AFFMA’s MOVING ONLINE IN 2018
Dear Valued Readers,
Since 2013, AFFMA’s dedicated volunteers have provided legal advice to hundreds of refugees. We have lodged protection visa applications for refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Lybia, Iran and Nigeria, among other countries.
Our lawyers, migration agents, acting CEO, board members, office staff, practice manager, bookkeepers, Graphic designer, legal assistant and newsletter team have all contributed to AFFMA’s great success. However, a lack of funding has made it increasingly difficult to maintain our office space, and at its last meeting, the Board voted to move AFFMA’s operations fully online starting in January 2018.
Moving Online
This restructure is an opportunity to cut down on operating costs such as rent, electricity, and other office expenses and refocus our attention and resources on our clients. Starting in January, clients will contact our support desk by filling out a form on our website or by sending an email to <support@affma.org.au>.
The support team will forward all inquiries to one of AFFMA’s volunteer lawyers or migration agents, who will then contact the client and organise a meeting to discuss the case. If it has merits and is within the lawyer’s or migration agent’s area of expertise, he or she will help the client apply for a protection visa.
Our fee structure will remain unchanged; we continue to offer our services free of charge, with an administrative fee of $250 per application plus GST.
Current clients will not be affected by the restructuring
Our current clients will not be affected by our restructure. Their lawyer or migration agent will continue to assist with their cases until a decision is made by the Department of Home Affairs.
AFFMA’s office will close for the Christmas holidays from Monday 18 December 2017 to Friday 19 January 2018. When we re-open we will be fully online and can only be contacted on <support@affma.org.au>. All other correspondence must be addressed to:
Association of Fee Free Migration Agents (AFFMA)
PO Box 610
Newtown, NSW 2042
We thank you all for your continuing support and we wish you all a happy holiday season.
Joël Gédéon, JP
CEO
Lawyer, Pro Bono Migration Agent. MARN: 1066986
