Protection
visas
Australia owes protection to people who face a real risk of serious harm at home. The legal test is exacting, credibility is everything, and since 2026 the written case matters more than it ever has. We prepare protection claims with that discipline - and in complete confidence.
Two ways to qualify.
The Protection visa (subclass 866) is granted where an applicant is a refugee - holding a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion - or engages complementary protection: a real risk of arbitrary deprivation of life, the death penalty, torture, or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
What a strong claim looks like
- A consistent, detailed narrative - your statement is the spine of the case; inconsistencies at interview or on review are where claims fail.
- Corroboration - documents, witness statements, medical and psychological evidence, properly translated (NAATI-certified - mandatory at the ART since 2 March 2026).
- Country-of-origin research - targeted, current and mapped to your specific profile, not generic country reports.
- The legal framing - why the harm feared is ‘serious harm’, why the state cannot or will not protect you, and why relocation within your country is not reasonable.
On costs: the 866 application charge is nominal - around $45 (indicative; the FY2026‑27 figure should be confirmed before lodgement). The real investment is in the evidence. Fees current as at 3 July 2026 (FY2026‑27); the charge at lodgement date applies - confirm at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au.
Protection review at the ART
Fee only if unsuccessful
The ART protection review fee is $2,293 - generally payable only if the review is unsuccessful. Nothing is payable to lodge. Strict lodgement deadlines still apply from the date of the refusal notification.
The written file rules
The 2 March 2026 Practice Directions apply in full to protection reviews: NAATI-certified translations at submission, generative-AI disclosure in expert reports, and active notification obligations. Hearings remain central in protection matters - but credibility is built, or lost, in the written material long before the hearing day.
After the ART
An affirmed refusal can be tested for legal error by judicial review (typically 35 days; FCFCOA filing fee $4,180 as at 3 July 2026), and s 417 ministerial intervention exists for unique and exceptional cases.
Fees current as at 3 July 2026 (FY2026‑27); the charge at lodgement date applies - confirm at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au and art.gov.au. While a protection application or review is on foot, an associated bridging visa usually keeps you lawful - see bridging visas explained.
Your story, told with precision
Protection claims are decided on evidence and credibility. Speak with a lawyer - confidentially - before you lodge anything or attend any interview.