How to apply for the 866 Protection visa online in Australia in 2026
How to lodge the subclass 866 Protection visa online in 2026: ImmiAccount steps, documents, fee payment and keeping your TRN.
You apply for the Protection visa (subclass 866) by lodging online through ImmiAccount while you are in Australia: log in or create an ImmiAccount, complete the online form, attach your documents, pay the visa application charge, and keep a record of your Transaction Reference Number (TRN). The Department of Home Affairs states that it will not process your application until the fee is paid. This reflects the Department of Home Affairs "Protection visa (Subclass 866)" official page as at August 2026.
What follows describes the published process only. It is general information rather than advice about your own circumstances, and the official page remains the authoritative version because criteria and forms can change.
Do you have to be in Australia to lodge subclass 866?
Yes, in the sense that the pathway runs through being in Australia lawfully. The department's listed process requires you to have arrived legally in Australia on a valid visa, to engage Australia's protection obligations (or to be a member of the same family unit of someone who does), and to meet all other visa requirements including health, character and security.
The lodgement itself is an online act performed in ImmiAccount. Once you have applied, family members can only be added later if they are in Australia, are eligible for the visa, and your application has not yet been decided.
What does the subclass 866 grant?
It is a permanent visa. The department describes it in terms of what you must do and what the visa allows:
- live, work and study in Australia permanently
- sponsor eligible family members for permanent residence through the offshore Humanitarian Program
The visa is also referred to on the official page as the Permanent Protection visa (subclass 866).
What should you prepare before you start?
Read the eligibility requirements first, then decide whether you will prepare and submit the application yourself or have someone act on your behalf. Gather documents that support both your protection claims and your identity, nationality or citizenship; the online application form in ImmiAccount contains the list of documents that must be included.
If your application includes family members, provide evidence of the relationship for each person — for example birth certificates, notarial certificates, marriage certificates, financial documents and undertakings for de facto relationships, and financial documents showing that dependants over 18 are dependent on you.
The department's position is that it can make a decision using only the information you provide when you lodge. Provide as much accurate information as you can, and make sure the form has no gaps in your education, work, travel, relationship or address history; if you were unemployed for a period, record it so the gap is explained.
How do you lodge step by step in ImmiAccount?
The official sequence is short and fixed. Do the steps in this order.
- Log in to ImmiAccount, or create an ImmiAccount if you do not have one.
- Complete the online application form, answering every question it asks.
- Attach your documents.
- Pay the application fee.
- Keep a record of your Transaction Reference Number (TRN).
You can save the application at any page and return to it later, and once submitted you can check its status, update personal details, attach further documents and access a copy of the application at any time through ImmiAccount. If you hit a system outage, the ImmiAccount front page carries information about planned and unplanned outages, and you may need to return later to finish.
What must be true and complete in the form?
Tell the truth. The department warns that it may question your credibility and refuse the application if you provide incorrect information on purpose.
If someone else completes the form for you, you must read and understand everything in it before you sign it and before you sign any statutory declaration. You are responsible for the claims made in the form. Do not sign blank pages or documents, even if you are asked to.
Who can help you with a subclass 866 application?
Free legal advice and help with a Protection visa application is available, and the official page points to a free legal help section. Only certain people can give immigration assistance: a registered migration agent, a legal practitioner, or an exempt person. You can appoint anyone to receive documents on your behalf relating to your visa matter.
The relevant appointment forms are:
| Form | Used for |
|---|---|
| Form 956 Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person | Nominating someone to provide immigration assistance, or withdrawing that appointment |
| Form 956A Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient | Nominating someone to receive your correspondence, or ending that arrangement |
| Form 1436 Adding an additional applicant after lodgement | Adding an eligible spouse, de facto partner or dependent child after you apply |
| Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers | Correcting a mistake on a submitted application |
| Form 1193 Communicating by email with the Department | Asking the department to communicate by email after you have applied |
Each of these is uploaded to ImmiAccount.
Should you agree to email communication?
The online form asks whether you agree to the department communicating with you by email. The department describes email as its preferred and fastest method.
