Legal information about Australian immigration and general law for refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, educators, legal professionals and community workers.
Ukraine - Visa information
Some information about visa options for Ukraine nationals following the invasion by Russia in February 2022. See RAILS Fact Sheet here.
The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) website has information for those affected by the Ukrainian crisis at www.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-and-support/ukraine-visa-support. Always check this for updates..
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.
Covid-19 information
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.
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
Protection visas - general information
Factsheets
Who can apply for a protection visa and what will happen after you make your application.
Translations in Arabic, Dari,Farsi and Tamil.
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.
Translations to Arabic, Dari, Farsi and Tamil.
Safe Haven Enterprise Visas (SHEV) and Temporary Protection Visas (TPV)
Factsheets
Safe Haven Enterprise Visas conditions, what the 'SHEV pathway' is, and how to change from a Temporary Protection Visa to a Safe Haven Enterprise Visa.
Translations to Arabic, Dari, Farsi and Tamil.
Information about financial support and consequences of covid-19 for TPV and SHEV holders.
What are Temporary Protection Visas and Safe Haven Enterprise Visas, how are they different from each other and how to decide which one to apply for?
Translations in Arabic, Dari, Farsi and Tamil.
How to re-apply for your protection visa before it expires and the differences between a Temporary Protection Visa and a Safe Haven Enterprise Visa.
Translations in Arabic, Dari,Farsi and Tamil and Rohingya audio version.
Chart outlining the 'fast-track' visa application process.
How to apply for Centrelink benefits if you need financial help.
Translations in Arabic, Dari, Farsi and Tamil.
Summarised information on what your options are if your protection visa application has been rejected by the IAA
Translations in Arabic, Dari, Farsi and Tamil.
Detailed guide on what your options are if your protection visa application has been rejected by the IAA
Safe Haven Enterprise Visas conditions, what the 'SHEV pathway' is, and how to change from a Temporary Protection Visa to a Safe Haven Enterprise Visa.
SHEV and TPV - 'Fast Track' Interviews
Info sheet
This information sheet, translated to several languages, outlines key information for people who have applied for their first Temporary Protection visa (TPV) or Safe Haven Enterprise Visa (SHEV) under the Federal Government’s Fast Track Assessment process but who have not yet been interviewed about their application. It is essential that anyone in this situation seeks urgent legal assistance.
It is unlikely that this information will apply to people based in Queensland.
Refugee Family Reunion visas
Temporary Visas
Fact Sheet
An overview of the types of temporary visas available in Australia
Visa cancellation
Factsheets
Visa cancellation for 'bad character' and ways to try to stop your visa from being cancelled.
Visa cancellation on character and other grounds - abbreviated version.
Detailed guide about visa cancellation or refusal on character grounds. Published in collaboration with the Immigration Advice and Rights Centre.
Citizenship
Video
Information about applying for Australian citizenship.
Factsheets
Information on citizenship delays and about giving accurate information when making an application.
Songs and videos
These songs and videos can 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)
Family Violence and Visas
Factsheets
Being granted permanent residency after separating from the sponsoring partner where there has been family violence, where there is a child of the relationship, or where the sponsoring partner has died.
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.
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
Learn law through music
Folk Law
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 Education
Civics Rap
'Civics Rap' invites learners to dialogue, dance, sing, rap and reflect about key issues 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.