Refugee Advice and Casework Service

A. Level 12, 173-175 Phillip Street Sydney NSW 2000P. [02] 9114-1600F. [02] 9114-1794E. admin@racs.org.au W. www.racs.org.au

What happens at an interview for a Protection visa application?

© UNHCR/S.Phelps

• Sometimeafteryouhavelodgedyourapplication,youwillreceivealetterfrom

DIAC inviting you to an interview.

• ItisveryIMPORTANTthatyouattendtheinterview.

• If you do not attend, the decisionmakermay not have all the information

about your case that they need and they might REFUSE your application.

Invitation to attend a Department of Immigration and Citizenship Interview

Before the Interview

2 | What happens at an interview for a protection visa?

How can I prepare for the interview? Read over your application forms and statement carefully.

It is important to remember all the information that you provided to DIAC in

writing.

Ifsomeoneelsehelpedyoutowriteyourstatement,askthemtoreadittoyou

again.

Ifyounoticeanymistakesinyourapplication,informDIACassoonaspossible.

If there have been any changes in your circumstances since you lodged the

application,suchaschangesinyourlifeoryourcountry’ssituation,tellDIACbefore

theintervieworatthebeginningoftheinterview.

Before the Interview (cont.)

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What should I bring to the interview?You should bring:

• theletterfromDIACinvitingyoutotheinterview

• photoidentification(suchasyourpassportoranyotherIDcard)

• originaldocumentsthatsupportyourcase.

Can I bring someone else to the interview?Youcanbringasupportperson,suchasarelativeorfriend,totheinterview.You

mustinformDIACbeforetheinterviewifyouwishtobringsomeone.

Where will the interview be?InterviewsareheldattheofficesofDIAC

The address of the interview will be written in the letter inviting you to the

interview.

If you are in NSW, the interview will

usually be held at:

Department of Immigration and Citizenship

26 Lee Street

Sydney NSW 2000

ThenearesttrainstationisCentralStation.Thereisverylimitedparkingforcars,

soitisagoodideatotakepublictransport.

Whenyouareinsidethebuilding,takethelifttoLevel3.OnLevel3thereisa

phone which you can use to dial the extension number written in your interview

letter.

Youshouldplantoarriveatleast20minutesbeforethestartingtime.

DIAC

At the Interview

4 | What happens at an interview for a protection visa?

Who will be at the interview?TheinterviewisconductedbyaDIACCaseOfficer–thisisthepersonwhowill

makeadecisionaboutyourapplication.

Theremayalsobeaninterpreterattheinterviewifyouhaverequestedone.

What happens during the interview?Theinterviewwillbeaudiorecordedsothatthereisanaccuraterecordofwhatis

saidattheinterview.Itisinyourbestintereststohavetheinterviewrecordedfor

futurereference.Youcanrequestacopyoftherecordingifrequired.

Introduction to the interview:Atthebeginningoftheinterview,theDIACOfficer

willexplainwhatisgoingtohappenintheinterviewandaskyousomegeneral

questions,forexample,whetheryouobjecttotheinterpreter.

Interpreter: If thereareproblemswiththe interpreter,youshouldtell theDIAC

Officerimmediately.Ifyouhavedifficultyunderstandingtheinterpreter,youmust

telltheDIACOfficer.

Questions about your case:TheDIACOfficermayaskyouquestionsabout:

• whyyouleftyourcountryoforigin

• whyyoufearreturningtoyourcountryoforigin

• more details about events which you described in your statement

• questionstoassesswhetheryouaretellingthetruth.

YoushouldtelltheDIACOfficerallrelevantdetailsaboutyourcase,evenifthey

donotspecificallyaskyouaboutanissue.

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please noteIf you do not understand a question, tell the DIAC Officer that you do not understand andask them toexplain thequestionagain.

If you do not know the answer to a question, tell the DIAC Officer that you do not know or you cannot remember. You should not guess any answers.

At the Interview (cont.)

Adverse information: TheDIACOfficermay tell you that DIAC has information

that isnegative toyourcaseand theymayuse this information to refuseyour

application.This is togiveyouanopportunity tocommenton this information

andexplainmoreaboutyourcase.Iftheinformationiscomplicated,youcanask

theDIACOfficertogiveyoutimetowritealetterrespondingtotheinformation.

