Australia Protection visa (Subclass 866)
This visa is for people who arrived in Australia on a valid visa and want to seek asylum. It lets you stay in Australia permanently, if you engage Australia’s protection obligations and meet all other requirements for the grant of the visa.
- Route type
- Humanitarian protection
- Can bring
- — Not stated in the official source
- Requirements
- 8 each quoted below
Who this route is for
Every item below is the government’s own wording, quoted from the official source. Whether you personally qualify depends on your full profile.
8 requirements quoted from the official source.
- Character and security screening
If you are 18 years of age or older, you must: have read, or have had explained to you, the Life in Australia booklet and confirm you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws when you sign or accept the Australian Values Statement .
- Eligibility summary
You must have arrived in Australia: while holding a visa that was in effect and have been immigration cleared on arrival. Immigration clearance is defined in section 172 of the Migration Act 1958 . You are immigration cleared when you: enter Australia at an airport or seaport provide evidence of a passport and visa that is in effect and leave the port with the permission of an Australian Border Fo
- Ground for protection
As defined by the Migration Act 1958 (Migration Act), in order to engage Australia's protection obligations you must: be a refugee or meet the complementary protection criteria Australia must not return people to their home country where there is a risk that the person may suffer harm because they engage Australia's protection obligations. To find out what it means to be a refugee and meet the com
- Medical screening
You must undergo health examinations . This will protect your health and the health of the Australian community. These examinations are conducted by Bupa Medical Visa Services . We will give you a health identifier (HAP ID) and information about how to arrange your health examinations after you have lodged your visa application.
- What the official source states
You must not hold or ever held any of the visas listed below: Temporary Protection visa (subclass 785) Temporary Safe Haven visa (subclass 449) Temporary (Humanitarian Concern) visa (subclass 786), or Safe Haven Enterprise visa (subclass 790)
- Where the applicant must be
You must have arrived in Australia: while holding a visa that was in effect and have been immigration cleared on arrival. Immigration clearance is defined in section 172 of the Migration Act 1958 . You are immigration cleared when you: enter Australia at an airport or seaport provide evidence of a passport and visa that is in effect and leave the port with the permission of an Australian Border Fo
Paperwork you prepare — it does not rule you out.
- Accommodation requirement
You can't make a valid permanent protection visa application if you: have been refused a protection visa since your last arrival to Australia, or have had a protection visa cancelled since your last arrival to Australia The Minister has the power to lift any application bar if it is determined to be in the public interest. We will let you know if an application bar affects your Permanent Protectio
- Passport or travel-document requirement
We may require documents as evidence of your identity, nationality or citizenship with your application. It is your responsibility to cooperate and provide this evidence so identity checks can be completed. We may ask you for biometrics (a scan of your fingerprints and a digital photograph of your face) as part of your application. We will use the information collected about your identity when ass
- Official Rights Text
live, work and study in Australia permanently sponsor eligible family members for permanent residence through the offshore Humanitarian Program
- Official source basis
You must have arrived in Australia: while holding a visa that was in effect and have been immigration cleared on arrival. Immigration clearance is defined in section 172 of the Migration Act 1958 . You are immigration cleared when you: enter Australia at an airport or seaport provide evidence of a passport and visa that is in effect and leave the port with the permission of an Australian Border Fo
- Report summary
You must have arrived in Australia: while holding a visa that was in effect and have been immigration cleared on arrival. Immigration clearance is defined in section 172 of the Migration Act 1958 . You are immigration cleared when you: enter Australia at an airport or seaport provide evidence of a passport and visa that is in effect and leave the port with the permission of an Australian Border Fo
Who you can bring
What the source prices
- Official Stay Text
Permanently
- Processing time
Processing times for this visa are unavailable.
From here to a yes
Straight answers
01Who qualifies for the Subclass 866 to Australia?
This visa is for people who arrived in Australia on a valid visa and want to seek asylum. It lets you stay in Australia permanently, if you engage Australia’s protection obligations and meet all other requirements for the grant of the visa.
02Do I need to show accommodation in Australia?
You can't make a valid permanent protection visa application if you: have been refused a protection visa since your last arrival to Australia, or have had a protection visa cancelled since your last arrival to Australia The Minister has the power to lift any application bar if it is determined to be in the public interest. We will let you know if an application bar affects your Permanent Protectio
Every answer is quoted from the official immi.homeaffairs.gov.au page for this route, last read 2026-07-26.
We checked 13 points against the official source; 13 are quoted on this page. The other 0 are either not addressed by the source or not yet backed by a quote — we would rather show you the edge of the record than fill it with a plausible guess.
See the 0 open points
Fees are not published in the official source for this route. We publish a number only when the official text states that number.
Not stated in the official source — the official source names no exclusion for this route.
Where every quote comes from
Official government source immi.homeaffairs.gov.auLast read 2026-07-26 Every quote on this page is from this Australia government page.Other humanitarian protection routes to Australia
5 other humanitarian protection routes to Australia.
Humanitarian protection routes in other countries
182 other countries publish at least one humanitarian protection route. Nearest first.
Does the Subclass 866 fit your numbers?
That depends on your income, savings and family — the parts of the story only you know. The free 3-minute check scores your profile against every Australia route at once, this one included. Then the full Australia report takes you the rest of the way.
• Free • 3 minutes • No signup