Overview
The Refugee & Immigration Legal Centre Inc. (RILC) is an independent community legal centre specialising in all aspects of refugee and immigration law, policy and practice.
RILC has been assisting asylum seekers, refugees and disadvantaged migrants in the community and in detention for more than 20 years and has substantial casework experience and expertise.
RILC continues to be the largest provider of such services in Australia, and Victoria’s only specialist community legal centre in the jurisdiction. Each year we assist around 3,000 people.
RILC’s work involves provision of key legal assistance to those who could not otherwise obtain it due to financial and other forms of distinct disadvantage often related to their cultural or linguistically diverse backgrounds or experiences of torture or trauma.
Our services include:
- dedicated telephone immigration advice line open 8 hours per week
- weekly face-to-face Evening Advice Service
- full application casework/legal representation service
- special projects include monthly Offshore Refugee ‘Family Reunion’ Visa clinics
- extensive professional and community-based education programs
- active and wide-ranging advocacy and law reform program
- substantial volunteer program involving around 80 legal and non-legal volunteers.
RILC is an Incorporated Association managed by a voluntary Committee of Management which is elected each year by the membership at an Annual General Meeting.
RILC employs nine staff members and has a large team of volunteers.
The range of casework and advice undertaken by RILC is broad and diverse. It includes:
- applications for Protection Visas (refugee status) in Australia
- applications and sponsorship under the Family Stream, including of spouse, fiance, children and other family members from overseas
- applications for change of status for those seeking permanent residence in Australia
- advice to those seeking to propose people overseas under the Refugee and Special Humanitarian program
- advice to people held in immigration detention, including local and remote detention centres
- advice on all other migration visa categories; including re-entry or return visas
- advice on conditions attached to visas, such as permission to work, Medicare eligibility and ‘no further stay’
- representation in cases before the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC)
- representation in cases before the migration tribunals (Refugee Review Tribunal and Migration Review Tribunal)
- representation before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) on visa cancellation and refusals on ‘character’ grounds
- advice on other visa cancellation matters
- advice to over-stayers and other ‘unlawful non-citizens’
- involvement in ‘test case’ litigation
- referrals for legal advice and representation on appeals to the Courts, including to the Federal Magistrates Court, Federal Court or High Court of Australia
- referral for counselling and assistance on related health and welfare issues such as accommodation, medical care, social security, and counselling for torture and trauma survivors
What we don’t do
RILC does not provide legal representation at the Federal Magistrates, Federal Court or High Court of Australia. For more information about legal assistance with Court appeals, visit the websites of the Victoria Legal Aid and Victorian Bar Legal Assistance Scheme.
