Help refugee families to reunite

Help refugee families to reunite

Will you stand with us for refugee families torn apart?

In our communities there are refugees and people seeking asylum who’ve missed their kids’ entire childhoods. Can you imagine what that might feel like? 

For over a decade, many refugees in Australia have been separated from their family members. Many risked everything to come to Australia, secure a visa, and then arrange for their partners and children to join them in safety. 

The reality that met them in Australia was a life in limbo and indefinite separation from their loved ones. Now, even with access to permanent residency, Australia’s policies actively prevent these refugees from reuniting with their families. 

The forcible separation of refugee families is cruel and unnecessary, and we need to act now to end it. 

Your donation will help us continue lobbying the Australian Government to end deliberate punitive policies and help refugees reunite with their families.

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When the search for safety tears families apart 

Ali Jan and his family fled Afghanistan in 2005 following targeted killings in their hometown of Herat. They sought refuge in Iran but had no legal rights and lived in uncertainty. 

As Iran became increasingly dangerous, Ali Jan made a desperate choice: in 2012, he left his wife, Soraya, their daughter, Sitara, and infant son, Jamal, hoping to secure refugee protection for them all in Australia. 

After arriving in Australia, Ali Jan waited five years for a decision on his application. He was only granted a Temporary Protection Visa, which prevented him from travelling out of Australia without government permission. 

Now 23 years old, Sitara doesn’t qualify as a family dependent. Jamal has no memories of being held by his father. While Ali Jan and Soraya have spoken every day, the anguish of being separated has caused Ali Jan significant mental distress.  

With your support, we can continue to put pressure on the government to reform the family reunion system for refugees, enabling Ali Jan, his family and many more like them to reunite and rebuild their lives in safety and dignity. 

 

Donate today to help us lead this change

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The government policies keeping families separated

There are thousands of people who have been recognised as refugees in Australia but, until very recently, only received temporary protection.

These refugees were barred from visiting family members while they waited years for their applications to be assessed. They were then excluded from sponsoring their families once they were recognised as needing refugee protection. Even now, with permanent visas, their only path to family reunion is the exorbitantly expensive Migration Program, costing up to $20,000+ per family.

With their family members in critically dangerous situations overseas, many refugees here are experiencing increasing distress for their families and uncertainty around when they will be able to bring them to safety.

Your support is critical in reforming the family reunion system, and bringing an end to the deliberately punitive policies keeping refugee families apart.

Please donate today

The way forward for family reunion 

Our mission is to advocate for a fairer, faster, and more affordable family reunion system. Refugees and their families are asking for our support.  

Our Five-step Action Plan for family reunion is:

  1. We speak with refugees affected by family separation
  2. We work with lawyers and researchers to develop policy solutions to the problem of family separation
  3. We directly raise these concerns with Parliamentarians and the Minister for Immigration
  4. We propose detailed policy solutions to the Department of Home Affairs
  5. We continue to raise awareness among the public and share the stories of people living through the pain of family separation 

When you make a donation today, you will support our ongoing advocacy for families that have been subjected to cruel and unnecessary separation by a succession of Australian governments.

Please donate today