Permanent Visas – Humanitarian

The Refugee Convention defines who is a refugee, their rights, and the obligations of states who have signed the Convention. Australia is a party to the Refugee Convention and has immigration law to discharge the obligations under that convention.

As with other classes of visa, there are processes and fees associated with offshore and onshore applications.  The two classes are: Offshore – Resettlement, and Onshore – Protection. There are minimal fees associated with these visas.

Services provided within Australia for successful applicants include accommodation services, case management, and orientation programs. The orientation programs provide detailed information about life in Australia to help new immigrants settle into Australia. Case workers are also available to help refugees settle into Australia. See the Onshore Booklet (available in several languages) for more detailed information.

Australia also collects biometric data – meaning, physical information on certain people entering Australia. This only applies to people applying for Protection visas in Australia. A digital photograph and fingerprints will be collected.