What happens after I apply for an interstate transfer?

The steps that come after you send your application are:

1. The Minister for Corrections in Victoria and/or the Federal Minister for Justice get your application.
2. The Minister/s get reports about you from the Project Officer for Prison Transfers (in the Sentence Management Division) and the General Manager of your prison.
3. If the Minister/s approve your application, they will write to the Minister or Attorney-General of the state or territory you want to move to, to ask for your transfer.
4. If the Minister or Attorney-General of the other state or territory agrees, you will be allowed to transfer.

Important: the Ministers or Attorney-General must make a final decision within 4 months of you sending your application, unless there are exceptional circumstances. This comes from Part 6 of the Sentence Management Manual.

If your application is refused, you cannot make another application for 12 months, unless you have a very important reason.

If your application is approved, arrangements will be made for you to transfer to your new prison interstate. Important documents and information about you like your medical needs, security classification and programs you’ve done will also be sent to your new prison.

Corrections Victoria will pay for your transfer, including any flight costs. You might be kept somewhere overnight during your travel to the interstate prison – this will most likely be in a police watchhouse.

Important: once you’re at your new prison, you cannot apply for another interstate transfer without being returned back to Victoria first (unless you have important welfare reasons why this should not happen).