Facebook friends…or NOT?

Facebook can be your best friend or your worst enemy when applying for an Australian visa. A Bangladeshi national who applied for a Protection Visa in Australia found this out the hard way when the Immigration Department cancelled his visa based on “Contradictory information” found on his Facebook page.

The applicant claimed he was persecuted due to his Christian faith in Bangladesh, however, his Facebook page suggested he is still a practising Muslim. The case made it all the way to the Federal Circuit Court of Australia whereby the Judge ruled that information on Facebook can be considered “evidentiary material”.

What does this mean? If you are applying for any type of visa which includes Partner visas or Protection visas, then ensure your Facebook page does not contain material which could contradict your claims. For example, when applying for a Partner visa as a De Facto couple, check to ensure your relationship status is updated and the person you are in a relationship with is the correct person. It’s always the little things which create the biggest problems down the track.

Is Facebook your friend? Photo: Tim Chester
Is Facebook your friend? Photo: Tim Chester