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Protection Visas

If you are a refugee or fear returning to your home country due to a serious threat of persecution considered unjust under international human rights laws, you can apply for a protection visa in Australia. Get professional assistance and advice from protection visa specialists from Parish Patience Immigration Lawyers. Book a consultation today!

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    Seeking Protection in Australia

    Australia provides protection for asylum seekers who meet the United Nations and the Migration Act 1958 definition of a refugee, which is any person who is outside their home country of origin and residence, and have a ‘well-rounded fear of persecution’ if they are forced to return to their home country.

    Refugees are owed protection and asylum in Australia as the country is among the signatories in the Refugees Convention in 1951. One of the key conditions is that a refugee must not be a war criminal and has not been involved in any serious crimes that are in contrast with the United Nations and its principles and purposes as an international organisation promoting global peace and security.

    Who Can Apply For a Protection Visa?

    Individuals who are refugees or those who have a ‘well-founded fear of persecution’ can apply for a protection visa in Australia. Applicants of this visa fear returning to their home country because of at least one among five (5) reasons involving the following:

    • Race
    • Religion
    • Nationality
    • Social group membership
    • Political beliefs

    Types of Protection Visas in Australia

    There are three types of protection visas in Australia for refugees and those facing persecution in their home country. These are:

    • Subclass 866 Visa or the Permanent Protection Visa (PPV)
    • Subclass 785 Visa or the Temporary Protection Visa (TPV)
    • Subclass 790 or the Safe Haven Enterprise Visa (SHEV)

    Other humanitarian and refugee-related protection visas also include:

    • Global Special Humanitarian (subclass 202)
    • Refugee Visas (subclass 200, 201, 203 and 204)
    • Resolution of Status Visa (subclass 851)

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    Types of Protection Visas in Australia

    As a protection visa applicant, you must convince the Department that there is a real chance you will be persecuted in your home country or previous habitual residence upon your return. You have a ‘well-founded fear of persecution’ if, and only if, you satisfy one or more of the following:

    • Your fear stems from at least one of the five reasons stated above, which involves persecution because of your religion, race, nationality, social group membership, or your political beliefs.
    • There should be a great chance that returning to your native country would result in your persecution for either or more of the five reasons.
    • Your chances of being persecuted must cover your entire country. If there is an area in your country where you are not likely to be persecuted, your fear of persecution is not considered well-founded.
    • The persecution may involve actual serious harm to you.

    Complementary Protection

    From 24 March 2012, complementary protection claims have been considered as part of the protection visa assessment process. Complementary protection is the term used to describe a category of protection for people who are not refugees but cannot be returned to their home country, in line with Australia’s international obligations, because there is a real risk that the person will suffer certain types of harm.

    How claims are assessed

    Applications for protection visas are assessed by trained departmental officers. All claims for protection are assessed with confidentiality on an individual basis against the criteria contained in the Refugees Convention and the complementary protection criteria, in accordance with Australian legislation, case law, and up-to-date information on conditions in the applicant’s country of origin.

    People who are found to be owed protection are eligible for the grant of a protection visa in Australia, provided they satisfy health, character, and security checks.

    Merits review of decisions

    Where an application by a person in Australia is refused by the department, that person can seek a merits review from either the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) or the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT). Which independent tribunal has jurisdiction will depend on the basis for refusal.

    The RRT conducts a new assessment and examines the applicant’s claims against the Refugees Convention and the complementary protection criteria, providing an informal, non-adversarial setting to hear evidence.

    If the RRT is not able to make a favourable decision to the applicant based on the evidence presented, the case can be further taken in court for a hearing.

    If the protection visa application was rejected by the relevant Tribunal, the applicant has no more than 28 days left to leave the country. Staying beyond this period may have them removed from Australia.

    Status while processing

    Asylum seekers that have arrived in Australia legally and subsequently apply for protection may receive a bridging visa upon lodging a protection visa application. This bridging visa enables the applicant to remain lawfully in Australia while the protection visa application is being reviewed and finalised.

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    Success Stories of 389+ Highly Rated Reviews


    Our customers are always happy to share their thoughts with us.
    Here is what some of them had said!

    Haroon Parvez

    The team at parish Patience Immigration Lawyers were incredibly helpful throughout the application process. Their assistance made our lives so much less stressful and their expertise cleared up any confusion we had. They remained engaged with us the whole time and quickly responded to any questions with thoughtful, detailed answers. Special thanks to Usman Ali and Shan . We highly recommend the team at Parish patience immigration lawyer for anyone considering help regarding any kind of visa .

    W. A.

    Highly recommended lawyers! Extremely professional and reliable service, with outstanding outcomes. A special thanks to Mr Thong and Marlene, for helping us with our difficult case. Not only did they ensure that everything was ready to go, but their professionalism came in favor when we were granted our visa within just under 6 months!

    J P

    Thong and Marlene helped my partner gain permanent residency in Australia. We did the application ourselves but it turned out lots of information we needed to provide was missing. Thong and Marlene picked our case up and helped amend it. I really appreciate their help and guidance and look forward to contacting them again in the future. I am pleased by their efforts and professionalism.

    Alaa Omer

    Successfully handled my case. He had been prompt, caring and very professional in dealing with my case. I am glad to have received very strong support, guidance and service from them. I would highly recommend Parish patience immigration lawyers. I wish the best for their future prospects.

    Jabir Ibna Mohammad

    I’m really thankful for the guidance and assistance I’ve received regarding my Partner visa from Shan and his assistance Asha at Parish Patience. They handled my matter professionally and there were clear instructions from the beginning till end. I got my partner visa 820 granted in less than 7 months, thanks to their knowledge and expertise. I wish them all the best and highly recommend Parish Patience Immigration Lawyers for any sort of immigration matters.

