Bridging Visa E. Immigration department has informed me that this would have an effect on my Partner Visa as now I have a record of a visa cancellation. They have also informed me that there is no voluntary cancellation or withdrawal from a student visa, it can only be cancelled by them.
My next option is to transfer to a 1 year Masters course. According to homeaffairs website, I do not need to apply for a new visa if I am going from AQF 10 (PhD) to AQF 9 (Masters). This concerns me as even though the Masters course I plan on doing is AQF 9, which according to the information provided I do not need to apply for a new student visa. But, My 500 student visa belongs to research sector as I am doing a research PhD. If I am transferring to a Masters by coursework, do I need a new student visa then? Even though it is still an AQF 9.
I am in toughest situation right now, and would appreciate any advice or experience that you can share.
Thanks
I am currently doing a PhD and therefore hold a 500 student visa. I have applied for an onshore partner visa on October 2017 and am awaiting for it. Due to some personal reasons, I cannot continue my PhD anymore (currently almost a year in, started in March). What are my best options to not violate any conditions so as to not affect my partner visa application.
As far as I know, if I stop my PhD, my student visa will be cancelled as I am no longer enrolled in a course and therefore violating my student visa condition. If I do this, I will be an unlawful citizen and would have to apply for a Bridging Visa E. Immigration department has informed me that this would have an effect on my Partner Visa as now I have a record of a visa cancellation. They have also informed me that there is no voluntary cancellation or withdrawal from a student visa, it can only be cancelled by them.
My next option is to transfer to a 1 year Masters course. According to homeaffairs website, I do not need to apply for a new visa if I am going from AQF 10 (PhD) to AQF 9 (Masters). This concerns me as even though the Masters course I plan on doing is AQF 9, which according to the information provided I do not need to apply for a new student visa. But, My 500 student visa belongs to research sector as I am doing a research PhD. If I am transferring to a Masters by coursework, do I need a new student visa then? Even though it is still an AQF 9.
I am in toughest situation right now, and would appreciate any advice or experience that you can share.
Thanks
