TRLS addresses an access-to-justice gap that manifests from the unique circumstances of refugees, asylum seekers & other humanitarian entrants into the Tasmanian community.
TRLS addresses an access-to-justice gap that manifests from the unique circumstances of refugees, asylum seekers & other humanitarian entrants into the Tasmanian community.
Tasmanian Refugee Legal Service
A dedicated refugee, asylum seeker & humanitarian entrant legal service
We offer free legal advice and representation for Tasmanian residents regarding protection visa applications for asylum seekers and legal advice for humanitarian entrants who are Tasmanian residents.
We provide our clients with protection from persecution, a pathway to permanency, safety from family violence and a pathway to reuniting with family, these are our core aims. We provide expert legal advice and assistance to people who need a safe place where they can rebuild their lives with dignity and care and with a sense of belonging.
TRLS work covers onshore asylum claims for Tasmanian residents applying for protection from their country of origin.
This includes family reunification to reunite Tasmanian families who have been separated by war and conflict, and legal advice and casework for victims/survivors of family violence who are on temporary visas, where their migration status is impacted by the family violence or by the breakdown of their relationship.
We also represent our clients at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the Federal Court.
As this can be an extremely complicated and stressful process to navigate through, below are some example of the support we provide.
TRLS provides a free legal services to assist valid prospective permanent Protection (subclass 866) visa (Protection visa)
applicants . This includes the provision of immigration advice, visa application assistance and interpreting services if required. It also includes the provision of community information sessions for individuals considering applying for a Protection visa.
One of the most significant issues faced by the refugee community in Tasmania is the separation from family members who often remain in insecure and volatile situations overseas. Previously, there were limited services to assist refugee, asylum seeker and migrant background Tasmanians to reunify with their family members.
This service has been particularly important for families from the Afghanistan community of Tasmania, the Ethiopian community and the Chin community and we are providing vital legal support to all these communities.
We provide a free legal service for people of refugee background who have a valid child visa claim. These are parents, who are Tasmanian residents, who have eligible children overseas, who are seeking to bring their children to Australia. These applicants have the legal right to sponsor their children if they are permanent residents , through the child visa process, as an Australian citizen and Tasmanian resident.
The Family Violence Migration Service (FVMS) is a free and confidential legal service delivered by the Tasmanian Refugee Legal Service.
The Family Violence Migration Service (FVMS) provides migration advice and casework assistance to victim/survivors of family violence whose visa status may be impacted by the family violence or by the breakdown of their relationship.
The FVMS also delivers professional development and training sessions on family violence migration law for service providers, as well as community education sessions for the wider migrant community.
The ability to access free legal migration advice can provide victims/survivors with the opportunity to leave a violent relationship and be able to access the safety and support they need in the Tasmanian community to live a life free from violence and harm.
Who can access the service?
You may be able to receive free assistance through the Family Violence Migration Service (FVMS) if you:
You do not need to have left the relationship to get legal advice from a lawyer through the FVMS.