    Have Your Eligibility for Protection Visa Assessed By a Refugee Migration Specialist


    Protection law is the most complex area of immigration law and has given rise to more litigation in the courts than all other areas of immigration laws combined. As specialists in this area we maintain extensive databases of decisions and applicable country information which assists case officers to make the most accurate assessment on the case of our clients.

    Established in 1888, Parish Patience Immigration Lawyers prides itself as one of the longest-running law firms in Australia. Moreover, our skilled immigration lawyers have completed many successful protection visa applications for refugees in Australia. Rest assured that we will fight for your case to the end if we think you have the right and are 100% eligible to be granted a protection visa given your circumstances.

    If you want an honest, transparent, excellent, and empathic team of lawyers and protection visa specialists to manage your application, whether it’s your first time or seeking to file an appeal at the Tribunal, you’re in capable hands with Parish Patience. Let us do the stressful legal procedures so you can focus on what matters.

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      Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)


      Have other questions about this type of visa? We gathered and answered some of the most
      frequently asked questions below.

      Who is eligible for a protection visa in Australia?

      People who need asylum and are holding a valid visa at the time they apply are eligible to get this visa. If you meet Australia’s protection commitments and other visa criteria, you can stay in Australia indefinitely, first as a permanent resident and then as an Australian citizen if you qualify.

      How long does an Australian protection visa take?

      The protection visa 866 processing time takes 90 days from the time of lodgement. Note that these may take longer depending on the complexity of the case being evaluated for visa grant.

      Can I sponsor my family with a protection visa?

      One of the benefits of being granted an 866 protection visa is you can sponsor eligible family members. As your co-applicants, they must likewise satisfy all character, health, and security requirements, and must commit to obeying all Australian laws during the entirety of their stay in the country.

      What is the protection visa success rate?

      According to the data Kaldor Centre Data Lab obtained through a request for Freedom of Information, it found that from May 2020 to May 2022, there were a total of 7,632 protection visa AAT decisions, of which only nine (9) percent of these cases were successful.

      Can protection visa holders work in Australia?

      Protection visa subclass 866 holders cannot only stay and live in Australia, but also work, study, and travel. For more information and tailored visa assistance, contact our office.

      Parish Patience Immigration Lawyers Sydney
      Parish Patience Immigration Lawyers Sydney
      381 Google reviews
      Sadia Ahmed
      Sadia Ahmed
      2024-03-13
      Usman looked after my file and we are granted 189 today . Very supportive team
      T Malhi
      T Malhi
      2024-03-07
      I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Parish Patience for the exceptional service they provided throughout my journey from Winning MRT(student visa ), 485 Visa and another student visa extensions to finally obtaining skilled migration. Usman demonstrated remarkable expertise and unwavering patience in addressing all my inquiries. I never felt the need to persistently follow up for updates on my application. His consistently kind, generous, and positive demeanor was truly commendable. I highly recommend Usman's services and extend my heartfelt appreciation to him.Thank you, Usman for bringing joy to those who have lost hope. You should be proud of the work you do
      Yaad Matharu
      Yaad Matharu
      2024-03-07
      I highly recommend their service. I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Usman for his exceptional professionalism and expertise.
      Umer Saeed
      Umer Saeed
      2024-03-04
      Very professional, high standards of service and comprehensive knowledge of immigration, i strongly recommend them to anyone who requires immigration advice.
      Safat Aqib
      Safat Aqib
      2024-02-27
      I received excellent service from Parish patience. Usman and Billah were extremely proficient and courteous, and they assisted me throughout every stage. I strongly recommend them to anyone who requires immigration advice.
      Kanika Dua
      Kanika Dua
      2024-02-22
      Hi Just want to share my recent experience with parish patience. I was depressed and hopeless about my case and MR PRASAD at parish patience gave me hope and prepared my file very strong so I win in the AAT hearing. The case is in my favour now and hopefully i will get PR very soon. Highly recommend their service. They all are professionals and experts in their fields.
      Anand Inbasekaran
      Anand Inbasekaran
      2024-02-19
      I thank Upasna for making the visa process smooth and stress- free. Her attention to detail, prompt responsiveness, and in-depth knowledge of immigration procedures reflect a high standard of service. It was a pleasure to work with Parish Patience, and I would confidently recommend your services to others.
      Thihan Oo
      Thihan Oo
      2024-02-17
      Very happy and grateful for your services, fast, reliable, approachable and super efficient team, Shan and Asha, you guys are the best.
      Sarma B
      Sarma B
      2024-02-16
      I can't express enough gratitude for the outstanding service provided by my lawyer in helping me secure my partner visa. From the moment I walked into their office, I felt reassured by their warm demeanor and professionalism. Throughout the entire process, they were not only knowledgeable but also incredibly supportive, guiding me through each step with patience and clarity. What truly sets them apart is their accessibility. Whenever I had a question or concern, they were readily available, promptly responding to calls and emails, which alleviated any anxiety I had about the process. Their dedication to their clients is truly commendable. Thanks to their expertise and unwavering support, I am now able to build a future with my partner without the stress of immigration uncertainties. I wholeheartedly recommend their services to anyone in need of legal assistance, especially for partner visas. Thank you immensely for your outstanding representation!
      Rohan chowdhury
      Rohan chowdhury
      2024-02-06
      Usman Ali is by far one of the best lawyers I’ve met, very knowledgeable, very professional, calm, supportive, prompt in replying with his emails, basically everything that you look in a lawyer. He made the process unbelievable quick, effective and successful. Heartily thankful for him and the whole team.