change religion

[Jims]

good morning everybody, i hope found my answer here, im Jordanian i live in australia with my wife by visa subclass 309, before one month i changed my religion from islam to christian and i cant come back because my tribes want to kill me if i come back to jordan , how the australian immigration can help me ?

 

can i go to UN offices and explain for them my story , can i apply for a refuge visa ?

[AJ]

Who's going to know, you dont look any different because you change your religion. You have a visa anyway so whats the problem?

[Guest]

To clarify, you are in Australia on a partner visa. This visa is current.

 

What does your religion have to do with you remaining in Aus? Or are you intending to travel back to Jordan in the future and are worried about what may happen once there?

[Jims]

me and my wife unhappy in our relation she told me we must divorce but i im already changed my religion so i cant come back my country after we divorce

[AJ]

For a month, am sure you can change it back again! Word wont have got out yet!

[Jims]

AJ why are you sure for that ?

[Guest]

Jims, reading this and other posts you really need to seek some advice from a legal channel about how best to proceed.

[newjez]

How long have you been here? Do you have permanent residency? Maybe you should give a timeline.

[Parley]

You could try.

Asylum seekers try all sorts of stories to try and claim asylum, so it might work.

 

Wortha try I suppose, although they will probably send you to Nauru.

[Quinkla]

Here's the Immi information about protection visas: http://www.immi.gov.au/visas/humanitarian/_pdf/seeking-protection-in-australia.pdf

 

I would recommend getting in touch with an agent or organisation that has experience of dealing with protection visas. You will be trying to convince people who tend to be quite sceptical.

[flag of convenience]

Changing religion is an old guise used I'm afraid. If Jordanian, I wonder why to fear a return. Jordon is one of my favourite Mid East countries, rather relaxed and open and free. Or has that situation changed over four years?

[Quinkla]

Changing religion is an old guise used I'm afraid. If Jordanian, I wonder why to fear a return. Jordon is one of my favourite Mid East countries, rather relaxed and open and free. Or has that situation changed over four years?

I have no idea whether or not the OP is genuine, but I fear you are misinformed about Jordan's tolerance. This site: http://barnabasfund.org/US/Jordan.html is just one example of many documenting difficulties faced by Jordanians who change religion.

[Paul1Perth]

Just change it back again, can't bother you that much one way or the other if it was so easy to change. Otherwise just tell your mates back in Jordan that you've decided to be an atheist and you think it's all a heap of S***.

[Quinkla]

Otherwise just tell your mates back in Jordan that you've decided to be an atheist and you think it's all a heap of S***.

Do not follow this advice as you will end up in serious (i.e. life threatening) trouble with the government, community and your family.

[MaggieMay24]

Just change it back again, can't bother you that much one way or the other if it was so easy to change. Otherwise just tell your mates back in Jordan that you've decided to be an atheist and you think it's all a heap of S***.

 

I expect it's more involved than simply changing it back like you'd change a pair of socks.

 

OP, hopefully you can source some organisations that deal with protection visas if you're facing having to return to Jordan.

[Paul1Perth]

Do not follow this advice as you will end up in serious (i.e. life threatening) trouble with the government, community and your family.

 

No sense of humour those Jordanians?

[VERYSTORMY]

Changing religion is an old guise used I'm afraid. If Jordanian, I wonder why to fear a return. Jordon is one of my favourite Mid East countries, rather relaxed and open and free. Or has that situation changed over four years?

 

It is one thing for an outsider to think a country and its people are relaxed, open and free. A very different for a member of that community. Even in the UK or Oz this can cause enormous potential for violence from within the community.

 

I have worked in some of the very progressive Muslim countries such as Tunisia before the turmoil. Not only did most drink, gamble and a variety of other things, you could even get a bacon sarnie in a lot of places. But this would have the potential for even the most secular of families to consider drastic measures.

 

In Jordon apostasy is illegal and the op would probably face arrest and flogging / imprisonment. It is also common in Jordon for such cases to result in a permanent loss of rights. This includes right to own property and a range of others. This is the best case scenario. Murder of apostasy is effectively treated with a blind eye.

