The application process

Application process and timelines

Applications are assessed in priority order with the highest priority given to elderly applicants or those with poor or declining health. Due to the unique circumstances of each application, the time taken by the unit to research an application and the Independent Assessment Panel to make a decision on eligibility will vary.

More information is available about advance payments for terminally or critically ill individuals.

Stage 1: your application form

To apply you need to complete the application form and provide supporting documents.

You can call us on 1800 566 071 to make a time to do an application over the phone. If you wish to complete the application form yourself, it can be accessed in 3 ways:

Online application portal

Download an application form

Request a paper form(opens in a new window)

You need to submit:

a completed and signed application form:

Stolen Generations Reparations Package – Application Form

PDF 934.34 KB

copies of two kinds of accepted identification

a photo of yourself holding one of the original pieces of identification you are copying.

Please note: your application is not valid and cannot be processed without these documents.

If you have difficulty providing these documents, please email stolen.generations@justice.vic.gov.au(opens in a new window) or phone 1800 566 071.

You may also be asked to submit:

evidence of a name change

Application for an advanced payment form if you are applying for an advanced payment for medical reasons

Nomination of a support person form if you would like to authorise someone to speak to us on your behalf

proof of Power of Attorney or Guardianship if you are applying for someone in this capacity.

All forms are available in both PDF and DOC formats, at the forms and other downloads page.

As a part of your application you need to provide identification.
This is done by including:
1. copies of two different kinds of identification showing:
  - your legal name (which must match your application)
  - your birth date on at least one.
2. a photo of yourself holding one of these pieces of identification.
The following are acceptable kinds of identification:
- driver licence, learner permit, firearm licence or marine licence
- proof of age card
- keypass
- Commonwealth Government concession card (including health care card)
- Department of Veterans Affairs health card
- birth certificate
- a Working with Children Check Card
- current pensioner concession card
- current medicare card
- passport
- bank card (copies of both sides) issued by an Australian institution
- bank statement issued by an Australian institution
- utility statement (gas, water, electricity, mobile or home phone)
- Australian Taxation Office assessment
- student or tertiary institution identification card
- executed lease agreement.
If your name has changed since you were removed, please provide a copy of the document(s) showing your name change:
- marriage certificate
- registration of name change (Deed Poll)
- adoption certificate or similar (contact us if you require help accessing this)
- another official document verifying name change (such as a statutory declaration).
You can include these documents when you submit your application or give them to us later if you wish. But you need to provide these documents before your application can progress.
If you do not have access to this information, an organisation may confirm your identity.
Please contact us for more information at stolen.generations@justice.vic.gov.au(opens in a new window).
You can seek support from:
- a Bringing Them Home worker
- Connecting Home(opens in a new window)
- Link-Up Victoria(opens in a new window)
- your local Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service(opens in a new window).
You do NOT need to provide proof of your removal.
When you submit your application, you can give us permission to search government and other records on your behalf.
If you already have records about your removal, you can choose to provide them to us. This may speed up the processing of your application.
We are looking for records that show:
- you were removed from your family
- that you were removed before 31 December 1976 (for example, a record with date of removal)
- that you were first removed in Victoria (for example, a record stating where you were initially removed from)
- the time period of your removal (for example, a record showing you were adopted or a record that showed you were removed for more than three months).

Appoint someone to help you apply

You can give permission for a family member, support worker, friend or organisation to support you throughout the application process. This person is called a Nominated Support Person (NSP) or Nominated Support Organisation (NSO).

For more information see Appoint a nominated support person or organisation on the Who can apply? page.

Stage 2: application review

After you submit your application it will go through the following steps:

You will be sent a letter or email to confirm we received your application.
You will be contacted by a support coordinator who works for the department. This person will be your main point of contact.
Your support coordinator will help connect you with support services.

You can access support services including counselling and legal and financial advice straight away.

When we’ve begun processing your application we may ask you for additional information, but we will make all efforts to minimise this.

If you have given us permission, we will contact agencies to find records to support your application. The time it takes to do the research depends on the circumstances of your removal.

If you do not give us permission to search your records, we will be required to consider your application based solely on the information that you provide in your application and any records you provide to us, which may impact on the chances of you being deemed eligible for the Package.

Ask your support coordinator for updates or discuss next steps with you.

Stage 3: assess application

The Panel will consider your application and supporting information. They may want to know more information, or have questions about your application. If the Panel needs more information, the department will contact you and work through next steps.

The Panel will decide if you have met the criteria for the package.

If your application is found eligible, we will work with you to deliver your package and choose your package options.

If your application is found ineligible, we will provide you with information on the decision and you can ask for a review.

Requesting a review

If you do not agree with the outcome, you (or your NSP or NSO) can ask for a review.

To do so you must submit a Request for a Review form:

Stolen Generations Reparations Package Request for Review Form

PDF 421.78 KB

Once the form is received, the department will process your application in the same way as a new application. You do not need to provide us with any grounds or reasons for review.

A Review Panel will assess your application and decide if you meet the eligibility criteria for the Package.

The Review Panel will be made up of different members from the Panel that decided your original outcome.

We can also provide support to help you request a review.

The deadline for submitting a Request for a Review form is the closing date for package applications, 31 March 2027.

Law & justice

Updated 25 September 2024