Visa Appeal Delays at the ART: What Applicants Need to Know
- Elan Rysher
- May 5
- 2 min read
The Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) has issued a public announcement acknowledging significant delays in responding to enquiries and processing review applications.
The ART is Australia’s main address for review applications (appeals) of visa refusals, cancellations and other migration-related decisions. It also reviews other Government decisions in areas such as taxation and social welfare.
A relatively new body, the ART was created in October 2024 to replace the former Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT). The Government’s main reason for the change was an expectation that the ART will process review applications faster than the AAT. It appears that unfortunately, this worthy goal is not being met, at least not for now.
In a recent statement, the ART confirmed it is currently experiencing a surge in the number of applications for review of government decisions. As a result, processing times are longer than usual. Responses to general enquiries—whether made by email or through the Tribunal’s online portal—are being delayed. No specific processing or response timeframes were provided in the announcement.
The latest statistics show that not only is the ART not processing appeals faster than the former AAT, processing times have grown even longer. The median processing times for appeals relating to protection visas increased from 218 weeks to 229 weeks—over four years. Other migration-related decisions are also taking slightly longer to process under the ART, 56 weeks instead of 55 under the former AAT.
The ART noted that it may prioritise cases deemed urgent. Examples include situations involving legal time constraints, serious financial or personal consequences, or where delays may cause significant hardship.
This announcement is particularly relevant for review applicants who are awaiting a decision or trying to seek urgent intervention at the ART. Many, if not most, migrants who appeal visa-related decisions, remain in Australia on bridging visas. They are often restricted from lodging further visa applications while waiting for the outcome of their appeal.
The ART’s objective to reduce processing times of appeals is well intentioned. Unfortunately, those who expected the new ART would get to their appeal sooner may face even longer processing times. At this stage, there is no indication of when processing times may improve. It is reasonable to expect more migrants will be exploring other visa options to regularise their status.
Stay tuned for more updates on Australia's visa system. Subscribe to the next ImmiUpdate below.
For more information please Contact Us or email elan@ryshermigration.com.au
Elan Rysher is a Registered Migration Agent and Qualified Student Counsellor. He is the main Writer for ImmiUpdates and the founder of Rysher Migration. Being a former migrant himself, Elan is passionate about helping others fulfil their Australian dream.
Information (or the lack of it) contained in ImmiUpdates should not be relied on as immigration assistance or advice. ImmiUpdates expressly disclaim any liability, arising at law, in equity or otherwise, for any information published or not published in past, the present or future editions of the blog. People seeking immigration assistance should seek advice from a registered migration agent and those seeking legal advice should consult a lawyer. The copyright in the newsletter belongs to Rysher Migration Services and no part of the blog is to be reproduced by any means without the written consent of Rysher Migration Services.