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Refugee & Offshore Humanitarian Visas

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Who Can Apply?

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Under Australia’s Humanitarian program, there is more than one refugee visa that an applicant may be eligible for. Each of the Refugee Visas (Offshore) has distinct features, as well as requirements that an applicant must meet. These visas include:

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  1. Refugee (subclass 200) Visa

    • In general terms, this visa is for those Refugees who are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (‘UNHCR’) and UNHCR has referred them to Australia for their resettlement.

  2. In-Country Special Humanitarian (subclass 201) Visa

    • This visa is for those applicants who face severe persecution in their home country; or

    • They are a member of an Australian Citizen or Australian Permanent Resident who was granted the same (subclass 201) visa within the last 5 years, and that person/proposer is an immediate member of the applicant's family.

    • The Australian Citizen or Australian Permanent Resident family member must propose an applicant’s entry into Australia.

  3. Global Special Humanitarian (subclass 202) Visa

    • This visa allows an Australian Citizen or Australian Permanent Resident to ‘propose’ the entry of an immediate family member to Australia if the immediate family member faces persecution in their home country and is living outside of their home country because of fear of persecution.

    • Further, an Australian Citizen or Australian Permanent Resident who was granted an onshore Protection Visa (subclass 866) can also ‘propose’ entry of an immediate family member to Australia within 5 years of the grant of the Proposer’s Onshore Protection Visa. The applicant whom the Proposer wishes to propose may be inside or outside of their home country. However, it is a condition that the Proposer must have declared his/her relationship with that immediate family member (Applicant) in the Proposer’s own Onshore Protection Visa application.

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Main Benefits of This Visa

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  1. It allows you to live, work, and study in Australia permanently;

  2. You may also be able to benefit from free English Language classes provided by the Adult Migrant English Program for up to 510 hours;

  3. Travel to and from Australia without any obstacles and as many times as you want (except the country against which the refuge has been sought);

  4. Enrol in Australia’s world-class public health care scheme which is designed to ensure the best treatment with no to minimum costs to you or your proposer;

  5. Become an Australian Citizen upon becoming eligible.

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What Do You Need To Qualify For This Visa?

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  • Each Visa has distinct requirements. Therefore, we invite you to contact us to discuss your options if you or any of your family members are subject to persecution, substantial and systematic discrimination, torture, or fear for their safety, liberty, and life. There may be a suitable visa for them allowing them to resettle in Australia permanently.

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Consider This

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  • Offshore Humanitarian visa applications may involve certain timeframes in which an Applicant's entry into Australia may be proposed;

  • Offshore Humanitarian visa application usually requires longer processing times;

  • Offshore Humanitarian visa application requires a significant amount of information and a good deal of evidence to support an applicant’s claims of persecution;

  • An invalid or unsuccessful Offshore Humanitarian Visa application may have adverse effects on an applicant’s ability to apply for other visas in future (e.g. a Visitor visa or a Student visa);

  • There are no Merits Review rights if your offshore refugee visa is refused.

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Practical Tips

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  • Satisfying a Visa Officer that you are a genuine refugee requires careful planning, technical legal research, well-drafted personal statements, and so on. You must collect all the information and evidence that may support your claims of persecution in your home country; or evidence that you are an eligible immediate family member of a refugee in Australia.

  • When completing a refugee visa application and relevant forms, you must think about why you are expected to make a particular statement. And why has a particular question been inserted in a form? (Remember: most of the statements and questions are in the application/forms for a purpose).

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Cost of This Visa

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From Nil (if proposed by an individual proposer)

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See Our Blog(s) On This Visa To Learn More

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  • Search 'Australian Humanitarian Visa' or 'Refugee Visa for Australia' or 'Australian Refugee Visa' on our Blogs page.

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Should you wish to discuss your circumstances and options with us, please click on contact us.

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Warning! Please note that Australian immigration laws and policies are highly complex and dynamic. Therefore, no information provided on this website in relation to Australian immigration laws and policies (or on any other matter) is intended to be legal advice. Please read our Terms and Conditions.

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