When One Visa Cancels Another
How Nicolas Delacharlerie Saved a Student’s Future.
When Sylvie’s son Maxime boarded his flight back to New Caledonia (France) to visit family, he never imagined that the next weeks would turn into a nightmare. At the Melbourne airport, customs officers told the young New Caledonian student he no longer had a valid visa to study and may not be allowed back into the country.
“I thought his studies and future were finished,” recalls Sylvie, still shaken. “The officer said, ‘You can leave, but I don’t think you’ll be able to come back.’”
What began as a simple paperwork oversight—a tourist visa request that inadvertently canceled Maxime’s valid student visa—spiraled into a crisis that left him 44 days unlawfully in the country. The potential consequences were devastating: a three-year ban from returning to Australia.
That’s when Nicolas Delacharlerie stepped in.
A Mother’s Story
Q: Can you tell us briefly about yourself?
“I live in Nouméa, New Caledonia. I’ve been working in the billing and accounting department of a radiology clinic for over 20 years. My son Maxime wanted to study in Melbourne, and we were so proud of him.”
The pride quickly turned to panic.
Maxime had applied for and obtained a student visa starting February 2025. But because the family often requested tourist visas for shorter trips, Sylvie unknowingly submitted an application for one—without realizing it would automatically cancel the student visa.
“He left in January thinking everything was fine. Later, in June, he came back to Nouméa for the holidays. When he tried to return, that’s when everything collapsed. His student visa wasn’t valid anymore.”
Turning to Nicolas
With Maxime suddenly facing barred re-entry, Sylvie searched desperately for help. On a Facebook group for New Caledonians in Australia, members recommended two lawyers—one of them, Nicolas Delacharlerie.
Q: Why Nicolas?
Nicolas knew the stakes: without swift action, Maxime could be banned from Australia for three years, his academic dreams over.
A Race Against Time
The process was seemless. Nicolas collected evidence, drafted submissions, and guided Sylvie and Maxime through the labyrinth of immigration law.
“It took about a month and a half,” Sylvie recalls. “It was a stressful situation. We wanted updates every two days. But even when Nicolas was on holiday, if we called, he always answered.”
Finally, two days before classes resumed in August, Nicolas called with the news.
Q: What did he say?
Why an Agent Matters
Asked whether she could have managed the process alone, Sylvie is firm:
Trust and Reputation
Sylvie’s story isn’t just about one family’s close call. It’s about the hidden traps of immigration bureaucracy—and the difference an experienced migration agent can make.
“I hope others learn from us,” she concludes. “Don’t try to do it all yourself. Trust someone who knows the system. For us, that person was Nicolas.”
How would she rate Nicolas’s services?
Would she recommend him to others?
Key Takeaway
A single mistake—a tourist visa request—nearly destroyed a student’s future. Thanks to Nicolas Delacharlerie’s expertise, a family avoided heartbreak, and a young man’s Australian dream was saved.
