In line with the Minister’s announcement On 21 May 2017, the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection announced illegal maritime arrivals (IMAs) who arrived between 13 August 2012 and 1 January 2014 must lodge their Temporary Protection visa (TPV) or Safe Haven Enterprise visa (SHEV) application before 1 October 2017.

Those who do not apply before the deadline (1 Oct 2017) are expected to depart Australia. There are no extensions and no exceptions. The Department will be firm with this deadline given that IMAs have been given considerable time to apply. If you choose not to apply, you are deemed to be an IMA who is not seeking Protection in Australia and therefore must return home.

After 1 Oct 2017- if you have not applied yet, you will be barred from applying for any type of temporary or permanent visa in Australia or have permission to work, Medicare and access to education for school-age children while you make arrangements to depart.

At any time, the Department will assist IMAs who wish to voluntarily depart Australia to do so in the shortest possible timeframe.

If you are affected by this, please contact Seek Migration urgently in order for us to assist you before the impending deadline.