What Kind of Legal Help Does RACS Provide to People Seeking Asylum in Australia?

RACS (Refugee Advice & Casework Service) is an Australian nonprofit that provides free, trauma-informed legal support to refugees and people seeking asylum, regardless of nationality, religion or gender identity. Its core work is helping people navigate Australia's protection visa process, and it also assists refugees in Australia to reunite with separated family members. You can reach the service through the "Legal services" and "Contact us" links on racs.org.au.

What RACS actually does

Applying for protection in Australia is described by RACS as a complex and often cruel process. RACS focuses on the one form of help it says can give lasting safety: legal support. Its work has three strands:

• Individual legal help for people going through the asylum and protection visa process, delivered in a trauma-informed way.
• Family reunion assistance for refugees already in Australia who are separated from family.
• Policy advocacy for fairer and more humane asylum policies.

RACS states it has been fighting for refugee rights for almost 40 years.

Scale of the service (last 12 months)

The figures published on the RACS site give a concrete sense of what the service handles:

These numbers are useful for setting expectations: most requests are handled as requests for legal help, while a smaller share results in face-to-face advice.

Who it is for

RACS describes its legal help as available to people of all nationalities, religions and gender identities. In practice, the service is aimed at:

• People seeking asylum in Australia who are applying for protection.
• Refugees in Australia who need help with family reunion.

The client stories on the site illustrate the range of outcomes people associate with the service — from receiving legal support through the protection process to being granted a permanent protection visa, and from family reunion to simply being treated with empathy. One client, quoted under the pseudonym Hiva, described the support as "a voice, a hand, a bridge"; another, Maryam, said staff "didn't care where I am from. They just want to help."

How to get in touch

The site points to two entry points: Legal services and Contact us. Start with Legal services to understand what assistance is offered, then use Contact us to make an approach. The site does not publish details of eligibility criteria, wait times or appointment processes, so those questions are best raised directly with RACS when you contact them.

Other ways to engage

Beyond receiving legal help, the site lists three ways to support the work: donating ("Support us"), volunteering and pro bono work, and general contact. If you are a lawyer or student looking to contribute rather than receive help, the volunteering and pro bono route is the relevant one.

What to keep in mind

• RACS is a nonprofit legal service, not a general migration advice line; its stated focus is asylum and protection, plus family reunion for refugees.
• The published statistics are self-reported for the last 12 months and describe demand and reach, not guaranteed outcomes for any individual case.
• Because the site does not detail intake rules or timelines, treat any specific question about your own situation as something to confirm with RACS directly rather than inferring from the website.