Partner Visa ART Fees

The partner visa ART fee is the fee the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) charges when a person applies for review of a refused partner visa. For a fee paid on or after 1 July 2026, the fee for review of a migration decision is $3,727. A 50% reduction may be granted on financial hardship grounds, and 50% of the fee paid is refunded if the review succeeds.

Those three facts answer most searches about the partner visa ART fee. The detail around them matters just as much. The fee must be paid before the deadline for applying for review. The person who must apply, and therefore pay, depends on whether the refused visa was the onshore Subclass 820 partner visa or the offshore Subclass 309 partner visa. A request for a reduced fee must be supported by evidence. And the figure changes every financial year, so an amount quoted last year may already be wrong.

This guide explains the partner visa ART fee only: what it is, who pays it, when and how it is paid, how to ask for a reduction, when part of it comes back, and how it fits with the other costs of a review. It does not compare review with a fresh application, and it does not explain how to prepare evidence for the Tribunal. Those questions are covered in our guides on partner visa refusal appeal options and on what to expect in an ART review after a refusal.

What is the partner visa ART fee in 2026?

The partner visa ART fee in 2026 is $3,727 for an application fee paid on or after 1 July 2026. The Tribunal announced this figure as the new fee for review of a reviewable migration decision. A refused Subclass 820, Subclass 801, Subclass 309, Subclass 100 or Subclass 300 visa is a migration decision of this kind, so the same partner visa ART fee applies to each of them.

The Tribunal also confirmed that a 50% reduction may be granted on financial hardship grounds. Half of $3,727 is $1,863.50. That reduced amount is not automatic. It is available only where the Tribunal accepts that paying the full partner visa ART fee would cause, or has caused, financial hardship.

The fee for the previous financial year was $3,580 for a fee paid on or after 1 July 2025. The increase shows how the partner visa ART fee moves each year. It also shows why a person should never rely on a figure from an old letter, an old web page or a friend who applied for review some time ago.

Which decisions attract this fee

The review fee applies to the review of decisions made under Part 5 of the Migration Act 1958. Part 5 covers most refusals of partner visas, whether the decision was made onshore or offshore. A refusal of a Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa is treated in the same way, as is a refusal of the permanent Subclass 801 or Subclass 100 stage.

Two kinds of refusal sit outside this regime. A refusal on character grounds under section 501 is reviewed under a different fee arrangement, and the partner visa ART fee figure above does not apply to it. A protection visa decision also has its own, separate fee. Anyone whose partner visa was refused on character grounds should read our page on visa cancellations and section 501 matters and obtain advice on the correct fee before paying.

Why the fee is set by law, not by the Tribunal member

The partner visa ART fee is a statutory fee. It is not set by the member who hears the case, and it cannot be negotiated. The Tribunal applies the fee that is in force on the day the fee is paid. The Tribunal has stated that new fees apply to any application fee paid on or after 1 July, even if the application was lodged before that date.

That rule has a practical consequence. A person who lodges a review in late June but pays on or after 1 July will pay the new, higher partner visa ART fee. A person who lodges and pays together pays the fee in force on that day.

Who pays the partner visa ART fee: the applicant or the sponsor?

The person who applies for review pays the review fee, and who that person is depends on the type of refusal. In general terms, for a refused onshore partner visa, the visa applicant applies for review. For a refused offshore partner visa, the Australian sponsor applies for review. The fee follows the person entitled to apply.

Onshore refusals: Subclass 820 and Subclass 801

When a combined onshore application for the Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 is refused, the visa applicant in Australia is generally the person who applies to the Tribunal. The applicant must meet the requirements for a valid review application, and the partner visa ART fee must be paid within the time allowed for applying. Our guide to the Subclass 820 partner visa explains how the two stages fit together.

Nothing prevents the Australian partner from providing the money. Couples usually treat the partner visa ART fee as a household expense. What matters legally is that the review application is made by the right person and that the fee is paid in time.

