Applying for this Visa

Application charge

There is no charge for this visa.

The form required to submit an application can be obtained free of charge from any departmental immigration office.
See: Departmental Offices

Other costs

There are no other costs associated with this visa. The Australian Government pays for travel costs to Australia.

How to apply

The applicant must be outside Australia when:

• applying for the visa
• a Refugee visa is granted.

An application for entry under the Humanitarian visa class must be made on an Application for an Offshore Humanitarian Visa form.
See: Form 842 – Application for an Offshore Humanitarian Visa (592KB PDF file)

Priority is given to those who have been assessed as refugees by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and referred to Australia for resettlement.  
Note: If a person has been granted refugee status and the UNHCR believes that resettlement is the best option for that person, it will refer the case to a third country such as Australia for consideration for resettlement. Registration with the UNHCR alone does not mean that the requirements for resettlement in Australia have been met.

Valid applications

A valid application is a complete application, with all required documents attached as evidence and lodged in the required place.
Note: The department cannot process invalid applications.

Wherever possible, a complete application should be lodged. If all of the documents listed on the visa checklist are not available and there is a need to lodge the application urgently, the applicant must ensure that they have the minimum documentation required to make a valid application. If not, all documents will be returned to the applicant.

Lodging an application

Applications must be made on an Application for an Offshore Humanitarian Visa (form 842) and must be lodged at the nearest Australian mission overseas.
See:
Form 842 – Application for an Offshore Humanitarian Visa (592KB PDF file)
Immigration Offices Outside Australia

After an application is lodged

For information about what happens after you lodge your application.
See: After an Application is Lodged

More information

Before you ask for additional help about this visa, you should read all the available web content.

If you still require assistance, contact your nearest departmental office outside Australia.
See: Contact Us