Australia Visitor Visa 600 Refused: Review Rights or a New Application?
If an Australian Visitor visa (subclass 600) is refused, do not simply change a document and lodge again. Download the complete refusal notification first. Check whose application was refused, the stated reasons, whether the decision can be reviewed by the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART), who may apply, and the date by which an application must be lodged. Home Affairs says the refusal notice explains the reasons and whether review is available. The ART says strict time limits depend on the decision and are stated in the Department’s letter. There is no single deadline that applies to every Visitor 600 refusal.
Start with the notice and its deadline
Save the ImmiAccount decision notice, the email that notified you, and any other delivery record. Note the date received, each applicant named, the visa subclass and the decision being challenged. Review periods can be short. The ART says it generally has no power to extend the time limit, so do not rely on a deadline quoted for another visa type or assume that asking a question pauses the clock. If the notice says review is available, follow its instructions to confirm who is entitled to apply, how to lodge, and what fee applies.
Map each reason to the original evidence
Separate the refusal reasons into individual points and compare each one with what was submitted. Depending on the notice, the questions may concern the purpose and itinerary of the visit, the source and availability of funds, work or family ties, plans to leave Australia, or inconsistencies in dates, amounts or explanations across documents. These are review prompts, not a claim that every refusal turns on the same factors. A general statement of intent will not answer a specific concern identified by the decision-maker.
A useful working table has five columns: the wording of the refusal reason; the original application material; the gap identified; reliable evidence that could address it; and the date and limits of that evidence. If the original application contained an error, explain what was wrong, why it happened and how it is corrected. Keep the old record. Do not alter or create documents to make the history appear more favourable. Material that merely repeats the original explanation may not resolve the concern.
A review and a fresh application do different things
Where the refusal notice confirms ART review is available, a review asks the Tribunal to reconsider the administrative decision within its jurisdiction. The applicant must be a person entitled to seek review and must meet the notice’s requirements. ART fees depend on the type of matter and current rules; check the Tribunal’s current fee information rather than relying on an old amount. A review does not guarantee that the refusal will be set aside, and its processing time should not be used to promise a travel or arrival date.
A fresh application is a new visa application. Home Affairs says a person may make a new application, but a different outcome is unlikely unless there is new information or a change in circumstances. The new application should address the refusal reasons with truthful, specific and verifiable evidence. Changing the cover page, itinerary layout or wording alone may leave the central evidence unchanged. Keep the visa application charge, any ART fee and private professional fees separate when planning costs.
If the applicant is in Australia
A person in Australia should separately check the visa they currently hold, its expiry date and conditions, and the status of any bridging visa. Use VEVO and the formal notices to confirm the position. Do not assume that lodging a fresh application, seeking review or waiting for an outcome automatically extends permission to stay or changes work rights. If the person may become unlawful, plans to depart, or faces a restriction on making another application, obtain advice based on the individual notice and status as soon as possible.
A practical order for deciding what to do
First ask whether the notice expressly offers review; whether you are an eligible applicant; and how much time remains. If a review deadline is approaching, deal with the steps needed to preserve that option before exploring alternatives. If review is unavailable, or important facts about family, finances, work or travel have materially changed, assess whether a fresh application can genuinely answer the stated concerns. Whether review and a new application can proceed together, and what either step means for a person’s current visa, must be checked against the notice and applicable rules.
Download the refusal notice and preserve proof of when it was received.
Check review rights, the eligible applicant, the exact deadline and filing instructions.
Match every refusal reason to the original application and any new evidence.
Before applying again, identify what has materially changed or what new evidence answers the concern.
If in Australia, check VEVO, current visa conditions and any bridging visa separately.
Budget separately for government charges, ART fees and professional service fees.
PremierVisa Group can help organise the refusal reasons, timeline and documents that need checking. Review rights, the correct procedure and any outcome depend on the written notice, the ART’s jurisdiction and the facts of the case. Policy checked: 21 October 2026. This article is general information, not legal advice, and does not guarantee a review or a new application will succeed.
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