Offshore refusals: Subclass 309 and Subclass 100

When an offshore application for the Subclass 309 and Subclass 100 is refused, review is generally sought by the Australian sponsor, not by the applicant overseas. The sponsor is therefore the person who lodges the application and pays the review fee. The sponsor should keep the payment receipt and the Tribunal acknowledgement together, because both prove that the review was validly made.

This is one of the most common points of confusion. An applicant overseas may try to lodge the review and pay the fee personally. That can create problems with the validity of the application. Our article on partner visa refusals in general sets out why the correct review applicant matters so much.

Prospective Marriage refusals

For a refused Subclass 300 visa, the person entitled to apply for review should be confirmed from the refusal letter before the partner visa ART fee is paid. The decision record usually states who may apply, where and by when. Reading that letter carefully is the first step in every review.

When must the partner visa ART fee be paid?

The partner visa ART fee for a migration review must be paid before the deadline for applying for review. This is different from many other Tribunal reviews, where the fee can follow the application. For a partner visa refusal, the safest course is to pay the fee at the same time as lodging the application.

The deadline for applying for review is short and strictly applied. It runs from the date the person is notified of the refusal, which is not always the date written on the decision letter. The refusal letter states the time limit, and it should be read on the day it arrives. Our guide on visa refusals explains how notification works.

What happens if the fee is not paid on time

If the review fee is not paid before the deadline for applying, the review application is at serious risk. The Tribunal's published guidance states that, for migration reviews, the fee must be paid before the deadline for applying for review. A late fee cannot be fixed by paying it later, and the Tribunal has very limited power to help.

This means the partner visa ART fee is not an administrative detail. It is part of making a valid review application. A person who lodges the form on time but cannot pay by the deadline should seek advice immediately, before the deadline passes, about a fee reduction request and about how to protect the review.

Paying a reduced fee before the deadline

A person who intends to ask for a reduced partner visa ART fee should not wait until the last day. The reduction request, the evidence supporting it and the payment all need to be dealt with inside the review period. If the Tribunal later decides that the person was entitled to pay only the reduced fee after the full fee was paid, the Tribunal refunds 50% of the full fee.

Why early payment protects bridging visa arrangements

For an onshore applicant, a valid review application can affect bridging visa arrangements while the review is pending. A review that is not validly made, including because the partner visa ART fee was not paid in time, may leave the person without the bridging visa they expected. Our guides to Bridging Visa A and to bridging visas in Australia explain the different bridging visas and why their conditions matter.

How to pay the partner visa ART fee

The review fee can be paid by credit card (Mastercard or Visa) when the application is submitted online or over the phone, according to the Tribunal's published fee information. The Tribunal has also listed EFTPOS, cheque or money order as payment options at its registries.

In practice, most partner visa review applications are lodged online. Paying the partner visa ART fee online at the time of lodging gives an immediate receipt. That receipt is important evidence that the fee was paid within the review period.

Keeping proof of payment

Every person paying a partner visa ART fee should keep:

• the payment receipt or confirmation number;
• the Tribunal's acknowledgement of the application;
• a copy of the review application as lodged;
• a copy of the refusal decision and the cover letter showing the date of notification; and
• any correspondence with the Tribunal about the fee or a fee reduction.

These records are easy to lose in the weeks after a refusal. They become essential if a question is later raised about whether the review was validly made, or when a refund of part of the partner visa ART fee becomes payable.

Paying on behalf of someone else

A representative may lodge the review on the client's behalf, but the review fee remains the client's cost. A person who has engaged a lawyer should confirm who is paying the fee, on what card and on what day, so that nothing is left to chance on the deadline. Our article on Form 956 and appointing a migration representative explains how authority to act is given.

Does one partner visa ART fee cover the whole family?

Generally, one partner visa ART fee is payable for one review application. Where family members were included in the same visa application and were refused together, the review of the refusal is usually made in one application. In that situation, one fee generally covers the review for the family members included in the original application.

The position should be checked against the refusal decision. If two separate visa applications were refused in separate decisions, two separate review applications, and two partner visa ART fees, may be required. This can arise where a dependent child lodged a separate application or where a family member was added under a separate process.

