This is national law, so it applies across Australia. Some services listed here are in Victoria. For services in your state or territory, see Help in other states.
What you need to know
Immigration time limits are short and usually cannot be extended. If you have a letter from the Department of Home Affairs or the Administrative Review Tribunal, contact us or another service the same day, and tell us the date on the letter.
- For most visa refusals and cancellations, you have 28 days to ask the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) for review, or 14 days if you are in immigration detention. The ART cannot extend this.
- If Home Affairs plans to cancel your visa under section 116 while you are in Australia, you usually have only 5 working days to respond.
- Character decisions under section 501 or 501CA made in Australia have a 9 day limit for ART review.
- The ART replaced the Administrative Appeals Tribunal on 14 October 2024.
- From 1 November 2026, most protection visa reviews need an upfront ART fee of $1,863.50 (as at November 2026), unless you are in immigration detention.
- Check your visa and bridging visa conditions in VEVO, and do not leave Australia on a bridging visa without checking first.
- Only registered migration agents and Australian lawyers can charge you for immigration help. No one can guarantee a visa.
How we can help
- Advice on visa refusals and whether you can ask for a review
- Advice on notices of intention to consider cancellation and on visa cancellations
- Help preparing applications to the Administrative Review Tribunal, including fee reduction requests
- Help preparing written responses to cancellation notices
- Help with immigration forms for people who cannot afford other help
- Referral to Refugee Legal or the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre for protection visas and for people in immigration detention
Guides
- My visa was refused. Can I ask for a review?Often, yes.
- My visa may be cancelled. What do I do?If Home Affairs is thinking about cancelling your visa, it will usually send you a letter called a notice of intention to consider cancellation and invite you to respond.
- Bridging visas: staying lawfully while you waitA bridging visa lets you stay in Australia lawfully while your visa application, review or court case is decided, or while you arrange to leave.
- Partner and family visas: the basicsA partner visa lets the married or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen live in Australia.
- Applying for Australian citizenshipMost permanent residents aged 18 to 59 can apply for citizenship once they meet the residence requirement.
- Getting immigration help safely: avoiding scams and unregistered advisersOnly some people can lawfully help you with a visa matter.
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Where this information comes from
These are public sources we used to write the guides on this page. They are general information, not legal advice about your situation.
- Administrative Review Tribunal Immigration and citizenship
- Administrative Review Tribunal Fees
- Administrative Review Tribunal Upfront fees now apply most reviews
- Federal Register of Legislation Migration Act 1958 (Cth)
- Federal Register of Legislation Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth)
- Department of Home Affairs Cancelling a visa
- Department of Home Affairs Using a migration agent
- Victoria Legal Aid Appealing visa decision
- Victoria Legal Aid Other support immigration and migration
- Refugee Legal How to get help
- Asylum Seeker Resource Centre Home page