Key points
- The Migration and Refugee Tribunal no longer exists. The Administrative Review Tribunal replaced the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, including its Migration and Refugee Division, and the Immigration Assessment Authority, on 14 October 2024.
- The time limits are short and most cannot be extended: 9 days for a character decision made by a delegate, if you are in Australia; 14 days for most other cancellations if you are in immigration detention when notified, otherwise 28 days. For a visa refusal, the time limit is in the letter that came with the decision.
- Fees from 1 July 2026: $3,727 for most visa refusals and cancellations (half in cases of financial hardship); $1,195 for a character review ($100 if you qualify for the reduced fee); $2,293 for a protection visa review, payable only if it is unsuccessful.
- What it cannot review: a mandatory cancellation itself (ask the Department to revoke it first) and any decision the Minister made personally.
- Contact the Tribunal on 1800 228 333 or reviews@art.gov.au. Interpreters are free.
- For a lawyer, call 1800 577 015 at any hour: free general legal information, and a 60-minute consultation with a lawyer for a fixed $295.
The Administrative Review Tribunal replaced the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and its Migration and Refugee Division on 14 October 2024, and from 1 July 2026 the fee for reviewing most visa refusals and cancellations is $3,727, with a 9-day limit for character reviews.
Checked on 22 October 2026 against the Migration Act 1958 (compilation 172, 8 October 2026), the Administrative Review Tribunal's immigration and fees pages, and Victoria Legal Aid's guide to appealing a visa decision. The letter that came with your decision should state the time limit that applies to you. If it says something different from this page, follow the letter and get advice.
Time limits to apply
| Decision | Time limit | Can it be extended? |
|---|---|---|
| Character decision by a delegate of the Minister, applicant in Australia | 9 days after being notified (section 500(6B)) | No |
| Character decision, applicant outside Australia | Usually 28 days after being notified | You can ask the Tribunal for an extension |
| Most other visa cancellations, for example for breaching a visa condition (sections 116 and 109) | 14 days if you are in immigration detention when notified, otherwise 28 days (section 347(3)) | No (section 347(5)) |
| A delegate's refusal to revoke a mandatory cancellation | 9 days after being notified, if you are in Australia | No |
| Other decisions, such as a visa refusal or a protection visa decision | As stated in the letter that came with the decision | Check the letter and get advice |
The Tribunal says migration review time limits are strict. Lodge your application within the time even if you are still gathering evidence.
Fees (from 1 July 2026)
| Review | Fee |
|---|---|
| Most visa refusals and cancellations (Part 5 of the Migration Act) | $3,727, or 50% of the fee in cases of financial hardship |
| Character refusals and cancellations | $1,195 standard fee, or $100 reduced fee |
| Protection visa decisions | $2,293, payable only if the review is unsuccessful |
| A bridging visa decision that resulted in immigration detention | No fee |
The reduced fee is available if, for example, you have been granted legal aid, hold a Commonwealth Health Care Card, pensioner concession card or Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, are under 18, are in prison or detention, or receive certain study payments, or if paying the full fee would cause you financial hardship. Most review fees rose on 1 July 2026.
What the Tribunal can and cannot review
- It can review a delegate's decision to refuse or cancel a visa on character grounds, a delegate's refusal to revoke a mandatory cancellation, and most other visa refusals and cancellations, unless the Minister made the decision personally.
- It cannot review a mandatory cancellation (section 501(3A)) itself. You must first ask the Department to revoke it, within 28 days after you are given the notice. Victoria Legal Aid says that if the letter was posted, you have 35 days from its date.
- It cannot review a decision the Minister made personally. A court challenge to one must be filed in the Federal Court within 35 days.
Character reviews: the special rules
- 9 days, no extension, if you are in Australia (section 500(6B)).
- Include the papers: the application should include the notice of the decision and the set of documents you were given with it (section 500(6C)).
- Evidence in writing, 2 business days before the hearing: the Tribunal cannot consider information given orally, or a document, unless a written statement or a copy was given to the Minister at least 2 business days before the hearing (section 500(6H) and (6J)).
- 84 days: if the Tribunal has not decided within 84 days of the day you were notified of the decision, it is taken to have affirmed it (section 500(6L)).
- The fee must be paid within 6 weeks of applying, or the review may be dismissed.
If the Tribunal does not change the decision
- Court: an application to the Federal Circuit and Family Court, or to the Federal Court for a character review, must be made within 35 days of the decision (sections 477 and 477A). The Federal Circuit and Family Court can extend that time only if it is necessary in the interests of the administration of justice. A court generally decides whether the decision was made lawfully; it does not decide the case again on its facts.
- The Minister: the Minister can, personally and in the public interest, substitute a more favourable decision for the Tribunal's (section 351), but has no duty to consider doing so. A request does not delay removal unless the Minister decides to consider it, and then for up to 6 months (section 197E).
For visa cancellation, detention, removal and deportation in more detail, read deportation and removal from Australia.
Free help, and the numbers to call
Numbers and hours checked against each service's own website on 22 October 2026. In other states and territories, contact the legal aid commission in your state.
| Service | Who it helps | Contact | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Review Tribunal | Applying for and running a review; free interpreters | 1800 228 333; reviews@art.gov.au; Translating and Interpreting Service 131 450 | See the Tribunal's website |
| Legal Aid NSW Immigration Service | Free advice about protection visa refusals, visa cancellations, detention and removal; representation in the Tribunal or a court if you are eligible for legal aid | Start with LawAccess NSW on 1300 888 529 (from overseas +61 2 8527 3700) | 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays |
| Victoria Legal Aid | Appealing a visa decision, and visa cancellations | 1300 792 387 | 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday |
| Refugee Advice and Casework Service | Legal help for people located in Australia | (02) 8355 7227 | 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm, Monday to Friday |
| Immigration Advice and Rights Centre | Free legal help for people experiencing vulnerability | Info line (02) 8234 0700; Tribunal and judicial review line (02) 9421 4762 | Not published on the pages read |
How Go To Court Lawyers can help
Our free line, 1800 577 015, answers at any hour. Jen, our AI legal information assistant, gives general legal information and takes your details; Jen is not a lawyer and cannot assess a migration decision or work out your time limit. A 60-minute consultation with a lawyer is a fixed $295, by phone, video or in person where the lawyer offers it. Your request goes to lawyers in our network who practise in your area of law, and the first to accept it contacts you to set a time. The lawyer can read your decision letter, confirm the time limit and the fee, and advise on the review and what to put before the Tribunal. Requests are taken at any hour; how soon a lawyer can see you depends on who is available, so if your time limit is only days away, also contact one of the free services above. Request a $295 consultation.
General information only, not legal advice. Updated 22 October 2026. Checked against the Migration Act 1958 (compilation 172, 8 October 2026: sections 197E, 338, 347, 351, 477, 477A and 500), the Administrative Review Tribunal's "Immigration and citizenship" and "Fees" pages and its notice of the 1 July 2026 fee increase, and Victoria Legal Aid's "Appealing a visa decision" (updated 5 February 2026), on 22 October 2026.