Afghanistan

The mid-2021 crisis in Afghanistan sparked uncertainty for Afghans living in Australia, many of whom were on temporary visas.  JusticeNet and our pro bono partners have been working collaboratively since that time in an effort to assist Afghans currently living in South Australia and the Northern Territory, including those who have been previously refused asylum. . 

Last updated:19/04/2022

We will endeavour to update this page as more information becomes available. Please bookmark www.justicenet.org.au/afghanistan to stay up to date.

For people in Afghanistan

Call 410 on a mobile phone from anywhere in Afghanistan to connect with the Awaaz Afghanistan humanitarian hotline for free. The confidential hotline is for refugees affected by conflict and natural disaster with information on assistance. Agents speak Dari, Pashto, Urdu, English and more. More information at https://awaazaf.org/.

If you are an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or Australian visa holder, and you need urgent assistance, call the Australian Government 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305.

Visa Options

For information about Australian visas, please refer to the Department of Home Affairs website: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-finder

Information about refugee and humanitarian visa options can be found at https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-finder/refugee-and-humanitarian

Afghans who supported Australia’s mission in Afghanistan (and their families) may be eligible for a subclass 449 visa. More information can be found at https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-and-support/afghanistan-update 

You can apply for most Australian visas online by creating an Immi account. You may also be able to manage any existing visa applications via this portal. 

For Afghans Living in South Australia or the Northern Territory

Are you an Afghan national and have you been refused a Protection visa? 

This means you have not been granted a TPV or SHEV, and your application is currently before the Immigration Assessment Authority (IAA), the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), the Courts (Federal Circuit Court, Federal Court or High Court), or the Minister (Ministerial Intervention), or you might have no current review application. If so, and you are in South Australia or the Northern Territory, we can help you to ask for permission to apply again.

If you are interstate but previously lived in South Australia and have been a client of JusticeNet or RASSA, please also contact us.

If you want assistance, please email the following details to afghanistan@justicenet.org.au:

Name
Date of Birth
Phone number
Court pseudonym
Any relevant file numbers
Do you require an interpreter? If so, what language?

Please note, unfortunately temporary visa holders in Australia remain unable to sponsor family members. However, Australian citizens or permanent residents can propose family of TPV and SHEV holders. These applications will get a lower processing priority under the Special Humanitarian Program. More information can be found at https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-and-support/afghanistan-update

If you are already a permanent resident or citizen, and you want advice about family in Afghanistan or elsewhere, please contact the Australian Refugee Association on 8354 2951.

If you are on a subclass 449 visa, and would like to explore pathways to a permanent visa, please contact the Legal Services Commission of South Australia via https://www.lsc.sa.gov.au/. For services in other states, please refer here https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-and-support/afghanistan-update. For more information, see this fact sheet.

Assistance for Afghans in Australia by State

Please contact the service available in your own local state.

Victoria

Refugee Legal

Legal assistance for people impacted by the crisis in Afghanistan

Afghanistan Legal Hotline: Phone (03) 9413 0166 (9am - 5pm Monday to Friday)

Email refugeelegal@refugeelegal.org.au 

New South Wales

Refugee Advice & Casework Service (RACS)

Telephone advice: 02 8355 7227

Email: admin@racs.org.au with your name and phone number and they will call you back.

Queensland

Refugee and Immigration Legal Service (RAILS)

Phone: (07) 3846 9300 (Monday to Friday, 9:00am - 5:00pm)
Email: admin@rails.org.au

Western Australia

Circle Green Community Legal

Phone: (08) 6148 3636 (Monday - Thursday, 9:30am - 3:30pm)

Tasmania

Tasmanian Refugee Legal Service

Phone: (03) 6169 9473
Email: info@trls.org.au

South Australian / Northern Territory

JusticeNet SA

Email: afghanistan@justicenet.org.au with your name and phone number

Legal Services Commission

May be able to assist Afghans who hold a subclass 449 Humanitarian Stay (Temporary) visa to apply for a permanent humanitarian visa

Phone: 8111 5444

More information: https://lsc.sa.gov.au/cb_pages/legal_advice_migration.php 

ACT or Anywhere in Australia

Asylum Seeker Resource Centre

The ASRC is open during lockdowns and you can travel more than 15km to visit them (214-218 Nicholson Street).

Afghanistan Legal Clinic Now Open: Call (03) 9252 2534 between 10am - 4:30pm Monday to Friday  (closed Wednesdays) or email us on afghanistantriage@asrc.org.au to seek information or assistance. Click here for further details.

If you have family in Afghanistan

For information about bringing family members to Australia, please refer to this fact sheet.

Please note, unfortunately temporary visa holders in Australia remain unable to sponsor family members. However, Australian citizens or permanent residents can propose family of TPV and SHEV holders. These applications will get a lower processing priority under the Special Humanitarian Program. More information can be found at https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-and-support/afghanistan-update

If you are already a permanent resident or citizen, and you want advice about family in Afghanistan or elsewhere, please contact the Australian Refugee Association on 8354 2951.

More Information

The Australian Government Response

For information and updates on the Australian Government response, please visit the Department of Home Affairs Afghanistan Update page at: https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-and-support/afghanistan-update

International Relocation Programmes

Some countries have announced opportunities for Afghan nationals who have worked or been affiliated with those countries to apply for permission to travel to those countries.

Visit https://help.unhcr.org/afghanistan/relocation/ for more information.

Other information from UNHCR is available here: https://help.unhcr.org/afghanistan/ 

Published on 24-Aug-2021