Maryam’s Story
In 2012, Maryam and her family arrived in Australia with no protection, no support and no finances.
Fleeing Iran, Maryam had to begin the overwhelmingly complex process of applying for protection visas.
“Everything was very, very hard for the last few years,” she told RACS.
Maryam reached out to RACS for legal support in 2013. Since then, RACS has assisted the family to be recognised as refugees, in order to be granted protection. The legal process was as long as it was arduous, and the family experienced their fair share of setbacks.
Maryam’s application was rejected twice before both her and her daughter were finally recognised as refugees and were able to apply for protection visas.
Devastatingly, Maryam’s husband was refused recognition – and therefore a visa - again and again.
Through the RACS Judicial Review Program, Maryam’s husband made one final attempt at an appeal, and was granted a 5-year visa.
“I got my husband. My daughters got their father. I didn’t just get a visa. I got my family.”
In 2023, after 12 long years of waiting for permanency, Maryam was finally granted a permanent visa.
“It will be easier for us: when I get [protection] it’s a good feeling because nobody can tell me ‘you don’t have a visa’.”
“I’m very happy...RACS helped me. They didn’t care where I am from. They just want to help.”
Although the many years of the legal process took a huge toll on the family, the significance of a permanent visa enables the family to now apply for citizenship and achieve their long-held dreams of further education and opening their own business.
A permanent visa gives Maryam and her family the certainty they have been looking for since they left Iran.
Maryam’s husband works in the community and her children already go to school, but knowing they can stay means they can finally call Australia home and be safe forever.
RACS is so relieved that her permanent protection has been granted and grateful to the family for sharing their story.
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Afsaneh
RACS first met Afsaneh at one of our outreach events in Western Sydney, back in early 2017. It had already been several years since she had arrived in Australia and she was still in limbo.
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Aisha
Aisha*, living as a persecuted minority in her country, was granted a humanitarian visa and fled to Australia on her own. But after years of building a life here under the protection she was granted, Aisha’s status was abruptly deemed unlawful. Distressed about her situation, Aisha contacted RACS for help.
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Ali
At just 16 years old, Ali Haidari arrived in Australia alone, having fled his home country of Afghanistan. Ali was determined to build a future in Australia, but he understood that would be impossible without first being granted a protection visa.
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Emil
Emil arrived in Australia alone in 2002, after fleeing religious persecution in his home country. When he reached out to RACS for support in applying for protection, he didn’t know that same support that would extend to another family member, many years later.
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Jeanine
When Jeanine fled her home country in East Africa, she became separated from her two sons. After reaching out to RACS, she was granted a permanent visa and from there, was able to apply to be reunited with her children in Australia.
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Maggie
Maggie was born and grew up in Sierra Leone. As a soccer-loving student with big dreams, Maggie decided to forge a path in sports journalism.
As she was maturing into a professional and empowered individual, she became involved in advocating for the health of women and girls.
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Maryam
Maryam and her family arrived in Australia in 2012. With no protection, no support and no finances, the family’s situation seemed bleak. Read more to hear how RACS was able to assist Maryam to gain permanent safety in Australia.
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Mohsen
When Mohsen fled Iran in his early twenties, he didn’t expect to spend the next two years of his life detained on Christmas Island.
“There were lots of ups and down in that period,” he said. “But we were safe.”