Children included in the application

A child who was included in the partner visa application is usually covered by the review of the main refusal. The partner visa ART fee for that review application is not multiplied by the number of family members. The child must still meet the relevant criteria when the Tribunal decides, so the review must address the child's position as well as the relationship.

Separate refusals of the same couple

Sometimes a couple faces more than one refusal. For example, a Subclass 820 refusal may sit beside a separate refusal of another visa. Each reviewable decision needs its own review application, and each attracts its own fee. Paying one partner visa ART fee does not protect a second decision.

Choosing the right Tribunal form and pathway

The partner visa ART fee is paid as part of a review application to the Tribunal, so the application must be the correct one. The Tribunal has separate application forms and information for migration reviews, and for people in immigration detention. The refusal letter states which body reviews the decision and how to apply.

Applying to the wrong body, or using the wrong form, wastes time inside a short review period. If the refusal letter says the decision is not reviewable by the Tribunal, paying a partner visa ART fee will not create a right of review. In that situation the options may lie elsewhere, for example in judicial review, and advice is needed quickly.

Getting a second view before paying the fee

A second view of the refusal before the review fee is paid is often money well spent. A refusal letter can be long, and the real reason for refusal is not always in the first paragraph. Our guides on getting a second opinion from an immigration lawyer, on urgent immigration lawyer advice and on hiring a lawyer after lodging your own application explain what to bring to that conversation. The complete guide to partner visas in Australia gives the wider context for each subclass.

Can the partner visa ART fee be reduced for financial hardship?

Yes. The partner visa ART fee can be reduced by 50% if paying the full fee would cause, or has caused, financial hardship. The Tribunal decides each request on its own facts. The reduction is not automatic, and the applicant must ask for it and support the request with evidence.

The reduced partner visa ART fee is half the full fee. On the full fee of $3,727 that applies to a fee paid on or after 1 July 2026, half is $1,863.50. That is still a significant amount for many households, but the reduction can make the difference between seeking review and losing the chance to do so.

Financial hardship is assessed on the household's real position. A couple who have recently paid the visa application charge, who are living on one income because the applicant has limited work rights, or who are supporting children or relatives overseas may find the full partner visa ART fee very difficult to pay. Those circumstances are exactly what a reduction request should explain.

What financial hardship means in practice

Financial hardship means that paying the full partner visa ART fee would leave the person unable to meet ordinary living costs, or has already done so. It is not enough to say that the fee is expensive or inconvenient. The Tribunal looks at income, regular expenses, savings, assets and debts, and asks whether paying the full fee would cause real difficulty.

Factors that often matter in a partner visa household include:

• the income of each partner, including irregular or casual income;
• rent or mortgage payments and other fixed household costs;
• the cost of supporting children, whether in Australia or overseas;
• debts and repayment obligations;
• recent large payments, such as the visa application charge, medical examinations or relocation costs;
• savings and assets, and whether those assets can realistically be used; and
• any reduction in work hours caused by the refusal itself or by visa conditions.

Some of these facts also appear elsewhere in the partner visa evidence. Financial records showing how a couple shares money are part of the evidence of a genuine relationship. The same documents may show both that the couple pools resources and that the household cannot comfortably meet the full partner visa ART fee.

Evidence for a fee reduction request

A request to reduce the partner visa ART fee should be supported by documents, not just a statement. The Tribunal has a request form for a fee reduction on financial hardship grounds, and the request should be lodged with the review application or as early as possible within the review period.

Useful evidence usually includes:

• recent payslips or other proof of income for both partners;
• recent bank statements for every account;
• a lease, rental ledger or mortgage statement;
• utility, insurance and other regular bills;
• statements of loans, credit cards and other debts;
• evidence of payments to support family members; and
• evidence of any recent large expense connected with the visa process.

The evidence should match the figures in the request. Inconsistent numbers weaken the request and can raise questions that the Tribunal will want answered. A person preparing a reduction request should be as careful with accuracy as with any document in the partner visa document checklist.

