Each year, thousands of people escaping persecution around the world come to Australia as refugees. Thousands of others who are already in the country seek Australia’s protection on humanitarian grounds.

In 2006-2007, the Australian government opened up 13,000 new spaces for refugees and those qualifying under the Special Humanitarian Program.

Legal refugees may be granted a Permanent Protection Visa if they meet Australia’s health, character and security requirements.

Most asylum seekers who arrive legally in Australia receive a “bridging” visa when they file their refugee application. This allows them to remain in the country legally until their refugee application is finalised. Some bridging visas allow the applicants to work in Australia. However, the bridging visa has many rules and restrictions that must be followed closely while the refugee application is being processed. For example, if an applicant seeks a judicial review of his refugee application decision, his bridging visa ceases to be valid.

In addition, as a result of changes in government policy, people who hold protection visas are no longer barred from applying for a mainstream visa while in Australia. We can help determine whether you qualify.

At Daniel & Associates, we help refugee applicants successfully navigate the sometimes confusing migration application process. Our consulting service, guided by our expert legal team, can assist you every step of the way, including the appeals process. We answer your questions about how claims are assessed, your rights under the merits review, and the various services available to asylum seekers.

Our Refugee/Humanitarian Visa Service

When you come to Daniel & Associates for help with your refugee or humanitarian visa application, here's what we do for you:

• assess whether you meet the visa requirements for a protection visa, or whether you qualify for a mainstream visa,
• assess your skills and determine which visa category best suits your qualifications,
• advise you on the Immigration Department fees you will be expected to pay throughout the visa/immigration process, as well as on the cost of our services,
• represent you before the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship or the Australian Embassy abroad, when required,
• thoroughly prepare you for interviews, when required,
• answer your questions during the entire process.

How To Get Started

We have two consulting services to choose from, depending on your needs:

Our Visa Assessment service is designed to answer your questions about visas and advise you on how to file your application in the correct category.

Our Visa/Immigration Plan goes one step further, providing you with a complete plan that will show you what to do every step of the way. Along with a timeline, your personalised plan will let you know exactly when various government fees are due so you won’t have to worry about missing an important deadline.

Contact us and we can help you with personal, one-on-one assistance.