The Department of Immigration and Citizenship is aware of rumours circulating in the Bhutanese community that are based on a misunderstanding of Australia’s Bhutanese resettlement program. The rumours encourage Bhutanese living in Bhutan to sell their property, move to Nepal and register with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for the opportunity to be resettled in Australia. The rumours are wrong and the department warns people not to act on them.

The Bhutanese resettled by Australia are refugees who have been living in camps in Nepal for some twenty years. Only those who face persecution in Bhutan and have nowhere else to go are accepted for resettlement.

Bhutanese who are not refugees and wish to migrate to Australia should apply for a visa in the Family or Skill Stream of the Migration Program. Information about applying for visas is available on the department’s website at www.immi.gov.au/immigration/.