Honesty in a fee reduction request

Every statement in a request to reduce the review fee must be true and complete. A request is a statement to a Commonwealth tribunal. A misleading account of income or assets can damage the applicant's credibility in the review itself. Credibility is often central in a partner visa review, because the Tribunal is deciding whether the relationship is genuine and continuing.

The same honesty rule applies to every form in the visa process. Our guide on completing Form 80 without errors explains why consistency across forms matters, and the same approach applies to financial information given to the Tribunal.

If the reduction is refused

If the Tribunal does not accept that paying the full partner visa ART fee would cause financial hardship, the full fee is payable. The practical risk is timing. If a reduction request is refused close to the end of the review period, there may be little time left to pay the balance.

For that reason, many applicants pay the full partner visa ART fee within time and ask for the reduction at the same time. The Tribunal has said that if the full fee was paid and it later decides the person could pay the reduced fee, it refunds 50% of the full review fee. That approach protects the review while still allowing the reduction to be considered.

The $100 concessional fee does not apply to partner visa reviews

The Tribunal charges a much lower concessional fee for some other kinds of review. That concessional fee is part of the fee structure for general reviews, not the partner visa ART fee. For a migration decision under Part 5, the reduction available is the 50% financial hardship reduction, not a reduction to the concessional amount. Applicants should not assume that a concession card or other circumstance listed for general reviews will reduce the fee in the same way.

When is part of the partner visa ART fee refunded?

Part of the partner visa ART fee is refunded if the review succeeds. The Tribunal refunds 50% of the fee paid, whether the full fee or the reduced fee, if the decision is set aside or varied, or if the application is remitted to the Department of Home Affairs. The refund is half of what was actually paid.

In most successful partner visa reviews, the Tribunal remits the matter to the Department with a direction that one or more criteria are met. A remittal is a favourable outcome for the purposes of the refund. The Department then continues processing the visa application. Our guide on what happens in an ART review explains what a remittal means for the application.

How the refund is calculated

The refund of the review fee is calculated on the amount paid, not on the current fee. Examples make this clear:

• A person who paid the full partner visa ART fee of $3,727 and whose review succeeds receives a refund of $1,863.50.
• A person who paid the reduced fee of $1,863.50 and whose review succeeds receives a refund of $931.75.
• A person who paid the full fee and later had a fee reduction accepted receives the separate reduction refund of 50% of the full fee. How that refund interacts with a later success refund in a particular case should be confirmed with the Tribunal.

These figures are worked examples based on the fee announced for fees paid on or after 1 July 2026. If the fee was paid under an earlier year's figure, the refund is based on the amount actually paid.

When there is no refund

Outside the circumstances published by the Tribunal, there is no general refund of the partner visa ART fee. A review that is unsuccessful, withdrawn or dismissed does not of itself lead to a refund. A person should therefore treat the fee as spent once the review is lodged, and should make the decision to apply on that basis.

This is one reason the partner visa ART fee should be paid only after the refusal has been properly read. If the refusal turned on a point that the review cannot fix, the fee may be better kept for another step. The guide on why partner visas get refused shows the most common refusal reasons and how they differ.

Making sure the refund reaches the right person

The refund of the review fee is paid in connection with the review application. The applicant should keep contact and payment details up to date with the Tribunal throughout the review. If the person who paid the fee has changed address or bank account, the Tribunal should be told in writing.

What the fee means for different refusal reasons

The partner visa ART fee is the same whatever the reason for refusal, but the value of paying it depends heavily on that reason. Before the fee is paid, the refusal should be matched against the criteria the Tribunal will apply. The same fee buys a very different review in each of the situations below.

Refusals about whether the relationship is genuine

Many refusals turn on whether the Department accepted that the relationship is genuine and continuing. The Tribunal reconsiders that question afresh. Our guides to the most common Subclass 820 refusal reasons and to the Subclass 820 evidence checklist show the evidence that usually matters. Practical examples of supporting statements appear in our guide to Form 888 example answers.

Refusals about the de facto relationship period

Some refusals turn on whether a de facto relationship met the legal requirements when the application was made. Our guides to the de facto partner visa and the 12-month rule and to whether 12 months is really required for a Subclass 820 explain the rule and its exceptions. Whether a review can succeed on this ground depends on the facts at the time of application.

