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Visa refused what next

Visa Refusal

Your Visa Was Refused. Here's What to Do Next.

A refusal is a gut punch, but it doesn't always mean the door is shut. Depending on the visa and your situation, you may be able to have the decision reviewed - or there may be a smarter way back in. The catch is the deadline, which is short.

The clock is already tickingReview may be an optionWe'll be straight with you
Book a Refusal ReviewCall Us - Deadlines Are Strict
A Refusal Isn't Always the End

Check the deadline first - before anything else.

The first thing to know is that a refusal is a decision, not a verdict on you as a person. Visas get refused for all sorts of reasons - some of them fixable, some about a missing piece of evidence rather than a real problem with your case. What matters now is reading the decision properly and acting quickly, because you usually have just one short window.

Your refusal letter sets out whether you can seek review and how long you have. That time is strict and short. Once it passes, the option is almost always gone for good. If you do nothing else today, find out exactly how many days you have left. Send us the letter and we'll tell you.

Your Options After a Refusal

There's usually more than one path.

The right one depends entirely on your visa and your circumstances.

  1. Apply to the Tribunal for review

    For many refusals, you can ask the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) to look at the decision again. The Tribunal considers your case fresh and can overturn the refusal. A well-prepared review - with the right evidence and submissions - is very different from simply lodging the form and hoping.

  2. Fix it and apply again

    Sometimes review isn't the right move and a fresh, stronger application is. This is often the case where the refusal came down to evidence that can now be sorted out. We'll weigh this against review and tell you which gives you the better shot.

  3. Understand your review rights first

    Whether you can seek review at all depends on the visa and whether you applied from inside or outside Australia. For some offshore refusals, only your sponsor or an eligible relative in Australia can apply. We'll tell you honestly which applies - rather than letting you chase an option that isn't there.

The deadline is short and strict. Most review deadlines run from the date on your decision letter - often around 21 to 28 days, and as little as around 9 days for some character-related decisions. If you are in immigration detention, it can be 14 days. The deadline on your own letter is what counts, and it usually can't be extended, so check it and act quickly. Figures are current as at 2026 - verify the deadline that applies to you against your letter and at art.gov.au.

Indicative pathways, deadlines and fees

These are the main routes after a refusal or cancellation. Fees and deadlines depend on your visa and circumstances, so treat the figures below as indicative and confirm what applies to you.

PathwayWhat it reviewsIndicative deadlineIndicative fee
ART reviewThe Administrative Review Tribunal, which replaced the AAT and IAA on 14 October 2024. The merits - the decision is considered fresh and can be re-made. Around 21 to 28 days from your decision letter (as little as around 9 days for some character decisions; 14 days if you are in immigration detention). Around AUD 3,580, with around half potentially refundable if your review succeeds.
Federal Circuit and Family Court (FCFCOA) Jurisdictional or legal error only - not the merits. Around 35 days from the ART decision. Around AUD 4,300.
Ministerial intervention Exceptional and discretionary - generally a last resort after review. After the ART decision. No application fee.

Appeal, or lodge a fresh application?

There isn't one right answer - it depends on why you were refused and whether the problem can be fixed. We can read your decision letter and tell you honestly which is realistic for you.

Review may suit when
Seek ART review

The decision-maker may have got the facts or the law wrong, your review rights are open, and the deadline hasn't passed. Review keeps the original decision live and lets the Tribunal consider your case again, often with stronger evidence and submissions.

A fresh application may suit when
Apply again

The refusal turned on missing or weak evidence you can now supply, and a cleaner new application may be quicker. Watch for traps first - if you're onshore, the section 48 bar can block a fresh application, and a past refusal must be declared next time.

How We Help

We start by reading the refusal closely.

Because the stated reason and the fixable problem aren't always the same thing. Then we map out every option that's genuinely open to you, recommend the strongest one, and build the case properly.

You'll get a clear, honest view of your prospects from the start - never false hope to keep you paying.

Review bodyThe ART
DeadlineStrict and short
Other optionA fresh application
Review rightsDepend on the visa
First stepSend us the letter
Common Questions

What to do after a refusal.

It's short, and it depends on your decision. The exact number of days is set out in your refusal letter, and for some situations it's only a couple of weeks or less. Because the deadline is strict and can't usually be extended, the safest thing is to act the day you get the letter. Send it to us and we'll confirm your deadline immediately.
It depends on why you were refused and whether you can fix it. If the problem was a missing piece of evidence, a fresh application might be cleaner. If the decision itself was wrong, Tribunal review may be better. There are also traps with reapplying - like the section 48 bar if you're onshore - so it's worth checking before you act. We'll work out the smarter path with you.
Sometimes, but the rules are different for offshore refusals. For certain visas, only a sponsor or eligible relative in Australia can apply for review, and for some there's no merits review at all. We'll check your specific visa and tell you exactly what's open to you, so you don't waste your window chasing the wrong option.
A past refusal is something you'll usually need to declare in future applications, and certain refusals can trigger conditions that affect what you can apply for next. It's not necessarily fatal, but it does need handling carefully. This is exactly why getting the next step right matters so much - we look at the whole picture, not just the visa in front of you.
The review deadline is strict and, in most cases, can't be extended. If it passes, the option to have the ART review your decision is almost always gone for good, which is why we urge people to act the day the letter arrives. There are only narrow, exceptional circumstances where anything can be done after the date, so don't assume there's leeway. If you think your deadline may have passed, send us the letter straight away and we'll tell you honestly where you stand.
If you applied for review in time and you're onshore, a bridging visa may keep you lawful while you wait for the ART to decide. Whether you're eligible, and the conditions attached - such as work or travel rights - depend on your situation, so it's important to confirm your status quickly rather than assume it carries over. We can check what applies to you and make sure nothing lapses while your review is on foot.
The ART generally re-considers the decision as a whole rather than picking apart one element of it, which means the Tribunal looks at your case fresh on the merits. In some situations a different visa class may be open to you even where the original visa is refused, so it can be worth mapping your wider options at the same time. We'll work out what the review can realistically achieve before you commit to it.
The section 48 bar can stop people who are onshore and don't hold a substantive visa from lodging a fresh application for many visa types after a refusal or cancellation. It's one of the main reasons reapplying isn't always as simple as it sounds, and why review is sometimes the better route. There are limited exceptions, and the detail depends on your circumstances. We can check whether the bar affects you before you spend time on an application that may not be open. See our visa appeals overview for how the pathways fit together.
Related Help

Where to from here.

ART reviewWhat the ART Actually DoesA plain-English guide to how Tribunal review works.Cancelled?Visa CancellationCancellations are more urgent - different rules apply.All appealsVisa Appeals OverviewEvery refusal and cancellation pathway.

Written and reviewed by Brian Chan, Registered Migration Agent (MARN 2217857)

Visa Store Australia, Perth · Last reviewed June 2026 · Verify on the MARA register · General information only, not personal migration advice.

Got your refusal letter?

Don't wait to see what happens. Send it to us today and we'll confirm your deadline and your strongest option.

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