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November 2010
Stronger protection visa decision-making
Protection visa decision-making will be assisted through the use of new country
guidance notes, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) announced
today.
“Assessing country conditions is complex,” a departmental spokesman said. “The
department has developed new country guidance notes as part of a range of measures
to assist in protection decision-making.”
The guidance notes are designed to enhance consistency, rigour and integrity in the use
of country information for the individual assessment of each case.
Guidance notes for Afghanistan and Sri Lanka have been finalised following consultation
with key stakeholders and notes for other key asylum seeker source countries will follow.
Following a similar model used by the United Kingdom, the guidance notes draw on a
wide range of sources of current, relevant, publicly available country information. The
notes assist decision-makers to identify relevant and credible country information to
investigate the key claims raised by clients.
“The guidance notes form part of a suite of decision-making tools used in conjunction
with applicant interviews, the refugee law guidelines, credibility assessment guidelines,
the protection visa procedures manual and the refugee status assessment manual,” the
spokesman said.
The issues for consideration identified are relevant to real claims made by clients, rely on
a balanced and transparent reading of reliable country information and make reference
to existing case law, where applicable.
Decision-makers will continue to assess each case individually and make a balanced
assessment based on the individual merits of each case, taking into account all relevant
considerations.
The notes will be updated regularly to ensure they contain current information on the
human rights situation in relevant countries.
The guidance notes are available on the Department of Immigration and Citizenship
NEWS 
