A message from the Department of Home Affairs to the Afghan Australian community – Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District

The Department of Home Affairs gives one message to the Afghan Australian community about all possible avenues to ensure that visa options through Australia’s long-standing Humanitarian and Migration Programs continue to be available to Afghan nationals regardless of ethnicity, both within Afghanistan and those displaced from their home country.

A message from the Department of Home Affairs to the Afghan Australian community

The Australian Government understands the concerns you have for your family and friends in Afghanistan and we acknowledge the tremendous distress that this would be causing you. We also acknowledge the contributions being made by so many community members towards informing and supporting Australia’s efforts to respond to this crisis.

The Government is looking at all possible avenues to ensure that visa options through Australia’s long-standing Humanitarian and Migration Programs continue to be available to Afghan nationals regardless of ethnicity, both within Afghanistan and those displaced from their home country.

We recognise you may have many questions about the best way to assist your family and friends. As you all are aware, the situation on the ground in Afghanistan is unstable and the ability to process applications and transport people out of the country remains unclear at present.

The Government is working as quickly as possible through a range of complex issues in order to provide you with clear and comprehensive advice on visa pathways. We will provide the information to you in coming weeks.

Sadly, we have received reports of unscrupulous operators approaching the Afghan Australian community claiming to be accredited migration agents and charging exorbitant fees to supposedly fast track and guarantee visas. Paying large sums of money for applications to be lodged is unnecessary and will not improve the prospect of having a visa approved.

Migration agents and others cannot guarantee visas. Please note that, in Australia, to be able to provide migration advice, a person must be a lawyer or a registered migration agent. Migration agents’ registration details can be checked at www.mara.gov.au

Please see Afghanistan update (homeaffairs.gov.au) for more information about possible visa scams.

We thank you for your patience and understanding and ask that you continue to liaise with community leaders and the Department to receive accurate information about the Government’s response to this important issue.

Home Affairs

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	The Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District acknowledges the Yorta Yorta People of the land which comprises the Goulburn Valley. We pay respect to tribal Elders, past, present and emerging and we celebrate their continuing culture and acknowledge the memory of their ancestors.
	The Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District is a peak body whose mission is to promote and represent the social, cultural and economic well-being of ethnic communities in the Goulburn Valley Region through the provision of quality and innovative settlement, refugee support, community development, and information and advocacy services.