I arrived in a Pacific Island Country and I wish to claim asylum. Can UNHCR in Canberra assist me?
If you have arrived in a Pacific Island Country and you require further information on the process of claiming asylum, please contact the UNHCR Representation in Canberra.
In relation to asylum-seekers who are transferred from Australia to Nauru or Papua New Guinea please see the below.
I am an asylum-seeker who has been transferred from Australia to Papua New Guinea or Nauru. Can UNHCR in Canberra assist me?
Since July 2022, a programme has been in effect between Australia and New Zealand allowing eligible refugees subject to offshore processing to express interest in resettlement to New Zealand. The programme was for people transferred offshore by Australia between 19 July 2013 and 31 December 2014, and who were in Nauru or Australia. The programme provided for up to 450 eligible refugees to be resettled to New Zealand between July 2022 and June 2025.
Based on expressions of interest received to date, this programme is at capacity. As of November 26th, 2024 UNHCR is unable to process any new expressions of interest.
If you believe that you otherwise would have been eligible for this programme, and would be interested in being considered for any similar programme should future opportunities arise, you may nevertheless register your details here in an abbreviated form. UNHCR will retain this information only for purposes of contacting you should a new opportunity arise. Submitting your information here is not a formal expression of interest, nor does it mean that you will be considered for resettlement. In the abbreviated form, you will be asked for basic identity information, contact details, and information about the date and context of your arrival in Australia.
Outside the scope of the Australia-New Zealand resettlement arrangement, UNHCR continues its work for those remaining in Papua New Guinea.
All UNHCR services are free of charge.
The services and assistance provided by UNHCR are entirely free of charge. Do not trust anyone or any organization asking you to pay for our services. If you have any questions about the information shared in this community message, you can contact UNHCR by email: [email protected]
I am an asylum-seeker who has been transferred to Nauru or Papua New Guinea and I wish to make a complaint about the conditions of my detention. Can UNHCR assist me?
UNHCR is not in the position to investigate individual complaints regarding the conditions of a person’s detention.
UNHCR has a supervisory role regarding the implementation of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees in Nauru and Papua New Guinea. As part of this supervisory role, UNHCR visited the detention facilities at Nauru and Papua New Guinea to monitor their compliance with international standards. Read UNHCR’s monitoring reports.
You may wish to contact the Commonwealth Ombudsman regarding your concerns. Contact details for the Commonwealth Ombudsman are as follows:
- Phone:1300 362 072 (calls from mobile phones at mobile phone rates)
- Fax: (02) 6276 0123
- SMS: 0413 COM OMB (0413 266 662) (standard carrier rates apply)
- Email: [email protected]
- Postal: GPO Box 442, CANBERRA ACT 2601
You may also consider contacting the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) Complaint Handling Section. Contact details for the AHRC are as follows:
- Phone: 1300 656 419 (local call) or (02) 9284 9888
- TTY: 1800 620 241 (toll free)
- Fax : (02) 9284 9611
- Email : [email protected]