VISAS AND CITIZENSHIP
IARC is a specialist community legal centre providing free immigration and citizenship advice and assistance to people experiencing vulnerability in New South Wales.
We believe that everyone should have equal access to the law regardless of their visa status. We also understand that Australian immigration and citizenship law can be extremely complex and difficult to navigate, so we are here to offer free, confidential, high-quality legal advice and assistance to people experiencing vulnerability in New South Wales.
IARC’s general practice provides information, referrals, advice, and representation in the following areas of immigration law:
- Family visas such as Partner, Child, Parent, and Carer visas
- Visa cancellations
- Australian citizenship
- Refugee and Humanitarian visas and Protection visas
- Other temporary visas such as Bridging visas and Visitor visas
If you are in New South Wales and require assistance in any of these areas, please read our frequently asked questions and then complete our enquiry form below and we will contact you to discuss how we can help.
ENQUIRY FORM
Legal advice is by appointment only. If you need help, please complete our enquiry form below.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
IARC provides free immigration and citizenship advice to people in New South Wales who are experiencing vulnerability.
More information on the immigration issues IARC advises on is provided above. If you believe you are eligible for IARC’s assistance, please fill out our online enquiry form, and we will be in touch with you as soon as possible.
IARC provides advice on family and humanitarian visas, visa cancellations, and citizenship. IARC also provides free immigration advice on skilled and student visas to trade union members through the Visa Assist program.
IARC does not provide advice on:
- Withdrawal of sponsorship or withdrawal of assurances of support
- Migration to countries other than Australia
To receive free immigration advice regarding skilled or student visas, you must be referred by your trade union. If you are not a member of a union, you can learn more about joining one here.
You can also contact a commercial registered migration agent or lawyer to obtain student or skilled visa advice. It is likely that you will have to pay for this advice. You can find a list of Australian migration agents at the Office of Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA) and a list of solicitors at the Law Society of New South Wales.
No, unfortunately IARC is generally unable to give advice to people outside Australia.
You will need to contact a commercial registered migration agent or lawyer. You can find a list of Australian migration agents at the Office of Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA) https://www.mara.gov.au/ and a list of solicitors at the Law Society of New South Wales.
IARC generally only provides advice to people living in New South Wales. In limited circumstances, we may be able to assist clients outside New South Wales if they are unable to access immigration advice in another Australian state or territory, or if they are a member of a trade union and are accessing our service through Visa Assist.
If you are in Victoria, you may be eligible for assistance from:
- Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
(03) 9326 6066
- Refugee Legal
(03) 9413 0100
- Victoria Legal Aid
1300 792 387
If you are in Queensland, you may be eligible for assistance from:
- Refugee and Immigration Legal Service
(07) 3846 9300
If you are in Western Australia, you may be eligible for assistance from:
- Circle Green Community Legal
(08) 6148 3636
If you are in Tasmania, you may be eligible for assistance from:
- Tasmanian Refugee Legal Service
(03) 6169 9473
If you are in any other Australian state or territory, please fill in our online enquiry form or call us on (02) 8234 0700 (Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm) to see if we can assist you.
No, IARC is not a government agency or part of the Department of Home Affairs and is completely separate from the government. IARC is a specialist community legal centre that provides free and confidential immigration and citizenship advice to people experiencing vulnerability in New South Wales.
No, IARC will not tell anyone else about you or your immigration or citizenship issue without your consent. All legal advice at IARC is provided by solicitors and is subject to legal professional privilege, which makes it completely confidential.
No, IARC is a free legal advice service and does not charge a fee for legal advice or assistance.
No, IARC cannot assist you with applying for or renewing your passport.
Yes, you can bring a friend, family member, or support worker to your appointment.
IARC can arrange for an interpreter to join your appointment over the phone. There is no charge for this service.
Yes, IARC can represent you in your immigration matter if it has merit and we have sufficient capacity.
Even if we are unable to represent you, we may be able to provide further advice and assistance with preparing documentation.
IARC can provide advice and assistance by telephone to people who live in regional areas.