Subclass 866 character and security requirements in 2026
How Subclass 866 applicants meet Australia's character, security and values requirements, and what happens when those checks matter.
Yes — a Protection visa (Subclass 866) still has to clear Australia's character and security requirements. The Department of Home Affairs Protection visa (Subclass 866) official page lists "meet our character requirements" and "meet our security requirements" among the things you must do. Being a refugee, or engaging Australia's complementary protection criteria, is what puts you in the queue for this visa; character and security are separate gates you have to pass on the way to a grant.
What are the character requirements for a subclass 866 visa?
The visa page states plainly that you must meet certain character requirements, and points to the Department's character requirements page for the detail. The 866 page itself does not set out a list of offences, a test, or a threshold — it simply makes character a condition of the grant.
That distinction matters for how you read the rest of the process. Character is assessed as part of your application rather than ticked off by you in advance, so there is no single "character document" you lodge to discharge it.
What does the security requirement involve?
On security, the official page says that as part of the application process the Department will assess whether you meet Australia's security requirements for the grant of a protection visa. Again, the page does not describe the assessment method, and it does not say that you must supply a particular form.
What it does say is how the information reaches the assessors. The Protection visa (Subclass 866) official page explains that the Department may require documents as evidence of your identity, nationality or citizenship, and may ask you for biometrics — a scan of your fingerprints and a digital photograph of your face. The information collected about your identity is then used when assessing your protection claims and completing character and security checks.
So the practical sequence runs in one direction: identity evidence and biometrics feed the checks, and the checks feed the decision.
| Requirement | What the official page says | Who it applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Character | You must meet certain character requirements | Every applicant |
| Security | The Department will assess whether you meet Australia's security requirements for the grant | Every applicant |
| Australian Values Statement | You must have read (or had explained to you) the Life in Australia booklet and confirm you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws | Applicants aged 18 or over |
What happens if the checks are not clear?
Both requirements are framed as conditions of grant. If they are not met, the protection visa is not granted on that footing. The official page does not describe what then happens to a person's status or what further steps follow, and outcomes of that kind turn on individual circumstances; this article is general information only, not personalised advice, and your own situation should be checked against the official page or with a registered professional.
Who has to sign the Australian Values Statement?
The obligation is age-based. If you are 18 years of age or older, you must have read, or have had explained to you, the Life in Australia booklet, and you must confirm that you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws when you sign or accept the Australian Values Statement.
The visa page attaches this obligation to applicants aged 18 and over only. Character and security, by contrast, are stated without an age qualifier.
Before any of this: is your application valid at all?
Character and security checks only run on an application that can be made in the first place. The official page sets out several bars:
- You cannot make a valid permanent protection visa application if you have been refused a protection visa since your last arrival in Australia, or have had a protection visa cancelled since your last arrival.
- You must not hold, or have ever held, a Temporary Protection visa (subclass 785), Temporary Safe Haven visa (subclass 449), Temporary (Humanitarian Concern) visa (subclass 786), or Safe Haven Enterprise visa (subclass 790).
- You must have arrived in Australia while holding a visa that was in effect and have been immigration cleared on arrival. If you are an unauthorised maritime arrival, or a person who was not immigration cleared on last entry to Australia, you cannot make a valid application for this visa.
On the application bar, the page notes that the Minister has the power to lift a bar if it is determined to be in the public interest, and that the Department will let you know if a bar affects your Permanent Protection visa application.
Where identity checks sit in the timeline
Identity runs alongside everything else rather than after it. You may be asked for documents as evidence of your identity, nationality or citizenship, and the responsibility to cooperate and provide that evidence sits with you so the checks can be completed. Health examinations are a separate requirement again, arranged after you lodge your application once you have been given a health identifier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to meet character requirements for a subclass 866 visa?
Yes. The Department of Home Affairs Protection visa (Subclass 866) official page lists meeting character requirements as a condition, and points to its character requirements page for the detail. The 866 page does not spell out a test or a list of offences.
Is there a separate security check I have to apply for?
No separate application is described. The official page says the Department will assess whether you meet Australia's security requirements for the grant of a protection visa as part of the application process.
Why is the Department asking for my fingerprints and a photo?
These are biometrics, and the official page says the Department may ask for a scan of your fingerprints and a digital photograph of your face as part of your application. The information collected about your identity is used when assessing your protection claims and completing character and security checks.
Do I have to sign the Australian Values Statement if I am under 18?
The obligation on the official page applies to applicants aged 18 years or older. Applicants under 18 are not covered by that stated obligation, though the character and security requirements are stated without an age qualifier.
Do I have to read the Life in Australia booklet myself?
You must have read it, or have had it explained to you. Either satisfies the requirement on the official page, which also requires you to confirm you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws when you sign or accept the Australian Values Statement.
Can an application bar on a subclass 866 application ever be lifted?
The official page says the Minister has the power to lift any application bar if it is determined to be in the public interest. It also says the Department will let you know if a bar affects your Permanent Protection visa application.