2115452 (Refugee)

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal considered an application for a protection visa made by a citizen of China. The applicant had previously left Australia, and the Tribunal was reviewing a decision not to grant the visa.

The primary legal issue before the Tribunal was whether the applicant satisfied the criterion that they be a non-citizen *in* Australia, as stipulated by section 36(2) of the *Migration Act 1958* (Cth) for the grant of a protection visa.

The Tribunal reasoned that a protection visa can only be granted if the applicant is physically present in Australia. Evidence from movement records indicated that the applicant had departed Australia in April 2022. The Tribunal notified the applicant of this information and invited a response, but no response was received. Consequently, the Tribunal was satisfied that the applicant was not in Australia and therefore did not meet the essential criterion under section 36(2) of the Act. As this criterion was not met, the Tribunal found it unnecessary to consider the applicant's substantive claims for protection.

The Tribunal affirmed the decision not to grant the applicant a protection visa.