Family member of a refugee and have applied for refugee status and travel document
How long must you wait?
We must first decide whether you can be granted a residence permit as a refugee. If you are, you will also get a travel document for refugees.
Most cases will be processed within 4 months, but some cases may also take longer.
It may take longer before you receive an answer if we are waiting for documentation. You may also have to wait longer if your family member with refugee status has a case in processing. This is because your family member must have a valid residence permit before we can consider if you can get a residence permit as a refugee.
Can my case be moved to the front of the queue?
Most applicants for protection want their case to be processed quickly. However, there must be highly exceptional reasons for your case to be moved ahead in the queue.
If you have received a rejection letter and you have appealed
We process appeals continuously. When we prcocess your appeal we will either grant your appeal and give you a residence permit, or forward your case to the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE) for consideration.
If we forward your appeal to UNE, you will be notified by email or SMS. You can find information on UNE’s website about how long it takes from UNE receives your appeal, until you receive an answer from them (external website).
This information was last updated on
24 April 2025
. It will be updated again on
22 May 2025
.