How to apply to the ART

You can apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal online, which the ART calls the easiest and safest way, or by form, email, letter or in person. The application has to be properly made and the fee paid before the deadline.

The ART says: "The easiest and safest way to apply for a review is online." You can also use a paper form posted or delivered to an ART registry, email the application to reviews@art.gov.au, or write a letter that contains the required information. The application must be made within the time limit in your decision letter, and the migration fee has to be paid before that deadline.

What follows is the general process. It does not tell you whether your decision can be reviewed or whether you are in time; your decision letter states both. See check your decision letter.

Choosing how to apply

Online: needs a valid email address and details of the decision.
M1 form: for people who are not in immigration detention.
M2 form: for people who are in immigration detention.
B1 form: for decisions about conditions on a subclass 070 (Bridging (Removal Pending)) visa.
R1 form: for protection reviews.
A letter: the ART's practice direction allows an application in writing if it contains the required content.

Source: ART, Immigration and citizenship (checked 16 October 2026)

What the application must contain

The best approach, according to the ART, is to attach the Department of Home Affairs decision letter. The ART says that if you do not have a copy of the letter, your application may not be valid unless you provide:

your full name
your address and contact details
the date of the decision (if known) and a description of the decision
at least one of your date of birth, country of birth, citizenship, or passport number and country of issue
the same details for the visa applicant, if that is a different person

An application that is not properly made is something the ART cannot review. The Act includes a note to that effect, and the practice direction says the ART cannot review an application that is not properly made, including in relation to fees.

Who can apply

For the onshore refusals and cancellations covered by section 338(2), (3), (3A) and (4) of the Act, the application can only be made by the non-citizen who is the subject of the decision, and they must be physically in the migration zone when they apply (section 347A). For some other decisions the sponsor, nominator or a relative applies instead. Whether your visa decision is one the ART can review is the first thing to check; see which visa refusals can the ART review and offshore visa refusals and ART review.

The fee

For most migration decisions, the fee is A$3,727 and must be paid before the deadline. Protection reviews have no fee at lodgement. Character reviews have a different standard fee. The details, with sources and dates, are in ART application fee explained, and the hardship option is in ART fee reduction for financial hardship.

Having someone act for you

You may represent yourself. Close family (a spouse, child, parent, brother or sister) or the sponsoring or nominating person may also represent you. Only a registered migration agent or an Australian lawyer with a practising certificate can ask you to pay a fee for representing you. The ART says it cannot pay for someone to assist you and cannot recommend a particular individual or organisation. After lodging, form MR5 is used to appoint a representative or authorised recipient, and form MR6 to change those details. See representing yourself at the ART and how to check a migration agent is registered.

What happens once you have lodged is in what happens after you apply to the ART. This guide describes the ART's published process; it is not legal advice or immigration assistance, and we cannot lodge or prepare an application for anyone.