Applicant Terms of Use

1 Who we are and what this service is

Lex Etheris is a secure software tool. Your lawyer or registered migration agent uses it to work on your matter. Through it you can share documents, fill in forms, sign documents and message your representative. You use it together with your representative, in one shared workspace for your matter.

The service is operated by Lex Stratus Software Pty Ltd (ACN 633 861 275), trading as Lex Etheris, of Suite 101, 975 Whitehorse Rd, Box Hill VIC 3128, Australia. In these terms, "we", "us" and "our" mean Lex Stratus Software Pty Ltd. "Your representative" means the law practice, lawyer or registered migration agent who invited you to the service.

By using the service, you agree to these terms. Please read them. They are short on purpose.

2 We are not your lawyer

This is the most important section. We are a software company. We are not a law practice, not an Australian legal practitioner and not a registered migration agent. We do not give you legal advice. We do not give immigration assistance within the meaning of section 276 of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth), and we charge no fee for immigration assistance. The platform performs clerical, administrative and technical functions only.

Your agreement about fees, advice and your visa application is with your representative, not with us. Nothing in these terms changes your rights against your representative. If you need advice about your visa, ask your representative.

3 Your representative controls your file

You have access to the service because your representative invited you. They manage your matter in the service. They decide what you can see and do, and they can end your access. We act on your representative's instructions when we handle your matter information. If you change representatives, talk to them about your file and your documents.

4 Problems with your representative

We do not intervene in disputes between you and your representative. If you have a concern about their fees, advice or conduct, raise it with them first. If that does not resolve it, you can contact the legal regulator in your state or territory. For registered migration agents, you can contact the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA).

5 The service is free for you

The law practice pays for the software. We never charge you a fee for using the service, and we never charge any fee for immigration assistance. There is no subscription for you and nothing to cancel. If you pay your representative through the service, that payment goes to your representative, not to us.

6 Your account

Give accurate details when you register, and keep them up to date.
Keep your password secret. Do not share your account with anyone.
Turn on two-factor authentication where it is offered.
If you think someone else has used your account, tell us and tell your representative straight away.
You must be at least 18 years old to hold an account. Information about children in an application is entered by adults.

7 What you upload

Everything you upload must be true, accurate and yours to provide. Do not upload another person's documents without their permission.

Giving false or misleading information or documents to the Department of Home Affairs is a serious offence. If you are not sure about a document, ask your representative before you upload it. Keep your own copies of important documents.

8 AI features

Some features use artificial intelligence (AI). They are clearly labelled in the product. AI can make mistakes. AI output is not legal advice. The information provided does not constitute legal, migration or other professional advice and should not be relied upon as such.

Your representative reviews AI-assisted work before it is relied on. Do not make decisions about your visa based on AI output alone — always check with your representative.

9 Your privacy

Your matter can include sensitive information — for example health records, police records, family details and nationality. We store your data in Australia, in the Amazon Web Services Sydney region. Some processing happens overseas — for example, AI processing in the United States and payment processing.

Two things are worth knowing here. When you sign a document electronically, an audit page is added to the finished PDF. It records each signer's name, email address, signing time and IP address, and the finished PDF — including that audit page — goes to your representative and every signer. And if you recall a chat message, it is hidden from other users, but the original message and its attachments are kept for legal audit and record-keeping.

Our Privacy Policy explains what we collect, who we share it with, your rights, and how to complain. Our Cookie Policy explains the small amount of browser storage we use to keep you signed in. The Privacy Policy, not these terms, governs how your information is handled, and where our collection of sensitive information requires your consent, we or your representative will ask you for it.

10 Messages we send

We send you service messages about your matter and your account — for example, that a document is ready to sign. You cannot opt out of service messages while you have an account. We do not send you marketing, and we do not use your information for our own marketing. Your representative may also message you through the service; those messages come from them, not from us.

11 Acceptable use

Use the service only for lawful purposes connected with your matter.
Do not abuse or harass anyone in chat.
Do not share other people's personal information to harm them.
Do not try to get around security measures, test the service for weaknesses, or access accounts or data that are not yours.

12 Availability and no guarantee of outcome

We aim to keep the service available, but we cannot promise it will always be available or error-free. Sometimes we need to pause the service for maintenance or updates. If the service is down and something about your matter is urgent, contact your representative directly.

We do not guarantee any visa outcome. Decisions on visa applications are made by the Department of Home Affairs and, on review, by tribunals and courts. Nothing in this service changes that.

13 Your rights under the Australian Consumer Law

Nothing in these terms excludes, restricts or modifies your rights under the Australian Consumer Law or any other law that cannot be excluded. Those rights always come first.

To the extent permitted by law, and subject to those rights, our liability to you in connection with this free service is limited to resupplying the service to you. That limitation does not apply to liability that cannot be limited or excluded by law, to liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, to fraud or wilful misconduct, or to a breach of our obligations under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) or of our duty of confidentiality.

14 When access ends

Your representative may end your access at any time — your access is provided at their direction. We may end your access only where these terms are seriously broken, where your representative directs it, where the law requires it, or where it is necessary to address a serious security risk — and we will tell you when we do, unless the law prevents us. When access ends, your matter information is handled in line with our Privacy Policy and your representative's professional record-keeping duties.

Ask your representative for copies of your documents — they hold your file. You can also write to our Privacy Officer at privacy@lexstratus.com.au about your personal information.

15 Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time. If a change is material, we will tell you by email or inside the product, with reasonable advance notice. If you keep using the service after a change takes effect, the updated terms apply to you. The current version is always at this address.

16 Complaints and contact

If something is not working, or you have a question or complaint about the service, email support@lexstratus.com.au. Please include your name and, if you can, the name of your representative, so we can help faster.

For privacy complaints, follow the steps in the Privacy Policy. If you are not satisfied with our response, you can complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

17 Governing law

These terms are governed by the law of Victoria, Australia. You and we submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Australian courts.