Training manual · Australia · Residence & Other

Temporary Protection visa (TPV) (subclass 785)

People owed protection who arrived unlawfully - a temporary protection status.

Temporary (3 yrs)Residence & OtherOnshore

Overview Process flow Eligibility checklist Document checklist Cost checklist Qualification checklist Eligible cases Refusal cases Self-exam

1. Overview

Know these facts cold before the first client conversation - they are also what the exam below tests. Temporary - policy on permanent resolution of this cohort has changed over time; seek current advice.

Visa typeTemporary (3 yrs)

LodgementOnshore

Stay3 years

Work rightsUnlimited

Study rightsYes

Government charge~$45

Processing timeVaries

2. Process flow

The handling sequence for a 785 file, from first consultation to decision. Each step assumes the one before it is genuinely finished - not "mostly done".

Take the claims seriously and early
Protection work is specialist work. Take detailed instructions on the claims: who fears what, from whom, and why the home state cannot protect them.
Cohort check
This visa is for people who arrived unlawfully (e.g. unauthorised maritime arrivals). The TPV is 3 years and temporary - policy on this cohort shifts; verify the current settings before advising.
Prepare the statement of claims
A detailed, consistent, chronological statement with country-condition evidence. Inconsistency between interview and statement is the main credibility killer.
Lodge and prepare for interview
Prepare the client thoroughly for the protection interview.
Decision and review rights
Brief on review options and deadlines if refused.

3. Eligibility checklist

Every box must be confirmable with evidence, not the client's say-so, before you advise that the 785 is viable.

Engage Australia's protection obligationsArrived unlawfully (e.g. unauthorised maritime arrival)Meet identity, security, health and character requirements

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4. Document checklist

The lodgement pack. Aim for decision-ready: a case officer should be able to grant without asking for anything further.

Valid passport biodata page for every applicant - check expiry against expected processing timeCertified identity documents: birth certificate, national ID, any change-of-name evidencePolice certificates for every country the client lived in for 12+ months in the last 10 years (since turning 16)Health examinations with an approved panel physician when requested (record the HAP ID)Form 956 appointing you as the registered agent, signed before you deal with the DepartmentDetailed statement of claims: who fears what, from whom, and why state protection is unavailableIdentity documents (or a credible explanation for their absence)Country-condition and corroborating evidence specific to the claims

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5. Cost checklist

Quote the full stack, in writing, before the client signs. Surprise costs are the fastest way to lose a client's trust (and earn a complaint).

Item	Indicative amount
Base visa application charge (2025-26, indicative)	~$45
Health examinations (where requested)	~$300-500
Police certificates	~$42-150 each
Your professional fee	Per your agency's schedule - quote in writing before Form 956
Rule of thumb	Government charges usually change every 1 July - re-quote any file that lodges after 30 June

6. Qualification checklist

Run this in the first consultation, before taking a retainer. It screens the client, not the visa: history, hard stops and honesty come first.

Full visa history for every applicant: refusals, cancellations and overstays anywhere in the world - undisclosed history is a PIC 4020 problem that surfaces at the worst timeIf onshore: what visa they hold now, its expiry, any 8503/8534 'no further stay' condition, and any section 48 bar from a refusalHealth: significant medical conditions in the family unit (for permanent visas the health requirement can apply to non-migrating dependants too)Character: criminal history anywhere, ever - a substantial criminal record is a hard stopIdentity: names and dates consistent across every document the client holdsMoney: the client understands the full cost stack and your fee before signing anythingConfirm: Engage Australia's protection obligationsConfirm: Arrived unlawfully (e.g. unauthorised maritime arrival)Confirm: Meet identity, security, health and character requirements

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7. Case studies - eligible cases

Illustrative composites showing what a grantable 785 file looks like in practice.

Grant: Ngoc from Sri Lanka

Background: Ngoc, a community worker from Sri Lanka. People owed protection who arrived unlawfully - a temporary protection status.
Why it qualified: (1) Engage Australia's protection obligations. (2) Arrived unlawfully (e.g. unauthorised maritime arrival). (3) Meet identity, security, health and character requirements.
What made the file strong: Dates, names and figures matched across every document - no internal inconsistencies to trigger checks.
Outcome: Granted within the indicative processing window (Varies).

Grant: Omar from India

Background: Omar, a long-term permanent resident from India. People owed protection who arrived unlawfully - a temporary protection status.
Why it qualified: (1) Engage Australia's protection obligations. (2) Arrived unlawfully (e.g. unauthorised maritime arrival). (3) Meet identity, security, health and character requirements.
What made the file strong: Every claim was evidenced before lodgement - nothing was left 'to follow'.
Outcome: Granted within the indicative processing window (Varies).

8. Case studies - refusal cases

The same visa, handled badly. Every one of these failure modes is screenable at the first consultation.

Refusal: Priya from Colombia

Background: Priya, a hospitality worker from Colombia, engaged an agent late and pushed for a fast lodgement of the 785.
What went wrong: Complex, policy-sensitive cohort - get current advice
Outcome: The refusal went to review: another year, more cost, and no certainty the outcome changes.
Lesson for the agent: Put this issue on the document checklist on day one and refuse to lodge until it is closed out.

Refusal: Rahul from Iran

Background: Rahul, a warehouse supervisor from Iran, engaged an agent late and pushed for a fast lodgement of the 785.
What went wrong: Identity/security checks
Outcome: The application was refused, and the refusal must now be declared on every future application, for any country.
Lesson for the agent: Apply the decision-ready test: if you cannot evidence the claim today, the application is not ready to lodge.

9. Self-exam

10 questions drawn from this manual. Pass mark 80%. Answers are graded on the server and your result is recorded against your agent profile - retakes are unlimited and your best score is kept. Log in to the agent portal first so your result is saved to My trainings.

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