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National Student Ombudsman Update:
The National Student Ombudsman commenced operations on 1 February 2025. For more information visit nso.gov.au.
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      If you need more translations, please contact us via: 1300 362 072 or ombudsman@ombudsman.gov.au

      National Student Ombudsman Update:
      The National Student Ombudsman commenced operations on 1 February 2025. For more information visit nso.gov.au.

      Immigration complaints

      What we can help you with:

      We investigate complaints about the administrative actions taken by the Department of Home Affairs or the Australian Border Force. These can include:

      More information is available for you on our frequently asked questions page.

      What we cannot help you with:

      We cannot help with complaints about:

      • decisions made by the Minister for the Department of Home Affairs
      • the Government’s immigration policy
      • visa refusal decisions.

      When we receive a complaint, we will assess it to decide what action to take. We may decide not to investigate a complaint if:

      • the matter complained about is more than 12 months old
      • you have not yet complained to the department, or
      • we are unlikely to obtain a better outcome for you.

      The Office will tell you the outcome of our assessment of your complaint. You will receive an explanation of the investigation process and what to do if you disagree with our decision.

      Click here for more information about making a complaint to our Office.



      Monitoring places of detention

      The Ombudsman is nominated as the Commonwealth National Preventive Mechanism under OPCAT, responsible for visiting places of detention under the control of the Commonwealth, including immigration detention centres.

      The Office also makes assessments on the appropriateness and conditions of people who have been in long-term immigration.

      Information on this work can be found on the Monitoring Places of Detention page.