Emergency Relief Support for Temporary Visa Holders is sponsored by Australian Red Cross. Australian Red Cross provides limited emergency relief to some people on temporary visas who are experiencing financial hardship and vulnerability, to help with basic needs like food, shelter, and medicine.

Emergency relief support for temporary visa holders | Australian Red Cross Migration services and support Support for temporary visa holders, people applying for protection and people with an uncertain visa status to help meet their basic needs.

Emergency relief for bushfire-affected communities January 2026 Victorian Government Emergency Relief Payment Immediate financial help for eligible Victorians experiencing extreme financial hardship due to the Victorian bushfires. For more information and to apply, visit the Victorian Government website , call the VicEmergency Hotline 1800 226 226 or visit an Emergency Relief Centre .

Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment A lump sum payment to help people affected by the Victorian bushfires. For more information, visit the Services Australia website . Australian Government Disaster Recovery Allowance Applications for the Disaster Recovery Allowance will open at 2pm on Thursday 15 January 2026.

For more information, visit the Services Australia website . We understand that people on temporary visas can face unexpected challenges and financial hardship. Australian Red Cross provides limited emergency relief to some people on temporary visas who are experiencing financial hardship and vulnerability.

Emergency relief is a small one-off payment of around $200 to help you with your basic needs like food, shelter and medicine. In some circumstances, the exact amount may differ. We have limited funding and we receive a high number of applications from across Australia.

For this reason, we must prioritise support for people with the least access to income, services, and support networks. You hold a temporary visa. Are over 18 years of age.

You are living in Australia. You meet our financial hardship threshold and are experiencing vulnerability (e.g., unable to meet basic needs such as food, housing, or medical care). Please note that New Zealand citizens are not eligible as they have broader access to services and work rights in Australia.

What we consider in our assessment To make fair and consistent decisions, we look at several factors, including: Your visa conditions (e.g., work rights and access to government support). Your ability to earn income or access other financial support. Your English language proficiency and ability to navigate services.

Whether you have family, community, or other support networks in Australia. The overall impact of your circumstances on your health and wellbeing. Who is less likely to be eligible Based on available funding and program priorities, people who hold certain visas may not meet the threshold for financial hardship and vulnerability.

You may not be eligible if you: Have work rights and the ability to support yourself (e.g., skilled, student and working holiday visa holders).

You were granted a visa based on evidence that you can support yourself during your stay (e.g., visitor visa holders) We acknowledge that anyone can face difficulty, however, this program is designed to assist people who have very limited options for support due to situations such as their visa conditions, isolation, or other barriers. Why is eligibility so restricted?

Our emergency relief program is small and largely funded internally by Red Cross, although we do have a small Government funded program in Victoria . We aim to help as many people as possible, but due to high demand across the country and limited resources, we prioritise people who are in the most vulnerable situations and who have no other support options. If you’re not sure, you can still submit an application.

Please note that due to high demand and limited resources, applications that don’t meet the eligibility threshold may not receive support. Make sure you have read the Eligibility Guidelines Information and documentation you need before you start Red Cross uses a Document Verification Service to verify identity. You will need to provide information from one of the following: Passport number or other travel document number.

If you are applying for a protection visa, further evidence such as an acknowledgement letter from Immigration or letter from a legal service/support agency. If you are unsure or do not have a current visa select ‘uncertain’ and we will contact you for a confidential discussion. Red Cross does not share personal or visa information with the government.

Bank statement with 30-day transaction listing You must provide transaction listings over the last 30 days for all bank accounts held by you and your partner (if you have one). Transaction listings should include your name, BSB and account name. Please download your transaction listings from the banks app or website and upload the pdf to your application – please do not upload screenshots.

If you need help with downloading a statement with a list of transactions download this document . For your own security, do not upload a credit card statement or a bank statement that contains a credit card number. Submitting the above information will help us process your application as quickly as possible.

If we need to ask you for missing information, this will delay the process. To start, we'll check you are eligible for Red Cross emergency relief. If you are eligible, you will be able to apply.

You must confirm that all information provided to Red Cross is true and correct. If your application contains information or documentation believed to be false or misleading, including concealing any relevant circumstances, it will be declined. If you have applied for emergency relief with Red Cross before, please use the same username and password to login.

If your health or safety is in danger now, call 000 . 13 11 14 - Lifeline Crisis Support 1800 737 732 (1800 RESPECT) – Family & Domestic Violence 1800 55 1800 - Kids Helpline The Leaving Violence Program supports people leaving a partner who uses violence with financial and other supports.

DSS Service Directory – search for DSS Emergency Relief providers in your area (theres a link behind DSS Service Directory) AskIzzy – search for support by suburb If you can access your savings, or support from home, please do so. If you think you or someone you know is being exploited at work in Australia, help is available.

Visit our Work Right Hub » Information for service providers Service providers can help a person to apply via the online portal. If you are supporting someone to apply, do not use your work email address; applications must be made using the applicant’s personal email. If the client does not currently have an email address, please support them to open a new one.

Red Cross pays our respects to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander custodians of the country where we work, and to Elders, past, present and emerging. Learn about our Reconciliation Action Plan and how we can all make reconciliation real . This website may contain the images, voices or names of people who have passed away.