If you do not agree, it will send information by post, which is slower, and your application may take longer to finalise if the department needs to contact you. If you have already applied and did not select email, you can complete Form 1193.
What happens after you submit?
You will receive an acknowledgement letter telling you the department has received your application. The department says it cannot give updates on processing status, but you can check in ImmiAccount whether it needs more information from you.
Other things to expect:
- Bridging visa: the department may grant you a bridging visa that allows you to stay lawfully while the permanent application is processed. The type of bridging visa and whether you can work depend on a number of factors.
- Health examinations: the department will tell you when to arrange them and will give you a health identifier (HAP ID).
- Biometrics: you and any family members in Australia included in the application will need to provide a digital photograph of your face and a scan of your fingerprints; the department will contact you about timing.
- Interview: if one is required, it is usually conducted by videoconference, and you will be given instructions on how to join. Interviews cover your situation, why you are applying, your family, and the information in your application.
- Support: if you have submitted a valid application, you might be able to get financial or other assistance from the Status Resolution Support Services (SRSS) program.
Because the department may decide on the information already provided, treat the interview as a clarification opportunity rather than your first chance to present claims.
What if you miss a biometrics appointment or an interview?
Consequences differ. If you do not let the department collect biometrics, your application will be invalid and cannot be considered; if a bridging visa was granted when you applied, it ends 35 days after you are notified the application is invalid, and you then become unlawful.
If you do not attend a scheduled interview, the department can decide the application on the information available at the time. If you cannot attend, tell the department as soon as possible — rescheduling may be considered.
How do you fix mistakes or report changes later?
Tell the department as soon as you can if you made a mistake: complete Form 1023 and upload it to ImmiAccount.
You also need to notify changes after applying, including changes to your name, phone number, email, address or passport; changes to your marital or de facto status; pregnancy; the birth of a child; a death in your family; and if you want to withdraw your application.
What does the decision letter tell you?
If the visa is granted, the visa grant notification letter sets out your visa grant number, when the visa was granted, any visa conditions, and information on topics including ImmiCards, travel, living in Australia, the Translating and Interpreting Service, client service information, torture and trauma counselling services, and other government services. Keep a copy in a safe place.
If the application is refused, the refusal notification letter tells you why it was refused, your review rights with the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART), and the time limit for lodging an application for review. The department states that the application fee is not refunded if the application is refused.
After a refusal, you do not have a lawful right to stay in Australia if your Protection visa application has been finally determined by the department or a merits review tribunal, you do not engage Australia's protection obligations, and you do not hold another visa. You must then return home or to another country where you have a right of entry; if you do not depart voluntarily and become unlawful, the department will take steps to remove you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I lodge subclass 866 on paper or by email?
No. The department states Protection visa applications must be lodged online through ImmiAccount. There is no paper lodgement route described on the official page.
Is there a fee, and do I get it back if refused?
You must pay the visa application charge when you apply, and the department will not process the application until it is paid. The official page does not publish an amount in the steps reviewed here, and it states the application fee is not refunded if the application is refused.
What is the TRN for?
The Transaction Reference Number is the reference the department tells you to keep a record of when you lodge online. It is the identifier tied to your lodgement in ImmiAccount.
Do I have to be in Australia when I apply?
The listed process requires you to have arrived legally in Australia on a valid visa, and the application is made online through ImmiAccount. Family members added after lodgement must also be in Australia.
Can I add family members after I have submitted?
Only a spouse or de facto partner, or a dependent child, of someone who has already applied. They must be in Australia, eligible for the visa, and your application must not yet be decided; you use Form 1436 and attach relationship evidence to ImmiAccount.
Will I get a bridging visa and can I work while I wait?
The department may grant a bridging visa so you can stay lawfully while the permanent application is processed. Whether you can work, and which bridging visa you receive, depends on a number of factors set out by the department rather than a fixed rule.
What if I made a mistake on my application?
Complete Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers and upload it to ImmiAccount as soon as you can. The same applies to changes in your circumstances after lodgement, such as a new address, passport, or a change in marital status.