Legal information about Australian law for refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, community workers, educators and legal professionals.
Checking your Visa Status
Factsheet
How to check what visa you hold and its conditions and expiry date and about applying for and updating your Immicard.
Immigration Legal Advice
Fact sheet
Applying for a visa is complex. Each visa has many requirements you must meet to apply for and be granted a visa.
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
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.
Translations in Arabic, Dari, Farsi and Tamil.
Key points to prepare for an interview with the Department of Home Affairs about a protection visa application.
Family Reunion visas
Factsheet
Refugees travelling overseas
Information about travelling overseas when on an Australian refugee or humanitarian visa.
Temporary Visas
Fact Sheet
An overview of the types of temporary visas available in Australia
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.
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).
Permanent visa through Aged Care work
Pathway to permanent skilled visas through work in the Aged Care industry
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.
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 Law
Factsheets
Legal processes for family mediation, domestic violence, separation, divorce, overseas marriages, and property settlement.
Citizenship
Information on how to apply for citizenship.
Learn about the Citizenship through songs
These songs and videos have information to help you prepare for the citizenship test:
- 'Making Law' - Law and Government (audio)
- 'Making Law' - Law and Government (music video)
- 'Citizen' - Citizen Rights (audio)
- 'Stand together' - National symbols and values (audio)
- 'All together' - History of Australian Law (audio)
- 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.
Work rights and visas
Information from the Fair Work Ombudsman about work rights for visa holders employed in Australia
- Visa holders and migrant workers – workplace rights
- How migrant workers can deal with being treated unfairly at work
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.
Community workers' resources
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
Covid-19 information
NOTE: COVID-19 SUPPORT AND CONCESSIONS HAVE BEEN REMOVED OR CHANGED.
THE BELOW INFORMATION RELATES ONLY TO WHEN COVID-19 SUPPORT WAS AVAILABLE.
Information in many languages about covid-19.
Factsheets
Information about financial and visa support during Covid-19 for TPV and SHEV holders.
For applicants and holders of permanent protection visas, TPVs and SHEVs.
'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.
- 'All together' - History of Australian Law (audio)
- All together' - History of Australian Law (music video)
- 'Making Law' - Law and Government (audio)
- 'Making Law' - Law and Government (music video)
- 'Making Law' Lyrics and chords
- 'Stand together' Music video
- 'Stand together' Lyrics and chords
- 'Law Rules'- Legal system: a song about justice and the rule of law. (audio)
- 'Law Rules' Lyrics and chords
- 'Soul shoes'- Resolving disputes (audio)
- 'Soul Shoes' Lyrics and chords
- 'Consumer Rights' - Shopping (audio)
- 'Consumer Rights' Lyrics and chords
- 'Buyer Beware' - Shopping (audio)
- 'Buyer Beware' Lyrics and chords
- 'Money Dreams' - Credit, debt, budgeting (audio)
- 'Money Dreams' Lyrics and chords
- 'Buying a car' - Shopping (audio)
- 'Storms' - Domestic violence (audio)
- 'Storms' - Domestic violence (music video)
- 'Storms' Lyrics and chords
- 'Take Care' - Bullying (audio)
- 'Take Care' Resources - Support Services
- 'Beat the Rap' - Cops, crime, Courts (music video)
- 'Beat the Rap' Lyrics and cords
- 'Landlord' - Rental Rights (audio)
- 'Landlord' Lyrics and chords
- "Work Rights' - Work (audio)
- 'Work Rights' Lyrics and chords
- 'Discrimination' - Human Rights (audio)
- 'Discrimination' Lyrics and chords
- 'Citizen' - Citizen Rights (audio)
- 'Citizen' Lyrics and chords
- 'Car cha cha' - a song about buying a new vehicle (audio)
- 'Car cha cha' (lyrics and chords)
- 'Glass Half Full' Lyrics and chords
- 'Drive safely' Lyrics and chord
- 'Peacekeeper' Video
You can also view or download:
- 'Folk Law' CD cover
- '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.