Legal Information

Legal information about Australian law for refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, community workers, educators and legal professionals.

Checking your Visa Status & getting legal advice

Getting Legal Advice

Applying for a visa is complex. Each visa has many requirements you must meet to apply for and be granted a visa.

Fact sheet

Checking Your Visa Status

How to check what visa you hold and its conditions and expiry date and about applying for and updating your Immicard.

Factsheet

Visa options TO Australia

Overview

An overview of some visa options to Australia under the permanent humanitarian, family and skilled visa programs, plus temporary visa options: 

Offshore Humanitarian Visas - Video

Watch the video below for information on applying for an offshore humanitarian visa. 

How to apply for an offshore refugee or humanitarian visa:

Visa options IN Australia

The following is a non-exhaustive collection of information on visa options for those who are in Australia. 

Onshore Protection visas - general information

Factsheets

Who can apply for a protection visa and what will happen after you make your application:

Information on how to write your statement for a protection visa application:

Key points to prepare for an interview with the Department of Home Affairs about a protection visa application:

Temporary Visas

Fact Sheets

An overview of the types of temporary visas available in Australia:

A visa for temporary residents who experience workplace exploitation in Australia:

Permanent visa through Aged Care work

Pathway to permanent skilled visas through work in the Aged Care industry:

What happens if your visa application is refused?

If you apply for a visa in Australia and Home Affairs refuses your application, you can apply for a review of that decision. The body that does those reviews is changing - from 15 October 2024, the Administrative Review Tribunal will replace the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the Immigration Assessment Authority.

Factsheets

Work rights and visas

Information from the Fair Work Ombudsman about work rights for visa holders employed in Australia:

Check the  Fair Work Ombudsman website for more information. You can have it translated into some other  languages by  clicking the language icon at the top of the page. If the website can't help you can call the Fair Work Ombudsman's office on 13 13 94 8am to 5.30pm week days

Fact sheet

Information for protection visa applicants who want to apply for a bridging visa that allows them to work.

Cancellation of Visas

Factsheets

Overview of visa cancellation and ways to try to stop your visa from being cancelled:

Visa cancellation - short version:

Detailed guide about visa cancellation for people in prison who are not Australian citizens. Published by Prisoners' Legal Service Queensland:

Refugees travelling overseas

Information about travelling overseas when on an Australian refugee or humanitarian visa:

Family Violence and Visas

Factsheets

If you are sponsored for a partner visa and the relationship breaks down before you get permanent residence, and there has been family violence, you may still be able to get a permanent resident visa. This fact sheet explains the basic rules that apply:

Information for permanent residents who have experienced family violence:

Video fact sheet about the family violence provisions in the Migration Act 1994:

How family violence may affect a visa applicant or sponsor:

Family Reunion visas

Citizenship

General Information

Information on how to apply for citizenship:

Fact Pack

Learn about the Citizenship through songs 

These songs and videos have information to help you prepare for the citizenship test:

  1. 'Making Law' - Law and Government (audio)
  2. 'Making Law' - Law and Government (music video)
  3. 'Citizen' - Citizen Rights (audio)
  4. 'Stand together' - National symbols and values (audio)
  5. 'All together' - History of Australian Law (audio)
  6. All together' - History of Australian Law (music video)

These 'Word Fill' activity sheets for the songs can be used to learn key words and information for the Citizenship Test

Video

Information about applying for Australian citizenship:

 

Citizenship for New Zealand citizens 

Fact Sheet

Changes from 1 July 2023 have made a pathway to citizenship for New Zealand citizens in Australia holding subclass 444 Special Category Visas.

Ukraine - Visa information

Information about visa options for Ukraine nationals following the invasion by Russia in February 2022:

Pathway to permanent skilled visas through work in the Aged Care industry:

Visa information for Ukrainians outside Australia:

 

The Department of Home Affairs website has information at www.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-and-support/ukraine-visa-support. Always check this for updates.

Palestinians - Humanitarian visa pathway for newly arrived Palestinians

The Government has announced that Palestinian nationals who are in Australia on temporary visas such as visitor visas will be invited to access a new humanitarian visa pathway. This fact sheet explains what the pathway is, and what it involves.

New Zealand citizens - Special Category visa

Information about Australian visas for New Zealand citizens and their families. There is a separate fact sheet for New Zealand citizens and Australian citizenship (click here).

Community workers' resources

Support Workers and General Info

Factsheets

Information for support workers working with our clients:

Risk management strategies when working with clients:

Useful information when helping clients who have lawyers:

Lawyers doing migration work

Factsheet

Information about lawyers doing migration work. 

'Law Rap' - Learn law through music

'Law Rap' Music Circles and Videos

Learn law and life skills through drum circles. Contact lawrap@rails.org.au

'Folk Law' - Album of original law songs

Folk Law' is a music CD and songbook with original songs about everyday law. The songs cover the legal system, shopping, buying cars, driving, renting, bullying, police, courts, family violence, work rights, resolving disputes, discrimination and citizenship.

  1. 'All together' - History of Australian Law (audio)
  2. All together' - History of Australian Law (music video)
  3. 'Making Law' - Law and Government (audio)
  4. 'Making Law' - Law and Government (music video)
  5. 'Making Law' Lyrics and chords
  6. 'Stand together' Music video
  7. 'Stand together' Lyrics and chords
  8. 'Law Rules'- Legal system: a song about justice and the rule of law. (audio)
  9. 'Law Rules' Lyrics and chords
  10. 'Soul shoes'- Resolving disputes (audio)
  11. 'Soul Shoes' Lyrics and chords
  12. 'Consumer Rights' - Shopping (audio)
  13. 'Consumer Rights' Lyrics and chords
  14. 'Buyer Beware' - Shopping (audio)
  15. 'Buyer Beware' Lyrics and chords
  16. 'Money Dreams' - Credit, debt, budgeting (audio)
  17. 'Money Dreams' Lyrics and chords
  18. 'Buying a car' - Shopping (audio)
  19. 'Storms' - Domestic violence (audio)
  20. 'Storms' - Domestic violence (music video)
  21. 'Storms' Lyrics and chords
  22. 'Take Care' - Bullying (audio)
  23. 'Take Care' Resources - Support Services
  24. 'Beat the Rap' - Cops, crime, Courts (music video)
  25. 'Beat the Rap' Lyrics and cords
  26. 'Landlord' - Rental Rights (audio)
  27. 'Landlord' Lyrics and chords
  28. "Work Rights' - Work (audio)
  29. 'Work Rights' Lyrics and chords
  30. 'Discrimination' - Human Rights (audio)
  31. 'Discrimination' Lyrics and chords
  32. 'Citizen' - Citizen Rights (audio)
  33. 'Citizen' Lyrics and chords
  34. 'Car cha cha' - a song about buying a new vehicle (audio)
  35. 'Car cha cha' (lyrics and chords)
  36. 'Glass Half Full' Lyrics and chords
  37. 'Drive safely' Lyrics and chord
  38. 'Peacekeeper' Video

You can also view or download:

  1. 'Folk Law' CD cover
  2. 'Folk Law' song book, with the lyrics and cord charts to all songs

Order a hard copy of the CD and the songbook by completing the order form and sending it by email to education@rails.org.au.

'Civics Rap' - Law and Civics Education program

Civics Rap

'Civics Rap' invites learners to dialogue, dance, sing, rap and reflect about civics and law, and empowers us to take responsibility and make right choices. 

Our education resources contain general legal information, not professional legal advice on particular matters. If you need specific legal advice, see a registered migration agent or lawyer.

For any feedback, questions or comments, email education@rails.org.au.