Subclass 790 document checklist: identity, protection claims and relationship evidence (2026)

For a Safe Haven Enterprise visa (SHEV, subclass 790) application, the Australian Department of Home Affairs asks for colour scans or photos of original and translated identity, nationality and citizenship documents; a written account of why you are seeking protection; evidence of the relationship between every person included in the application; military service records where anyone in the application has served in the armed forces of any country; and copies of any visas or residence permits held. Police certificates are also required from each country you have lived in for 12 months or more during the past 10 years after you turned 16 — excluding the country you are claiming protection from — but the official page instructs applicants not to arrange police certificates until asked. This reflects the Safe Haven Enterprise visa (subclass 790) page published by the Australian Department of Home Affairs, as of the August 2026 official page. It is general information about how these requirements are structured, not advice on any individual case; where your circumstances differ, the official wording and any professional advice you choose to obtain should govern.

How does the department actually use the documents you lodge?

The starting point is the department's own statement that it "can make a decision on your application using the information you provide when you lodge your application." Documents are not a formality that buys you time — they are the record the decision is made on. The same page warns that the department may make its decision on the information provided and that you may not get another opportunity to present your claims, even though an interview may be requested.

That framing changes how a checklist should be assembled. Each document is doing one of three jobs: establishing who you are, substantiating the claims you are making, or defining who else is covered by the application. Material that does none of those three jobs adds volume without adding weight.

Document group	What it proves	What the official page asks for
Identity, nationality and citizenship	Who you are, which state you are a national of, and how your name has changed	Colour scans or photos of original and translated documents; passports, birth certificate, national identity card, driver's licence, change-of-name proof
Claims for protection	Why you left, why you cannot return, and whether Australia's protection obligations are engaged	Answers to every question on the form, plus documentation supporting the claims wherever possible
Relationships	Who is in the family unit and whether dependants over 18 are dependent on you	Birth, notarial and marriage certificates; financial documents; de facto undertakings; dependency evidence
Character and ancillary	Whether criminal-record and military-service checks can be completed	Military records or discharge papers; police certificates on request; copies of visas or residence permits

What do identity, nationality and citizenship documents prove, and why are they three separate questions?

The department lists them as one linked concept but the three elements answer different questions: identity is who you are, nationality is which country you belong to, and citizenship is the legal status that connects you to it. A birth certificate and a national identity card may establish nationality; a driver's licence may only corroborate a name and photograph. Because the three questions can be answered by different documents, the official page asks you to supply any other documents that support identity, nationality or citizenship rather than treating one document as conclusive.

Documents that prove a change of name include a marriage or divorce certificate, change of name documents from an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages or the relevant overseas authority, and documents that show other names you have been known by. The point of these is continuity: a decision-maker needs to be able to follow one person across records issued under different names.

The identity requirements also feed other parts of the assessment. The department states it uses information collected about identity when assessing protection claims and completing character and security checks, and it may ask for biometrics — a scan of fingerprints and a digital photograph of your face — if you have not provided them before.

What if you have no passport or travel documents?

The official page addresses this directly: if you cannot provide these documents, provide a statement with your application explaining why you have no travel or identity documents. A statement is not a substitute of equal value, so it should do the work a missing document would have done — name the document you cannot obtain, explain why it is unobtainable, and identify what other evidence you have offered instead.

Cooperation on identity is treated as an applicant responsibility. The Safe Haven Enterprise visa (subclass 790) page published by the Australian Department of Home Affairs states that you may be required to provide documents as evidence of your identity, nationality or citizenship, and that it is your responsibility to cooperate so identity checks can be completed.

What shape do protection claims need to take?

The application form asks you to provide all the details about why you are seeking protection, and the department asks you to answer every question, submitting additional information attached to the application if the form does not give enough space. The questions listed on the official page map onto distinct legal elements rather than a single narrative:

What country are you seeking protection from?
Why did you leave that country?
Why are you unable to return to that country?
Have you experienced harm in that country? If so, what is the harm you have experienced?
Who caused the harm to you?
What do you fear might happen to you if you return?
Why do you think this will happen to you if you return?
Is there an area in that country where you would not be harmed? Would you be able to relocate there?
Are the authorities in your country able to protect you?
When did you leave your home country?
How did you get to Australia?

Under the Migration Act 1958, you must be a refugee or meet the complementary protection criteria, and Australia must not return people to their home country where there is a risk they may suffer harm because they engage Australia's protection obligations. Answering each question in the list above is how the department tests that.

Assume an applicant whose claim rests on harm by a local group rather than the national government. The "who caused the harm" and "are the authorities able to protect you" answers then carry most of the weight, and documents about that group and about any attempt to seek official help are more probative than general country material. The same logic applies to the relocation question: evidence showing an internal relocation option is unrealistic does more work than repeating the account of past harm.

Which supporting evidence should be attached to those claims?

The official page does not prescribe a fixed list. It asks you to provide any documents or evidence you think will support your claims for protection, and to attach all relevant documents to your ImmiAccount. Relevance to your own account is therefore the selection test, not quantity.

