Receiving a Section 57 Natural Justice Letter (Invitation to Comment on Adverse Information) is a critical immigration event. It means the Department of Home Affairs has uncovered information that will likely result in your visa being refused. 

If your application has a fatal flaw—such as an accidental document error or an inability to meet a core visa requirement—withdrawing your application before a decision is made can be a highly strategic move. However, doing so triggers immediate consequences for your lawful status in Australia.

1. You Escape an Official “Refusal” Blackmark

The primary benefit of a strategic withdrawal is that you avoid an official visa refusal on your permanent record.

• The Future Advantage: Every visa application globally asks: “Have you ever been refused a visa for Australia or any other country?” If you withdraw, your legal answer remains “No.” The application is simply classified as “Withdrawn.”
• Avoiding the Section 48 Bar: If you are onshore and your visa is officially refused, Section 48 of the Migration Act kicks in. This law blocks you from applying for almost any other substantive visa while remaining in Australia. Withdrawing before the refusal prevents this lock-out.

2. The PIC 4020 Danger Does Not Completely Vanish

If your Natural Justice letter was issued because the Department suspects fraud, a bogus document, or false misleading info (Public Interest Criterion 4020), withdrawing does not completely clear your name.

• The Myth: “If I withdraw, the case officer stops looking at the fraud file.”
• The 2026 Reality: While withdrawing stops the current application from being refused under PIC 4020, the adverse information and the Department’s internal investigation notes remain permanently on your central immigration file. When you apply for a different visa down the line, the system will immediately flag the previous s57 issue, and you will have to address the integrity concern all over again. 

3. Your Bridging Visa Clock Begins Counting Down

If you are currently onshore holding a Bridging Visa A (BVA), B (BVB), or C (BVC) that was granted in association with the application you are withdrawing, that bridging visa will cease to be in effect exactly 35 calendar days from the date you notify the Department of your withdrawal.

[ Lodgement of Withdrawal Form ] ───► [ 35-Day Grace Period ] 

───► [ Must Leave Australia / Secure New Visa ]

You must use this 35-day window to either lodge a valid alternative application or make arrangements to depart Australia lawfully. Remaining past day 35 makes you an unlawful non-citizen, risking detention and an automatic 3-year re-entry ban.

Strategic Decision Matrix: Respond vs. Withdraw

4. How to Legally Execute the Withdrawal

To withdraw your application before the case officer makes a final refusal decision, you must act before the deadline stated in your s57 letter (typically 28 days).

• The Digital Method: Log into your ImmiAccount, navigate to “Update Details,” and select “Withdrawal of a visa application.” 
• The Paper Method: If the digital option is unavailable, you must immediately complete and sign Form 1446 (Withdrawal of a Visa Application) and upload it via the webform portal. 
• Note: Every applicant aged 16 or older included in the original application must sign the withdrawal consent statement, or the request will not be actioned.