Australia is a nation that offers various types of visas to both humanitarian entrants and refugees worldwide. You will find multiple visas under the categories of refugee visas and also the humanitarian ones.
The country has been accepting all the refugees and various other humanitarian entrants into their land for a long time. They had also provided their assistance to people after and during World War II.
If you wish to learn more about refugee and humanitarian visas, go through this post for a detailed explanation.
Australia’s Charitable Entrants and Refugees: Things to Know
Back in 1945, Australia’s first-ever federal immigration portfolio was introduced. It was established to administer the post-war migration program in the country. During that time, more than 800,000 charitable entrants and refugees settled on Australian soil.
But then, during the Vietnam War, many Indo-Chinese asylum seekers arrived by boat in Australia to escape the war. They were able to do so due to the refugee policy, which was developed by the Australian Government.
The first properly planned “Humanitarian Program” in Australia was established to handle all the humanitarian and refugee-related problems.
The program also included the determination of the “onshore protection claims, which the Fraser Government established in 1977.
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Various Kinds of Refugees and Humanitarian Visa
The categories of humanitarian visas and refugee visas consist of many kinds of Australian visas. These visas fall under the “Humanitarian and Refugee Immigration Program”. These are:
1.Subclass 866 [Permanent Protection Visa]
Subclass 866 is a protection visa, which is provided to people who meet all the requirements for complementary protection and refugee status.
To apply for Protection visa subclass 866, you have to be a lawful entrant in the country with another visa. The visa holder can travel, study and even work in Australia without issues.
2.Subclass 785 [Temporary Protection Visa]
The temporary protection visa is only valid temporarily. As an applicant, you must enter Australian soil with a valid visa and must qualify to obtain this kind of visa.
Once you’re granted this visa, you’re not permitted to travel outside of the nation. You can only do this after submitting written permission to the Australian Government.
3.Subclass 790 [Safe Haven Protection Visa]
Subclass 790, also known as “SHEV”, is provided to individuals who have entered Australia illegally. As a holder of this visa, you will become eligible to apply for any other visa when you meet all the requirements.
4. Subclass 200,201,203 and 204 [ Refugee Visa]
Visas under this particular category are issued to individuals who want Australia’s protection. This is a permanent visa, and you need to be outside of the nation when you’re applying for the refugee visa.
You can enter the country on the date that is mentioned in the visa grant notice. After that, you can reside in the nation and also apply for citizenship.
5. Subclass 202
If you wish to apply for this visa, you must reside outside of the country when you apply for it. Besides that, you also need to have a sponsor in Australia.
The sponsor should be a close relative or a family member. This is a permanent visa, and you also apply for citizenship.
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Who is Viewed as a Refugee?
According to the Migration Act of 1958, a person is known as a “refugee” when:
- He/she has a fear of oppression and cannot go back to their nation
- He/she who is outside their nation of citizenship
The “well-founded fear of oppression” will be considered when you:
- Fear for your safety because of your affiliation with a certain group, political opinion, nationality, religious belief and race.
- Fear of discriminatory and systematic conduct and severe harm because of the harassment in your home country.
- Fear of oppression in all the areas of your nation.
Documents Needed for Refugee and Humanitarian Visa
When you have decided to apply for the refugee and humanitarian visa with the assistance of refugee and humanitarian visa Lawyer Perth , you will need the following documents:
- Family certificates
- Biometrics and photographs
- Health requirements
- Visa application form
- Valid passport
- Family certificates
Apart from all these documents, you will also need several others for the visa application process. These are:
- Documents on good character
- Copies of previous visas
- Values Statement of Australia
- Form 956 or Form 956a
When applying for humanitarian visas 204,203,202,201 and 200, you have to provide the following documents:
- For 842 [This is eligible for the holders of global visa 202]
- Form 1257
- A statutory declaration [when the form for parental agreement is not pertinent]
- Two images
- Evidence of the humanitarian circumstances
How to Apply for the Refugee and Humanitarian Visa?
You can apply for this visa through the ImmiAccount. You should make an account when you don’t have one and then proceed with the visa application work. After opening the account, you will find the visa application, which you can start filling out.
For the majority of the “humanitarian visas”, the application form consists of multiple questions about the protection claims. You should take some time and answer all the questions correctly.
When you cannot complete the visa application online, apply for the visa by sending the application via post. For the humanitarian visa, the applications online are not that feasible and applying by filling out the paper application is an ideal option.
Make sure to pay the visa fee so that the application can be processed forward. Whether you go for the paper or online application, you can make the payment through your ImmiAccount.
Humanitarian and Refugee Visa: How Long Is It Valid?
The humanitarian and refugee visas stay valid for many years. The temporary ones are valid for 3 years, and the safe haven enterprise one is valid for 5 years.
The Global Special Humanitarian 202, Humanitarian Visa 204,203,202,201, and 200, and Protection Visa 866 are valid indefinitely.
What is the Cost of a Humanitarian and Refugee Visa?
The cost of the refugee and humanitarian visa will depend heavily on the type of visa you apply for. The humanitarian visa is free of charge, and the protection visas will cost you AUD40.
The Global Special Humanitarian Visa will only be free of charge when it’s proposed under the “Community Support Program”.
