Darwin Immigration Lawyers | NT Nomination, DAMA & Reviews

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Australian immigration legal services for clients in Darwin and the Northern Territory, by video consultation — no need to travel to Melbourne.

Chua Tan Associates has handled Australian immigration law matters since 1990, and two of our lawyers are Accredited Specialists in Immigration Law with the Law Institute of Victoria. Immigration law is federal law: from our Melbourne office we act for Darwin clients by video conference on every kind of visa application, refusal review and judicial review, with documents lodged electronically. We work in Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien, Malay and English.

Darwin immigration at a glance (as at October 2026)

• All of the NT is Category 3 regional: Every NT postcode is a Home Affairs Category 3 "regional centre and other regional area", so the NT can be used for 491 and 494 regional visas.
• NT nomination 2026–27: The NT Government says it has received enough applications for this program year. The 190 and all offshore streams are closed; onshore 491 applications are accepted only by exception from NT graduates or residents whose current visa expires on or before 30 September 2027.
• NT DAMA III: Signed in March 2025, with the employer endorsement portal open; it can let NT employers sponsor occupations outside the standard lists or with some concessions.
• Visa refusals: Refusal and cancellation decisions can be reviewed by the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). Review deadlines are very short, so contact us as soon as you receive a refusal letter.

Visas we handle for Darwin clients

• Skilled migration: Subclass 189 skilled independent, 190 state-nominated and 491 regional visas, and the subsequent 191 permanent visa.
• Employer sponsorship: Subclass 482 Skills in Demand, 186 Employer Nomination Scheme and 494 regional employer-sponsored visas, and DAMA labour agreements where available.
• Family visas: Partner visas (820/801 and 309/100), parent visas, child visas and other family visas.
• Business and investment: Follow-on applications and compliance for existing 188/888 visa holders.
• Refusals and cancellations: Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) reviews, judicial review in the Federal Circuit and Family Court, and requests for ministerial intervention.

Why choose us

• Complex matters are handled personally by Accredited Specialists in Immigration Law, not general migration agents.
• Fees are charged in stages, with transparent pricing.
• We work with the firm's family law, criminal, estates and notary teams on matters that cross practice areas.

State nomination settings change often. This page is general information only and is not legal advice; please check the latest announcements on the state government and Department of Home Affairs websites.