Refusals connected with Schedule 3

An onshore applicant who did not hold a substantive visa when applying may have been refused under the Schedule 3 criteria. Our guides to Schedule 3 criteria for unlawful applicants, to the Schedule 3 partner visa waiver and our Schedule 3 waiver service page explain what compelling reasons involve.

Refusals after a relationship breakdown or family violence

Where the relationship has ended, the review may depend on special provisions. Our guide on what happens to a Subclass 820 application if the relationship breaks down and our family violence partner visa page explain those provisions. The partner visa ART fee is the same, but the issues for the Tribunal are very different.

Changes in circumstances during the review

The Department and the Tribunal must be told about relevant changes, such as a new address or a change in the relationship. Our guide to Form 1022 change of circumstances explains when a notification is needed during processing.

Why the partner visa ART fee changes every 1 July

The review fee changes at the start of each financial year. The Tribunal publishes the new fees ahead of 1 July, and the new figure applies to any fee paid on or after that date. The figure of $3,727 applies to fees paid on or after 1 July 2026. The Tribunal usually publishes the next figure shortly before the following 1 July.

The increase is usually modest from one year to the next, but it is real. The partner visa ART fee rose from $3,580 for fees paid on or after 1 July 2025 to $3,727 for fees paid on or after 1 July 2026. Anyone budgeting for a review should check the Tribunal website on the day of payment.

Refusals received in June

A refusal received in late June raises a timing point. If the review is lodged and paid before 1 July, the earlier partner visa ART fee applies. If the fee is paid on or after 1 July, the new fee applies, even if the application form was lodged earlier. Rushing a review application only to beat a fee increase is not good practice, but there is also no reason to delay payment.

Why old figures cause problems

Online articles and forum posts often repeat a partner visa ART fee from a previous year. Some still refer to the former Administrative Appeals Tribunal and fees that no longer apply. The ART replaced the AAT in October 2024. Relying on an out-of-date figure can lead to an underpayment, and an underpaid fee is a fee that has not been fully paid.

The partner visa ART fee is not the visa application charge

The partner visa ART fee is a separate cost from the visa application charge paid to the Department of Home Affairs. The visa application charge is paid when the partner visa application is lodged. The fee is paid to the Tribunal when review is sought. Paying one does not reduce the other.

A refusal does not usually lead to a refund of the visa application charge. If the Tribunal remits the matter, the Department continues to deal with the original application, so a new application charge is not normally needed for that application. Our guide to Subclass 820 visa costs explains the visa application charge and the other Department costs.

Why this matters for budgeting

A couple facing a refusal often feels that they have already paid for the visa once. That is true, and it is why the review fee feels heavy. The review fee pays for an independent merits review of the refusal. It does not buy a second application, and it does not pay for evidence, translations or legal representation.

A clear budget separates three items: the partner visa ART fee, the costs of gathering updated evidence, and any professional costs agreed with a lawyer. Each of these is a different payment to a different recipient.

Character refusals: a different fee regime

A partner visa refused on character grounds under section 501 is not reviewed under the partner visa ART fee regime described above. The Tribunal has stated that, for character related visa refusals or cancellations, the standard application fee applies rather than the migration review fee. The amount, the timing and the reduction rules are different.

Character refusals also carry different time limits and a different review process, and they are among the most serious decisions a family can face. A person in that position should not pay any fee based on the figures in this article. Our page on visa cancellations and our Visa Appeal Lawyer guide explain why urgent advice is needed in character matters.

Protection decisions are separate too

A protection visa decision is reviewed under a separate fee arrangement, and that fee is payable at a different stage and in a different amount. The review fee should never be confused with the protection review fee. A couple who have applied for different visas over time should check which decision is being reviewed and which fee applies to it.

Is the partner visa ART fee worth paying?

The partner visa ART fee is often worth paying where the refusal can be answered with evidence or argument that the Tribunal can consider. The Tribunal conducts a fresh merits review. It looks at the application again and decides on the evidence before it at the time of its decision. That is what the fee buys.

