If your protection visa has been refused, you may have a right to have that decision reviewed on its merits — and Form R1 is how you ask. This is one of the most consequential reviews in the whole system, because it concerns safety, and because the deadline to lodge is unforgiving. If you have a decision in your hand, act on it now.
I represent people through protection reviews, and I will be honest and careful with you about what R1 can and cannot do.
What Form R1 is
Form R1 is the Administrative Review Tribunal's Application for review — refugee, for people applying for review of decisions about protection visas or protection findings.
The Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) took over this jurisdiction in October 2024. It reviews reviewable protection decisions made under the Migration Act 1958 (Cth). Not every protection decision can be reviewed by the ART — your decision letter, and proper advice, will tell you whether yours can. Access the current form from the official source: ART immigration and citizenship forms.
The deadline — and why speed protects you
Protection reviews are subject to strict statutory time limits, and they are short. For most protection decisions the Tribunal cannot extend the deadline. If it passes, the review right is lost — with consequences far more serious than in an ordinary migration matter.
Your decision letter states your timeframe. Read it the moment it arrives and lodge without delay. You can develop your claims and evidence after lodging; what you cannot do is recover a deadline you have let slip.
The fee is payable only if you lose
Protection review has an unusual and humane fee structure. There is generally no fee to lodge Form R1. A fee becomes payable only where the review is unsuccessful — and from 1 July 2026 that fee is $2,293.
In other words, cost should never stop you lodging a genuine protection review in time. The fee, if it arises at all, arises at the end. Always confirm the current figure and the rules on art.gov.au, as Tribunal fees are indexed.
Who can represent you
As with migration reviews, the Tribunal distinguishes who may act for you.
You may be represented by a registered migration agent or by an Australian lawyer who holds a practising certificate. Some agents are also lawyers; the form asks you to identify the capacity in which they act. I appear as an Australian legal practitioner — an Australian lawyer who holds a practising certificate — which brings legal professional privilege and the ability to run the legal issues a protection review can turn on. Representation at the ART is recorded on the Tribunal's own Form MR5.
Common mistakes and their consequences
Letting the deadline pass. In protection matters this is the gravest error, and it is usually irreversible. Lodge in time above all else.
Assuming every protection decision is reviewable by the ART. Some are not. Check your decision letter and get advice on your specific decision.
Thinking cost is a barrier to lodging. It is not. There is generally no fee to apply; a fee arises only if the review fails.
Trying to run it entirely alone under pressure. Protection claims reward careful, consistent presentation. Get help if you can.
How Form R1 fits your matter
Form R1 is the protection counterpart to Form M1, the ART's migration review form. Representation is appointed on Form MR5. If the Tribunal affirms a decision, judicial review in the courts may still be available where the decision involves an error of law — a separate pathway, and one I can advise on. You can read more about how I approach visa appeals. For the fees across the system, the Form 990i fee page collects the current figures.
If your protection visa has been refused, please do not wait. Book a $97 10-minute chat with me and I will help you understand your review right and lodge it in time.
Frequently asked questions
What is Form R1 used for?
Form R1 is the Administrative Review Tribunal's application for review of a decision about a protection visa or a protection finding. It starts a merits review of a reviewable protection decision.
How long do I have to lodge Form R1?
Strict and short statutory time limits apply, and for most protection decisions the Tribunal cannot extend them. Your decision letter states your timeframe — read it immediately and lodge without delay.
Is there a fee for a protection review?
There is generally no fee to lodge Form R1. A fee becomes payable only if the review is unsuccessful, and from 1 July 2026 that fee is $2,293. Confirm the current figure on art.gov.au.
Can every protection visa refusal be reviewed by the ART?
No. Some protection decisions are not reviewable by the ART. Your decision letter, and proper advice, will tell you whether yours can be reviewed.
Who can represent me in a protection review?
A registered migration agent or an Australian lawyer who holds a practising certificate. Representation at the ART is recorded on Form MR5, and a lawyer acts in a distinct capacity from a registered migration agent.
Protection visa refused? I appear for applicants at the ART nationwide from eight locations, as an Australian lawyer who holds a practising certificate, with care and honesty. Book your $97 10-minute chat — or if you are ready to engage, start at myvisa.com.au/work.