[Quinkla]

No sense of humour those Jordanians?

I am sure that the OP will be thrilled that you are laughing at him.

[flag of convenience]

I have no idea whether or not the OP is genuine, but I fear you are misinformed about Jordan's tolerance. This site: http://barnabasfund.org/US/Jordan.html is just one example of many documenting difficulties faced by Jordanians who change religion.

 

As in most Islamic nations if one changes faith. Jordon is a rather modern, progressive society. Women wear makeup, drive cars (unlike Saudi) the former King was married to an American woman. At the same time those that prefer to be traditional could remain so. The nation accepted countless refugees from Palestine who make a big percentage of the population.

 

Unlike Egypt could walk the streets day or night without harassment and found the people friendly. I can't speak for the OP, but a number of Middle East seekers of asylum converted from Islam to Christianity, imo more a ploy to remain in the country as could plead persecution if sent back.

[flag of convenience]

It is one thing for an outsider to think a country and its people are relaxed, open and free. A very different for a member of that community. Even in the UK or Oz this can cause enormous potential for violence from within the community.

 

I have worked in some of the very progressive Muslim countries such as Tunisia before the turmoil. Not only did most drink, gamble and a variety of other things, you could even get a bacon sarnie in a lot of places. But this would have the potential for even the most secular of families to consider drastic measures.

 

In Jordon apostasy is illegal and the op would probably face arrest and flogging / imprisonment. It is also common in Jordon for such cases to result in a permanent loss of rights. This includes right to own property and a range of others. This is the best case scenario. Murder of apostasy is effectively treated with a blind eye.

 

Illegal in most if not all Muslim countries. My observation is both that and through discussion. It is also based on the fact that I could walk the streets with a local woman without the crass comments subjected to in another Islamic country.

[flag of convenience]

No sense of humour those Jordanians?

 

Not a laughing matter. Not forgetting many think the Brits have a very dry humour not readily transferable through translation.

[Jacaranda]

Sorry,call me cynical but his partner ends the relationship,which I'm assuming will mean the OP has to go back home,unless he changes religeon of course!Sounds pretty convenient to me tbh!

[VERYSTORMY]

I would make a guess that his partner has split because ofnhis change of religion. Very common.

[VERYSTORMY]

Illegal in most if not all Muslim countries. My observation is both that and through discussion. It is also based on the fact that I could walk the streets with a local woman without the crass comments subjected to in another Islamic country.

 

My last role was in southern Tanzania. A Muslim area but very liberal. Not unusual to see the Imani sat enjoying a cold one with the local priest. Being served by a young Muslim girl. You can wonder round and not realize you are in a Muslim area. Heck, we would often through parties with a pig on a spit and was always popular. No intolerance what so ever. But. Apostasy would be treated very seriously and there would be real danger for the person.

[Killara]

good morning everybody, i hope found my answer here, im Jordanian i live in australia with my wife by visa subclass 309, before one month i changed my religion from islam to christian and i cant come back because my tribes want to kill me if i come back to jordan , how the australian immigration can help me ?

 

can i go to UN offices and explain for them my story , can i apply for a refuge visa ?

 

For the moment, you do not need to apply for a protection (refugee) visa, because you have a current visa which allows you to stay and work in Australia. If your wife does divorce you and notifies immigration, then immigration will write to you and inform you that they are considering cancelling your visa. At that point, you could then apply for the protection visa. You would be allowed to stay in Australia until your protection claim is determined. You would not be sent to Nauru.

By waiting until later to apply for the protection visa, you will have more evidence (or you should) of your change of religion, which at the moment, after only one month, immigration would have difficulty believing. If you apply for the protection visa later when you are informed that your current visa may be subject to cancellation, you will have had more time to demonstrate that you are committed to your new religion - for example, known at your local church as a person who regularly goes to church and practises their new religion. If you apply for a protection (refugee) visa on the basis of change of religion, immigration will investigate whether you have been known to be practising your new religion in Australia and to what extent.