The same principle applies to the rest of the form. It asks for education, work, travel, relationship and address history, and you are told to include all information so there are no gaps in the timelines — for example, recording a period of unemployment so the gap between jobs is explained. An unexplained gap is not neutral; it invites questions about identity and credibility that unrelated documents will not answer.

What relationship evidence is needed for family members in the application?

The department asks for documents or evidence supporting the relationship between each person in the application, giving these examples: birth certificates, notarial certificates, marriage certificates, financial documents and undertakings for de facto relationships, financial documents evidencing that dependants over the age of 18 are dependent on you, and any other evidence supporting relationships between applicants. The requirement appears both for people included at lodgement and for family members added later.

The distinction that matters is between status and dependency. A marriage or birth certificate establishes a legal relationship; financial documents and undertakings establish that a de facto relationship exists and that an adult dependant is actually dependent. Where an adult child or other dependant over 18 is included, the financial evidence is the load-bearing part.

Which documents should you not arrange yet?

Two categories are frequently handled in the wrong order.

Police certificates are required from each country you have lived in for 12 months or more during the past 10 years after you turned 16, other than a country from which you are claiming protection. The official page states: "Do not arrange for police certificates until we ask you." Arranging them early risks holding certificates that expire before they are assessed.

Health examinations are also sequenced by the department. You will receive a health identifier (HAP ID) and information about how to arrange your examinations after you lodge; you are told when you need them rather than arranging them yourself. Biometrics follow the same pattern — the department may ask you to provide them, or may not ask again if you have already provided them. If you do not let the department collect biometrics, the application will be invalid and cannot be considered, and any bridging visa granted when you applied will end 35 days after you are notified the application is invalid.

Documents that are expected at lodgement rather than on request include military service records or discharge papers, where you or any other person in the application served in the armed forces of any country, and copies of any visas or residence permits held by you and each person included.

How does getting help affect what you sign and submit?

Only certain people can help. If you appoint someone to give you immigration assistance, they must be a registered migration agent, a legal practitioner, or an exempt person; you can appoint anyone to receive documents on your behalf. Appointments are made using Form 956 (Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person) for immigration assistance and Form 956A (Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient) for correspondence, uploaded to ImmiAccount.

The documentary consequence is that you remain responsible for the content. If a migration agent completes your application form, you must read and understand all the information included before signing it and before signing any statutory declaration, because you are responsible for any claims made in the form. The department specifically warns not to sign blank pages or documents even if asked to.

How do you lodge, and what happens to the fee?

Protection visa applications must be lodged online through ImmiAccount. The steps are to log in or create an ImmiAccount, attach documents, and pay the application fee — the department will not process the application until the fee is paid. One exception is stated: if you are in immigration detention when you apply and have not been immigration cleared, you do not have to pay the application fee. No fee amount is set out on the page, so the amount payable should be confirmed against the official page and the ImmiAccount form at the time of lodgement. If the application is refused, the department states it will not refund the application fee.

You can provide more relevant information in writing at any time until a decision is made, and if you did not provide all relevant documents when you applied, you are told to attach them as soon as possible in ImmiAccount. If you made a mistake, the correction route is Form 1023 (Notification of incorrect answers).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there an official document checklist outside the online form?

The department states that a list of documents that must be included with your application can be found in the online application form in ImmiAccount, while the visa page itself sets out the categories — identity, protection claims, relationships, character, and visas or residence permits. The in-form list should be read together with the category guidance on the visa page.

Do I need a police certificate from the country I am claiming protection from?

No. The requirement covers each country you have lived in for 12 months or more during the past 10 years after turning 16, other than a country from which you are claiming protection. The department also instructs applicants not to arrange police certificates until it asks.

Do documents have to be translated?

The official page asks for colour scans or photos of original and translated documents of identity, nationality and citizenship. Translation is therefore part of the document requirement rather than an optional extra, and the same approach should be assumed for evidence supporting protection claims.

Can I add documents after I have lodged the application?

Yes. You can provide more relevant information in writing at any time until a decision is made, and if you did not include all relevant documents when you applied, the department advises attaching them as soon as possible in ImmiAccount. For incorrect answers already given, the stated mechanism is Form 1023.

Will I automatically be interviewed about my claims?

No. The department may make its decision on the information provided in the application, and it states you may not get another opportunity to present your claims. If an interview is requested, you must make every reasonable effort to attend, as the application can otherwise be decided on the information available at the time.

Can family members be added to a subclass 790 application later?

Yes, before the application is decided. After submission you can only add a spouse or de facto partner, or a dependent child, of someone who has already applied, and only if they are in Australia, eligible to apply, and the application has not yet been decided. This is done with Form 1436 (Adding an additional applicant after lodgement) plus evidence of the relationship.

Does a bridging visa let me travel while the application is processed?

The department may grant a bridging visa allowing you to stay lawfully in Australia while the application is processed, with work rights depending on a number of factors. If you leave Australia before a SHEV is granted, the bridging visa expires and you cannot re-enter unless you hold another valid visa.