End of the interview:Youwillbeaskedifthereisanythingelseyouwishtoadd.

Youshoulduse thisopportunity to tell theDIACOfficeranythingyouhavenot

alreadysaid.YoucanalsoasktheDIACOfficerwhethertheyhaveanyconcerns

about your case.

Additional documents or evidence: If youwant to provide other documents or

evidence,youshouldasktheDIACOfficertogiveyoutimetoprovidethese.You

shouldagreeonadatetoprovidethemby.Whenthisisagreed,theDIACOfficer

willnotmakeadecisionbeforethatdate.

At the Interview

6 | What happens at an interview for a protection visa?

When will the decision be made?Afteryouhavebeen interviewed, theDIACOfficercanmakeadecisiononyour

caseatanytime(unlesstheyhaveallowedyoutimetoprovidemoreinformation

inwriting).

Beforetellingyouthedecision,DIACmightaskyoutoobtainapolicecheckfrom

Australiaorfromacountryoverseaswhereyouhavelived.

WhentheDIACOfficermakesadecision,theywillsendyoualetter.Theycansend

theletterbypost,faxoremail.

Positive decision

Ifthedecisionispositive,theletterwillcontainyourvisaevidencecard.Thisis

your Protection visa.

Negative decision

Ifthedecisionisnegative,theletterwillcontainthereasonswhytheDIACOfficer

decided that you should not be granted the protection visa.

You should seek legal advice as soon as possible after receiving a negative decision.

Applying for review:YoumightbeabletoapplyforareviewoftheDIACOfficer’s

decisionat theRefugeeReviewTribunal (RRT). There are strict time limits for

applying for review at the RRT. The exact time limit will vary depending on how

the decision was sent to you and whether you are in detention. Informationabout

howtoapplytotheRRTiscontainedintheletterfromDIACinformingyouofthe

decision.

please noteIf you not in detention you must apply to the RRT within 28 days after you are notified of the decision.

See RACS Factsheet “What happens at an RRT hearing”.

Bridging visa: It is important tofindoutwhenyourBridgingvisawillexpire.Usually, a

Bridgingvisawillexpire28daysafteryouarenotifiedofthenegativedecision.

Further information

Forfurtherinformation,youcancontacttheRACSTelephoneAdviceserviceon91141600between10:00and12:00on

TuesdayandThursdayforfreetelephoneadvice,toseeifyouneedanappointmentorforareferraltoanotherservice.

Thisbrochureisavailablein:Arabic,Chinese(simplified),Dari/Farsi,TamilTurkish,Urdu

Formoreinformation,visitwww.racs.org.au,callRACSon(02)9114-1600oremailadmin@racs.org.au.

DisclaimerThisfactsheetisgeneral.Itdoesnotconstitute,andshouldbenotreliedonas,legaladvice.RefugeeAdviceandCaseworkServicerecommendsseekingadvicefromaqualifiedlawyeronthelegalissuesaffectingyoubeforeactingonanylegalmatter.RefugeeAdviceandCaseworkServiceistheauthorofthispublicationandacceptsresponsibilityfortheinformation.Thisfactsheetappliestopeoplewholivein,orareaffectedby,thelawasitappliesin Australia.Theinformationinthisfactsheetiscurrentat1November2012ThispublicationhasbeenproducedwiththefinancialassistanceoftheLawandJusticeFoundationofNSW.TheFoundationseekstoadvancethefairnessandequityofthejusticesystemandtoimproveaccesstojustice,especiallyforsociallyandeconomicallydisadvantagedpeople.http://lawfoundation.net.auThispublicationiscopyright.ItmaybereproducedinpartorwholeforeducationalpurposesaslongaspropercreditisgiventotheRefugeeAdviceandCaseworkServiceanditscontributors.Disclaimer:anyopinionsexpressedinthispublicationarethoseoftheauthorsanddonotnecessarilyreflecttheviewsoftheLawandJusticeFoundation’sBoardofGovernors.©RefugeeAdviceandCaseworkService.

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At the Interview (cont.)

@RACSaustralia