Whether the partner visa ART fee is worth paying in a particular case depends on the reason for refusal. A refusal because the Department was not satisfied that the relationship was genuine can often be addressed with fuller evidence and the couple's own oral evidence. A refusal on a strict legal criterion that cannot be met at the time of the Tribunal's decision may be much harder to overcome. The decision is a legal one, and it should be made after the refusal has been read by someone who understands the criteria.

What the Tribunal can do after the fee is paid

Once the review fee is paid and the review is validly made, the Tribunal can:

• affirm the refusal;
• set aside the refusal and substitute a new decision;
• vary the decision; or
• remit the matter to the Department of Home Affairs for reconsideration, usually with a direction that a criterion is met.

A remittal, a set aside or a variation each triggers the 50% refund of the partner visa ART fee. An affirmed decision does not.

What the fee does not buy

The partner visa ART fee does not buy a guaranteed hearing date, a particular member or a particular outcome. It does not pay for interpreters arranged privately, document translations, medical examinations or police certificates. It does not pay for preparing written submissions. It pays for the Tribunal's review of the decision.

The comparison between paying the review fee and starting again with a new application is a separate question, with its own legal bars and risks. That comparison is set out in our guide on partner visa refusal appeal options and in our article on applying for a partner visa after a visa refusal.

Other costs to plan for besides the partner visa ART fee

The partner visa ART fee is the only fee paid to the Tribunal, but it is rarely the only cost of a review. A realistic budget for a partner visa review should allow for the cost of gathering updated evidence, translating documents, obtaining Form 888 statements, and any professional help the couple chooses to engage.

Typical costs beyond the partner visa ART fee include:

• certified translations of documents not in English;
• updated police certificates or medical examinations if the Tribunal or Department requires them;
• obtaining records from banks, landlords, employers and government agencies;
• travel to a hearing, if the hearing is held in person;
• time off work for the applicant, the sponsor and any witnesses; and
• legal costs, if the couple engages a lawyer for the review.

Government charges and third party costs vary, and they should be checked when they arise. Professional costs are agreed directly with the lawyer and set out in a costs agreement. Our guides on immigration lawyer fees in Australia and on what a fixed fee quote should include explain how legal costs are usually structured, without suggesting any particular figure.

Evidence costs in a partner visa review

The largest cost after the review fee is often the time spent gathering evidence. A partner visa review is usually decided on the relationship as it stands when the Tribunal makes its decision. Updated evidence of the four aspects of the relationship, the financial aspects, the nature of the household, the social aspects and the nature of the commitment, is usually needed. Our guides to preparing evidence of a genuine relationship, to the relationship statement and to Form 888 statements explain what that evidence involves.

Representation costs

A couple may run a review themselves or engage a lawyer. Either way, the partner visa ART fee is the same. A lawyer's professional costs are separate and are not paid to the Tribunal. Our articles on whether a partner visa lawyer is worth it compared with doing it yourself and on migration agents and lawyers for partner visas explain the differences factually.

Common mistakes with the partner visa ART fee

The most common mistakes with the partner visa ART fee are paying too late, paying the wrong amount, and having the wrong person apply. Each of these can put the review at risk. Each is avoidable with a careful reading of the refusal letter and the Tribunal's current fee information.

Mistakes seen in partner visa reviews include:

• Paying after the deadline. For a migration review, the fee must be paid before the deadline for applying for review.
• Paying last year's figure. The review fee changes each 1 July, and the fee in force on the day of payment applies.
• The wrong person applying. In an offshore refusal, the sponsor generally applies. In an onshore refusal, the visa applicant generally applies.
• Assuming a reduction is automatic. The 50% reduction requires a request and evidence of financial hardship.
• Waiting for a reduction decision before paying anything. If a reduction is refused late in the review period, the full fee may be due with little time left.
• Confusing the review fee with the visa application charge. They are separate payments to separate bodies.
• Using the protection or character figure. A partner visa refused under Part 5 attracts the migration review fee, not the protection fee or the standard fee for character reviews.
• Losing the receipt. Proof of payment within time is the best answer to any later question about validity, and it is needed for any refund.

