The protection visa (subclass 866) is for people who are already in Australia and who are owed protection under the Refugees Convention or Australia's complementary protection obligations.
Visa Point does not handle protection visa applications
This is a specialist area of migration law that requires particular expertise and, in many cases, legal representation rather than migration agent assistance. We have included this page because people searching for migration help should understand what the protection visa is and where to find appropriate assistance.
What is the protection visa?
Australia is a signatory to the 1951 Refugees Convention. A person is a refugee if they have a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion. Complementary protection covers people who face a real risk of significant harm if returned to their home country.
Where to get help
If you need help with a protection visa application, contact a migration agent or lawyer who specialises in protection and refugee law, Legal Aid Queensland, or Refugee and Immigration Legal Service (RAILS).
If you have been refused and have a deadline
If you have been refused a protection visa, very strict deadlines apply for appeal. Do not delay in contacting a specialist. The Administrative Review Tribunal deadline is usually very short for protection matters.