Protection Visas
Protecting those who need it most.
Protection visas (subclass 866) are for people who are in Australia and cannot return to their home country because they face persecution, serious harm, or significant harm. These are among the most complex and high-stakes immigration matters, and I approach them with the utmost care, sensitivity, and legal rigour.
Australia has obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention and the complementary protection provisions of the Migration Act. A protection visa may be granted if you are a refugee (you face persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion) or if you face a real risk of significant harm (including torture, cruel or inhuman treatment, or degrading treatment).
Protection visa applications require detailed written statements setting out your claims, supported by country information from credible sources. The quality of your written statement is critical — it must be comprehensive, consistent, and credible. I work closely with my clients to prepare statements that clearly articulate their claims and address the legal criteria.
If your protection visa is refused by the Department, you have the right to apply for merits review at the ART. The ART will conduct a fresh review and may hold a hearing where you can present your case in person. I have extensive experience representing clients at protection visa hearings and understand the specific issues that arise in refugee and complementary protection cases.
What I do
- Assess your eligibility for a protection visa under the Refugee Convention and complementary protection provisions
- Prepare a detailed written statement of your claims
- Gather supporting evidence including country information from credible sources (DFAT, UNHCR, Amnesty International)
- Lodge the protection visa application with the Department
- Represent you at ART hearings if the application is refused
- Handle complex cases including LGBTQ+ persecution, family violence, sur place claims, and statelessness
- Advise on ministerial intervention and complementary protection pathways