The deadline mistake is the hardest to fix

Of all the mistakes with the partner visa ART fee, a late fee is the most damaging. The Tribunal's power to extend time for partner visa reviews is very limited. For that reason, the fee should be treated as part of the review deadline itself. If funds are a problem, advice should be sought well before the last day.

Partner visa ART fee for an offshore Subclass 309 refusal

For an offshore Subclass 309 refusal, the partner visa ART fee is generally paid by the Australian sponsor who applies for review. The amount is the same as for an onshore refusal. The sponsor's role is central, because the sponsor is the review applicant and the person the Tribunal will deal with throughout.

The sponsor should read the refusal letter sent to the applicant, confirm the deadline, lodge the review and pay the review fee within time. The applicant overseas remains central to the evidence, and the Tribunal may want to hear from both partners. Our guide to the Subclass 309 offshore partner visa explains how the offshore pathway works.

Currency and international payments

An Australian sponsor will usually pay the partner visa ART fee from an Australian account or card. A sponsor who is temporarily overseas should allow for card limits and international payment checks. A declined card on the last day of the review period is a preventable problem.

Sponsorship issues and the fee

If a Subclass 309 was refused because of a sponsorship limitation, the review may raise questions about the sponsor's own history. The partner visa ART fee is the same, but the issues are different. Our pages on partner visa sponsorship limitations and on when a sponsor cannot sponsor a partner explain those issues.

Planning the review around the fee

The review fee is easiest to manage when the review is planned from the day the refusal arrives. A simple plan reduces the risk of a late or incorrect payment and gives the couple time to gather evidence.

A sensible sequence is:

• Read the refusal decision in full and note the date of notification.
• Confirm who is entitled to apply for review and which fee applies.
• Check the current partner visa ART fee on the Tribunal website.
• Decide whether to ask for a 50% reduction on financial hardship grounds, and gather the supporting documents.
• Lodge the review application and pay the fee, or lodge the reduction request, inside the review period.
• Keep the receipt, the acknowledgement and the decision together.
• Begin gathering updated evidence that responds to each reason for refusal.

Each of these steps sits inside the short review period. Couples who also need to respond to Department requests during this time may find our guides on section 56 requests for more information and on the section 57 natural justice letter useful for the earlier stages of a case.

Advice on the partner visa ART fee across Australia

My Migration Lawyers advises couples across Australia on partner visa refusals, including the partner visa ART fee, fee reduction requests and the review itself. Consultations are held by video, so location does not limit access to advice. The firm acts for couples in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, the Gold Coast and Parramatta.

How My Migration Lawyers helps with the partner visa ART fee and your review

My Migration Lawyers helps couples deal with the partner visa ART fee correctly and on time, and then prepares the review that the fee pays for. The firm deals with complex partner visa refusals and acts in many Tribunal reviews of refused Subclass 820, Subclass 309 and related partner visas. It is equipped to manage both the fee and the substance of the review.

On a partner visa review, the work usually includes:

• reading the refusal decision and confirming the date of notification and the review deadline;
• confirming who must apply for review, the visa applicant or the sponsor;
• confirming the current partner visa ART fee and that the correct fee regime applies, as distinct from a character or protection review;
• assessing whether a 50% fee reduction request on financial hardship grounds is appropriate, and preparing that request with the supporting documents;
• lodging the review application and making sure the fee is paid within time;
• analysing each reason for refusal and identifying the evidence the Tribunal will need; and
• preparing written submissions and preparing the couple for the hearing.

The firm's work is led by Weiwei Zhang, Principal Lawyer. The firm presents each couple's own account and evidence in the form the law requires. Our partner visa lawyers page and our About page explain how the firm works.

A partner visa refusal does not leave much time. If you have received a refusal and need advice on the partner visa ART fee, a fee reduction or the review itself, book a consultation with My Migration Lawyers, or call 1300 040 300.