Form 842: Application for an Offshore Humanitarian Visa

What Form 842 covers

Form 842 is the application used for Australia's offshore Refugee and Humanitarian (Class XB) visa, which is assessed against five subclasses: Refugee (subclass 200), In-country Special Humanitarian (subclass 201), Global Special Humanitarian (subclass 202), Emergency Rescue (subclass 203), and Woman at Risk (subclass 204). Which subclass applies depends on the applicant's specific circumstances — where they are, the nature of the risk they face, and in some cases whether they have a proposer in Australia.

All of these are offshore visas: applicants must be outside Australia at the time of application. Someone already in Australia seeking protection uses a different pathway — the onshore Protection visa (subclass 866), covered in our separate guide to Form 866.

Who these subclasses are for

The Refugee subclass (200) is for people who are outside their home country, facing persecution, and in need of resettlement, generally identified and referred through UNHCR processes. The In-country Special Humanitarian (201) covers people who are still in their home country but facing persecution there. The Global Special Humanitarian (202) is for people subject to substantial discrimination amounting to gross violation of their human rights, and generally requires a proposer in Australia — an eligible individual, family or organisation who lodges Form 681 alongside the applicant's Form 842 (see our Form 681 guide). The Emergency Rescue (203) and Woman at Risk (204) subclasses apply in specific, more urgent circumstances defined by Home Affairs' own guidance.

This is necessarily a high-level summary. Eligibility for any of these subclasses is a matter for a proper assessment against current Home Affairs criteria and, in practice, is very often handled through UNHCR referral or an established resettlement pathway rather than a person applying independently and unassisted.

Cost

There is generally no visa application charge for subclasses 200, 201, 203 and 204. Subclass 202 is also generally free of charge, with one exception: applicants proposed through the Community Support Program (CSP) by an Approved Proposing Organisation are subject to a different, separate fee structure connected to that program, reflecting its distinct settlement-support model. The Australian Government also covers the cost of the required medical and health examinations for these visas. Travel to Australia is not government-funded — visa holders or their supporters generally need to cover travel costs themselves.

How the application is lodged

From 1 July 2025, applications under the Global Special Humanitarian (subclass 202) stream moved to an online lodgement process through ImmiAccount, requiring both Form 842 and, where applicable, Form 681 to be completed electronically. Refugee and other humanitarian subclass applications are commonly progressed through UNHCR referral rather than a direct, unassisted lodgement by the applicant.

Because the pathway into this program is largely referral-based and the assessment genuinely case-specific, this page describes what the form is — it does not walk through how to complete it, and nothing here should be read as guidance on presenting an individual claim.

Where to get real help — before anything else

If you are considering an application under this program, or supporting someone who is, the responsible first step is contacting UNHCR directly or a recognised community legal service, not a search engine or a paid agent. UNHCR Australia maintains information on free legal help at help.unhcr.org, and organisations like the Refugee Advice & Casework Service (RACS) and the Immigration Advice and Rights Centre (IARC) provide free, specialist assistance with humanitarian and protection matters in their service areas. National Legal Aid's network of state and territory Legal Aid offices is another free starting point.

Migratio matches applicants with MARA-registered migration agents for a wide range of visa matters, but for offshore humanitarian applications specifically, free official and community-legal channels are the right first call — many humanitarian applicants are eligible for no-cost assistance, and there is no reason to pay for help before checking what's available for free.

Protecting yourself from migration fraud

People navigating humanitarian pathways are, unfortunately, a known target for migration fraud — individuals or businesses claiming they can guarantee a visa outcome, charging for services that are actually free, or offering to "fast-track" an application. Any person in Australia providing immigration assistance for a fee is legally required to be registered with the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA) unless a specific exemption applies. You can verify anyone's registration for free using our MARA agent lookup tool before paying for or trusting any advice. If someone guarantees a specific outcome or discourages you from seeking free legal help first, treat that as a warning sign.

What subclasses does Form 842 cover?

Five offshore humanitarian subclasses: Refugee (200), In-country Special Humanitarian (201), Global Special Humanitarian (202), Emergency Rescue (203), and Woman at Risk (204). All require the applicant to be outside Australia and outside their home country.

Is there a fee for Form 842?

Generally no visa application charge applies to subclasses 200, 201, 202, 203 or 204, other than a separate fee structure that applies to subclass 202 applicants proposed through the Community Support Program by an Approved Proposing Organisation. The Australian Government also covers required medical examination costs.

Can I apply for Form 842 from inside Australia?

No. These are offshore visas and the applicant must be outside Australia at the time of application. Someone in Australia seeking protection uses a different visa — the onshore Protection visa (subclass 866). See our Form 866 guide.

Do I need a proposer for a Global Special Humanitarian (202) application?

Generally yes. The 202 subclass requires an eligible proposer in Australia — an individual, family or organisation — to complete Form 681 alongside the applicant's Form 842. See our Form 681 guide for who can propose.

Where can I get free help with a humanitarian visa application?

Start with UNHCR (help.unhcr.org for free legal help listings) or a community legal centre such as the Refugee Advice & Casework Service (RACS) or the Immigration Advice and Rights Centre (IARC) in their service areas, or your state or territory Legal Aid office. Free assistance is available and should be your first call.