ART fee reduction for financial hardship

The ART can reduce the A$3,727 migration review fee by 50% if paying the full fee would cause financial hardship. You still have to pay at least half by the deadline, and a refusal of the request cannot be reviewed.

Yes, a hardship reduction exists. For a review of a migration decision under Part 5 of the Migration Act, the ART's fees page says: "If paying the fee would cause or has caused financial hardship, you can ask for a 50% reduction." The reduction is half of the full fee. At the A$3,727 fee shown on 16 October 2026, half is A$1,863.50 (our arithmetic; the ART page states the rule as 50%, not a dollar figure).

The ART decides each request on the material it is given. This page describes the process; it cannot say how any request will be decided.

The deadline rule that catches people

The ART says you need to have paid the full fee or 50% of the fee by the application deadline. You then complete a request for fee reduction form, with supporting documents, and give it to the ART before the review is finalised.

So the reduction request does not pause the time limit or the fee requirement. The deadline for applying is strict and the ART has no power to extend it for these reviews; see can the ART extend the deadline. Your decision letter states your own time limit.

What the ART looks at

The ART's fees page says it considers:

your household's financial situation, including income, expenses, liabilities and assets
your capacity to pay the full application fee
whether paying the full fee would cause you, or has caused you, financial hardship
other relevant circumstances, for example whether the review relates to a visa that requires you to meet the costs of travel and stay in Australia

Supporting documents the ART suggests

The ART asks you to remove your tax file number from any document you send. If it does not have enough information, it may ask for more, or decide on what it has. It may also look at statements you have made to the Australian Government about your income and finances.

a current payslip or payment statements from Centrelink
evidence of other income, such as investment income or child support payments
evidence of rent, board or mortgage payments and utility bills
bank, credit card and other account statements for the previous month
evidence that another organisation, such as legal aid or a pro bono service, has waived, reduced or not imposed a fee

If the request is refused

The ART says: "If we do not grant your request, you must pay the full application fee. If you do not pay the fee, your application for review will not go ahead." It also says you cannot ask it to review the decision on your request. The ART says it may reconsider if there was an error in the decision-making process, for example if it did not consider relevant material it had.

The ART's pages read for this guide do not set out how long you have to pay the balance after a refusal. Treat that as not settled here and read the ART's letter carefully when it arrives.

If the reduction is granted after you paid in full

The ART says that if you paid the full fee and it decides you can pay the reduced fee, it will refund 50% of the full review fee. For the full set of fee amounts and refunds, see ART application fee explained.

Other fee situations

Protection visa reviews have no fee at lodgement, and character reviews have their own standard fee. Neither follows the same hardship rule as the A$3,727 migration fee. The ART's character fact sheet for expedited reviews lists a reduced fee of A$100 for some people, including those in detention or on legal aid; if that is your type of review, read the fact sheet and your letter.

If money is the barrier to getting advice, there is help outside paid representation. See free and low-cost help after a visa refusal and representing yourself at the ART.

We are not giving legal advice or immigration assistance here. Questions about a particular request are for the ART itself, or a registered migration agent, Australian lawyer or free service.