Received a refusal or cancellation? Review deadlines can be as short as a few days from notification. Contact us today so your rights are protected.
Refusals · Cancellations · Review
A refusal is not the end of the road
Refusals, cancellations and PIC 4020 allegations can be fought. However, the clock starts the moment the decision arrives. We move fast, tell you the truth about your options, and build the strongest possible case.
Act Quickly
Deadlines are strict and short
Most review rights expire within weeks of a decision. Furthermore, some decisions carry no review rights at all, which changes the strategy completely. For that reason, send us the decision record as soon as you receive it. We will map your deadlines the same day wherever possible.
What We Handle
Four situations, one priority: your next move
01
Visa refusals and ART review
Where merits review is available, we prepare your case before the Administrative Review Tribunal. In many matters, the Tribunal can consider new evidence and hear your story afresh.
02
PIC 4020 allegations
Allegations of false or misleading information can trigger long bans on future visas. We respond to natural justice letters, correct the record, and prepare waiver submissions where they are open.
03
Visa cancellations
A notice of intended cancellation demands a careful, timely response. We prepare submissions that address every ground and protect your position while the matter is decided.
04
Refusal recovery
Some refusals carry no review rights. In those cases, we diagnose exactly why the application failed. Then, we build a stronger fresh application that answers every concern in the decision record.
How We Think
What matters after a refusal
Read the decision first
The decision record tells us why you were refused and what rights you have. Consequently, our advice always starts there, not with assumptions.
Not every refusal is reviewable
Review rights depend on the visa type, where you applied, and who sponsored you. We confirm your rights before any money is spent.
Honesty protects your future
How you respond now can affect every future application. Therefore, we never advise cutting corners, and we protect your record.
Bridging visas and status
Many onshore applicants remain lawfully in Australia while a review is underway. We check your status and keep it protected.
New evidence can matter
In many matters the Tribunal takes a fresh look at your case. Strong new evidence, properly presented, can change the outcome.
Fast, frank assessments
We tell you plainly whether a case is worth fighting. If it is not, we say so before you spend money on it.
Costs
Fixed professional fees, urgent matters prioritised
We charge fixed professional fees, agreed in writing before work begins. Government and Tribunal application fees are separate and change over time. For current figures, always check the Administrative Review Tribunal website, the Federal Register of Legislation or the ImmiAccount fee estimator. We confirm every cost for your matter in writing first.
Common Questions
Refusal questions, answered plainly
How long do I have to apply for review?
It depends on the decision type, and the timeframes are strict. Some run out within weeks. For that reason, contact us the day you receive the decision, not the week after.
Can I stay in Australia during the review?
Often, yes. Many onshore applicants hold a bridging visa that continues while the review is underway. However, your situation needs to be checked, and quickly.
What are my chances of winning?
We will give you a frank assessment based on the decision record and the evidence. What we will never do is guarantee an outcome. No honest lawyer can.
What if I missed the review deadline?
Options narrow, but they rarely disappear entirely. A fresh application, a different visa pathway, or other steps may remain open. Get advice immediately.
The lawyers who act on refusals and review
Deepika leads our review and appeals work; Sam prepares refusal recovery applications. Refusals, cancellations and PIC 4020 allegations move fast, so we do too.
Meet the whole team →
After a refusal
I had been refused a visitor visa twice before, so I was extremely nervous about trying again. Sam reviewed my entire case, identified the issues, and prepared a strong submission that explained my circumstances properly. My 600 visa was approved within weeks.
How we handle a refusal or cancellation
Consultation
We look at your circumstances, map the pathways open to you, flag the risks and give you a fixed fee quote in writing before any work begins.
Strategy and checklist
We decide the strongest approach first, then set you up in our secure client portal with a tailored document checklist so you always know what is needed.
Evidence and preparation
We review every document, draft the submissions and statements, and quality check the file so it is decision ready before it goes anywhere near the Department.
Lodgement and follow through
We lodge, respond to any Department requests, keep you updated at every stage and stay with your matter until the decision.
Review costs in 2026
Applying to the Administrative Review Tribunal attracts a government application fee, part of which is refunded if the decision is set aside. Requests for ministerial intervention have no fee. Our fixed professional fee is separate, and urgent matters are prioritised.
Our professional fee: fixed, in writing
You approve the fee before work begins. There is no hourly billing and no hidden extras. Book a consultation for a quote on your exact situation.
Get a fixed fee quote| Government charge (main applicant) | From 1 July 2026 |
|---|---|
| Administrative Review Tribunal application Migration decision review. A 50% reduction is available on financial hardship grounds, and part of the fee is refunded if the decision is set aside | $3,727 |
| Ministerial intervention request No government fee | $0 |
Government charges are taken from the Department of Home Affairs visa pricing table and the Administrative Review Tribunal fee schedule (charges from 1 July 2026, checked 17 August 2026) and are a guide only. Surcharges and other government fees may apply, and charges change. Our professional fee is fixed and quoted separately in writing. We confirm every figure in your quote.
Refusal and review questions we hear most
How long do I have to apply for review?
Not long. For most onshore visa refusals the deadline is 21 days from the date you are taken to be notified, and for some decisions, including many cancellations, it is shorter still. The deadline cannot be extended, so contact us the day you receive the decision.
How much does an ART review cost?
The Administrative Review Tribunal application fee for a migration decision is $3,727 from 1 July 2026, and a portion is refunded if the Tribunal sets the decision aside in your favour. Our fixed professional fee for preparing and running the review is quoted separately.
What is PIC 4020?
Public Interest Criterion 4020 lets the Department refuse a visa where false or misleading information or bogus documents were given, and it can carry a three year exclusion from further visas. There is a waiver in compelling or compassionate circumstances. If you receive a PIC 4020 natural justice letter, respond through a lawyer and quickly.
Can I stay in Australia while my review is decided?
If you applied for review in time from inside Australia, you will usually hold a bridging visa while the Tribunal considers your case. Whether that bridging visa carries work rights or travel restrictions depends on your circumstances, and we check it immediately.
Guides from our lawyers
Partner Visa Refused for PIC 4020?
What triggers it, how to respond to a natural justice letter and when a waiver applies.
Administrative Review Tribunal Bill 2025
What the changes mean for student and temporary visa reviews.
New Ministerial Intervention Guidelines
Who can request intervention and how the process now works.
Received a refusal? Act today.
Send us the decision record. We will map your deadlines, explain your options, and tell you honestly whether the case is worth fighting.
03 8108 8748 · info@skylinemigrationlawyers.com.au