Do I need to sign the Australian Values Statement for Subclass 200 in 2026?
Answers whether Subclass 200 applicants aged 18 or over must sign the Australian Values Statement, and what to read before travelling.
Yes — if you are 18 years of age or older, you must sign or accept the Australian Values Statement as part of a Subclass 200 (Refugee visa) application. According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs official page "Refugee category visas (Subclass 200, 201, 203 and 204)", as at the August 2026 version of that page, signing or accepting the statement is how you confirm that you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws. This article is general information only and is not advice tailored to your circumstances; for your own situation, rely on the current official page or on advice from a qualified professional.
Who has to sign it, and what are you actually confirming?
The requirement is age-based. Applicants who are 18 years of age or older must confirm two things: that they will respect the Australian way of life, and that they will obey Australian laws. The confirmation happens at the point you sign or accept the Australian Values Statement, so it is part of the application itself rather than a separate step taken later.
Applicants under 18 are not covered by this specific item on the eligibility list. In practice, a family application can therefore include some members who sign and some who do not, depending on their age at the relevant time.
Where does the values statement sit among the other Subclass 200 requirements?
The statement is one item on a longer list. The same official page sets out the other core requirements for this visa:
| Requirement | What the official page says |
|---|---|
| Location | You can't apply for this visa in Australia — you must be living outside Australia |
| Reason for resettlement | You need resettlement because you face persecution in your home country |
| Health | You and any family members applying with you must meet the health requirement; family members who don't apply with you might also have to |
| Character | You and any family members applying with you must meet the character requirement; family members who don't apply with you might also have to |
| Australian Values Statement | If you are 18 or older, you must confirm you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws |
| Debt to the Australian Government | You or any family members, including those who don't apply with you, must have paid back or arranged to pay back any money owed |
The health requirement may be waived if you have compassionate and compelling circumstances. No such waiver is described for the values statement.
Is signing the statement the same as meeting the character requirement?
No. They are listed separately on the official page and they do different work. The character requirement is a distinct criterion that you and any family members applying with you must meet, and family members who do not apply with you might also have to meet. The values statement is a confirmation about how you intend to live in Australia — respect for the Australian way of life and obedience to Australian laws.
The practical overlap is that both are about conduct, but satisfying one does not, on the face of the official page, satisfy the other.
What should you read before you leave for Australia?
The official page directs successful applicants to the Life in Australia booklet, which covers Australian history, culture, society and values. It is listed under "Before you leave", so it is positioned as pre-departure reading rather than application material.
Two settlement services are also described on the page:
- Australian Cultural Orientation (AUSCO) Program — a 5-day program, free and open to all humanitarian visa holders over the age of 5. It is delivered overseas and is intended to give you an understanding of life in Australia before you arrive.
- Humanitarian Settlement Program — a free service operating across Australia that contacts you when your visa is approved, focused on helping you learn English and gain education or work skills.
Reading the booklet and, where available, attending AUSCO are consistent with what the values statement asks you to confirm, but the official page does not make either a condition of the visa itself.
What changes once the visa is granted?
You must arrive in Australia by the date specified in the letter sent to you when the visa was granted. Before departure, you and any family members travelling with you may be required to have a health check in the 72 hours before you leave; the Australian Government covers the cost of that check, and you must agree to follow up on any health conditions after you arrive.
On the visa, you can stay permanently, work and study, enrol in Medicare, and travel to and from Australia for 5 years from the date of grant. After those 5 years you need a Resident Return visa (subclass 155) to re-enter Australia. You and your family members must obey all Australian laws — the same obligation the values statement asks you to confirm in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do 17-year-olds need to sign the Australian Values Statement?
No, not on the basis of the age threshold stated on the official page. The requirement applies to applicants who are 18 years of age or older. A younger applicant is still covered by other criteria, including the health and character requirements.
Do family members applying with me also have to sign?
The requirement is framed by age rather than by role in the application. Any applicant who is 18 or older signs or accepts the statement; family members under 18 are not caught by this item, though they may still need to meet the health and character requirements.
Is there a separate form, or is the statement part of the application?
The official page describes the confirmation as happening "when you sign or accept the Australian Values Statement". It is presented as an eligibility requirement within the application, not as a later or separate procedure.
Does signing guarantee that the visa will be granted?
No. The statement is one of several criteria on the official page, alongside being outside Australia, facing persecution in your home country, and meeting the health, character and debt requirements. Meeting one criterion does not by itself determine the outcome of the application.
If the health requirement can be waived, can the values statement be waived too?
The official page mentions a waiver only for the health requirement, in cases of compassionate and compelling circumstances. No equivalent waiver is described for the values statement.
Does confirming the statement affect a later citizenship application?
The official page notes that for citizenship purposes, your permanent residency starts on the day you entered Australia on this visa, and that after a certain time you might be eligible for Australian citizenship. It does not describe the values statement as a separate citizenship test requirement.
References
- Australian Department of Home Affairs — Refugee category visas (Subclass 200, 201, 203 and 204)
- Australian Department of Home Affairs — Australian Values Statement and Life in Australia booklet
- Australian Department of Home Affairs — Australian Cultural Orientation (AUSCO) Program
- Australian Department of Home Affairs — Humanitarian Settlement Program
- Australian Department of Home Affairs — Resident Return visa (subclass 155)