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I claimed asylum before passport control not after

This experience came to my attention today. I am publishing with the permission of the writer. I have made some minor grammar and spelling corrections as requested by the writer.

I came in Australia in August 2012 with a visa which I received from Australian embassy in Moscow however I’m considered as an illegal arrival by the Department of Immigration because I claimed asylum before passport control not after, my visa been cancelled and I was pronounced non legal non citizen and placed in Villawood Detention Centre for 6 month with my then 4 years old daughter.

So technically I wasn’t ” immigration cleared ”  – I don’t have an entry stamp of Australia in my Russian passport, as the officials from the DIBP saying this is why I was issued with temporary protection visa in February 2014 instead of permanent one. Australian government twists the laws as they please in their favour, same as any politicians in any country of the world, they are not different.

I fulfilled all the required criteria to come to Australia by plane, with passport and visa but not, that’s not enough for them, they are saying I should have claimed asylum after passport control not before, I should have claimed asylum once I’ve got entry stamp in my passport . What a nonsense?? Then in 2012 I didn’t know that Scott Morrison will change the law and will want those who arrive in Australia first be stamped with entry stamp in their passport and only after that claim asylum. Do you imagine absurdness of the situation? Isn’t it that the potential asylum seekers should ask for help on the first possible opportunity, not after having passport being stamped? Any judge will put under doubt asylum seeker’s claim should he or she not to apply for protection immediately upon arrival. The new requirement imposed by Scott Morrison first pass passport control, stamp your passport with entry stamp, then claim asylum doesn’t make sense. Put yourself in shoes of the asylum seekers who fled danger. Will you wait or you will ask for help immediately upon arrival?

Even in theory if I’ll have a child born in Australia my child will not be an Australian citizen because my temporary protection visa doesn’t allow me to become a permanent resident ever. By Australian law children born in Australia can be Australian citizens only if at least one of the child’s parents is either an Australian citizen or permanent resident visa holder. I don’t know what will happen with my daughter who’s 6 now. Because of Scott Morrison’s stupid laws my daughter won’t became an Australian citizen though she speaks now with an Ozy accent and she’s no different from yours or Scott Morrison kids. I’m working like a slave in Australia six days a week paying my taxes in this country and I have a feeling that I was treated like a second class sh.t by Scott Morrison after all without clear future for me and my little daughter. What alternative do I and my daughter have? Go back to where we came from? Go back to Putin’s Russia? Or be in Australia on TPV with no clear future, without any opportunity of becoming one day Australians? It’s f.cking pissing me off!

The new Australian government policy aimed not only at “boat people” to fight people smugglers but even at those who came in this country by air, with visa and didn’t pay money to any people smugglers . It’s pure stupidity of the Australian government I have no other term to describe their stupid laws! I have two refugee review tribunal decisions in my favour but who cares? Australian government doesn’t give a damn on court decisions at all!

I personally find the subtle distinction of getting a stamp in one’s passport before claiming asylum nothing more than bureaucratic bullshit. What do you think of this treatment of people? This story reminds me very much of the Punitive and deterrent delays of spouses and children of refugees granted protection that I highlighted in February. I find the treatment of this person totally unacceptable based on the information available

2 comments on “I claimed asylum before passport control not after

  1. Just typical of the insensitive, hateful and xenophobic attitudes being promoted by this evil Government!

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