Most immigration reviews go to the Administrative Review Tribunal's Migration and Refugee jurisdiction. But a significant category does not: many character decisions — visa refusals and cancellations under section 501 of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) — are reviewed in the Tribunal's General Division instead. The rules there are different, and one of them is brutally short.
If your visa has been refused or cancelled on character grounds, this is the article to read first — and quickly.
Why section 501 is different
Section 501 is the character power. When the Department refuses or cancels a visa on character grounds, the review pathway is not the ordinary migration one. Under section 500 of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth), certain section 501 decisions are reviewed by the ART sitting in its General Division, not the Migration and Refugee jurisdiction that handles ordinary visa refusals on Form M1.
There is no migration-specific short-code form for this. You use the Tribunal's general "Application for review of decision" form, following the General Division's procedures.
The 9-day deadline — the shortest clock in the system
This is the number that ends cases. Under the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) section 500(6B), where a section 501 decision (or a decision under section 501CA(4) not to revoke a cancellation) relates to a person in the migration zone, the application to the ART must be lodged within 9 days after the person was notified in accordance with section 501G(1).
Nine days. Not 28. And it is not the kind of deadline the Tribunal can generously extend. If you or a family member receives a section 501 decision, treat it as an emergency the day it arrives. Every day spent deciding whether to act is one of only nine you have.
Not every section 501 decision is reviewable
A crucial qualification: not all character decisions can be reviewed by the Tribunal at all. Where the Minister personally makes or substitutes a decision under the non-delegable, non-compellable character powers, there is generally no merits review in the ART — your only avenue is judicial review in the courts. Whether your particular decision is reviewable by the Tribunal, and on what clock, is the first question to answer, and it is not always obvious from the letter.
The fee — from 1 July 2026
The General Division standard application fee from 1 July 2026 is $1,195. That is lower than the migration review fee, but the compressed timeframe makes the General Division no easier — it is harder, because you have so little time to prepare. Fee reductions may be available; confirm the current figure and any concession on art.gov.au. The wider fee picture is on the Form 990i fee page.
How the General Division differs from Migration and Refugee
Three practical differences matter:
- The clock. Section 501 reviews commonly run on the 9-day section 500(6B) deadline, against roughly 28 days for many ordinary migration decisions.
- The subject matter. The General Division deals with character and a range of other Commonwealth decisions; the Migration and Refugee jurisdiction deals with ordinary visa and protection decisions.
- The stakes and procedure. Section 501 matters carry their own procedures under section 500, and often involve detention — which compresses everything further.
Representation at the Tribunal, whichever division, is recorded on Form MR5, and you may be represented by a registered migration agent or an Australian lawyer who holds a practising certificate. I appear as an Australian legal practitioner.
What comes after
If the General Division cannot help — or the character decision was never reviewable by the Tribunal in the first place — the next step is judicial review in the Federal Circuit and Family Court, on its own 35-day clock, and ultimately ministerial intervention. The Migration and Refugee cluster covers the ordinary review pathway. You can read how I run the whole visa appeal process.
If a section 501 decision has landed, do not read — call. Book a $97 10-minute chat with me the same day. With a 9-day clock, speed is the case.
Frequently asked questions
Where are section 501 character decisions reviewed?
Many are reviewed by the Administrative Review Tribunal in its General Division under section 500 of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth), not in the Migration and Refugee jurisdiction. There is no migration-specific short-code form; you use the Tribunal's general application for review.
How long do I have to apply for review of a section 501 decision?
Where the decision relates to a person in the migration zone, the deadline is 9 days after notification under section 500(6B) of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth). It is extremely short and generally cannot be extended — act the day the decision arrives.
How much is the ART General Division fee from 1 July 2026?
The standard General Division application fee is $1,195 from 1 July 2026. Fee reductions may be available; confirm the current figure on art.gov.au.
Can every section 501 decision be reviewed by the ART?
No. Where the Minister personally makes or substitutes a character decision under the non-compellable powers, there is generally no Tribunal review, and judicial review in the courts is the only avenue. Check whether your decision is reviewable before assuming it is.
How is the General Division different from Migration and Refugee review?
The General Division handles character (section 501) and other decisions on a much shorter 9-day clock, while the Migration and Refugee jurisdiction handles ordinary visa and protection decisions on longer periods. The procedures and stakes differ, and section 501 matters often involve detention.
Received a section 501 decision? I act urgently in character matters nationwide from eight locations, as an Australian lawyer who holds a practising certificate. Book your $97 10-minute chat — or if you are ready to engage, start at myvisa.com.au/work.