Settle in Australia

What type of visa do I have?


If you entered Australia on a humanitarian visa, you are a humanitarian entrant. You may be a refugee and a permanent resident too. The visa you hold will determine what government settlement services are available to you.

I got my visa outside Australia

The table below explains what sort of humanitarian visa you have if you applied for your visa outside Australia:

Visa Subclass Visa Category Status
200 Refugee Permanent Resident
201 Refugee (In country special humanitarian) Permanent Resident
202 Special Humanitarian Programme Permanent Resident
203 Refugee (Emergency Rescue) Permanent Resident
204 Refugee (Woman at Risk) Permanent Resident
447 Temporary Humanitarian (Secondary Movement Offshore Entry) Temporary
451 Temporary Humanitarian (Secondary Movement Relocation) Temporary

I got my visa in Australia

The table below explains what sort of humanitarian visa you have if you applied for your visa in Australia :

Visa Subclass Visa Category Status
866 Permanent Protection Permanent Resident
785 Temporary Protection Temporary

Refugees

If you hold a subclass 200, 201, 203 or 204 visa, you are a permanent resident. You are able to access many government services available to citizens and permanent residents.

Special Humanitarian Program

If you hold a subclass 202 visa, you are a permanent resident. Some person or organisation would have proposed you to come to Australia. Your proposer will be able to help you settle in Australia.

Temporary visas

If you hold a subclass 447 or 451 visa, you are a temporary resident and not able to access the majority of services available to Australian permanent residents. You may still be eligible for other government services.

Protection visas

If you hold a subclass 886 visa, you are a permanent resident. If you hold a subclass 785 visas, you are a temporary resident and not able to access the majority of services available to Australian permanent residents. You may still be eligible for other government services.

For a further explanation of what services you are entitled to
See: Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy