The Migration Review Tribunal (MRT) is a person's last opportunity to have a visa refusal or cancellation reviewed "on the merits". That is, the Migration Review Tribunal is the last place where you can bring new evidence to support your case or application which was not before, or considered by, the original decision maker when your visa application was refused or your visa cancelled.

The appeal process is lengthy and can lead to additional costs as well as delays and negative knock-on effect for future applications. Therefore a decision to go forward with an appeal is not one that should be taken lightly.

Some significant changes have taken place at the Migration Review Tribunal (MRT) recently. July 1 onwards, MRT application post-decision fees have increased.

The fee payable when lodging an application with the MRT will now be $1,604.

The increased fees will apply to all applications received by the MRT on or after July 1, 2013. Applications posted prior to July 1 but received after this date are subject to the higher fee.

The discounted fee (payable in cases of financial hardship) will also increase on this date to $802.

A series of changes have been made to the Migration Regulations 1994 so that it aligns with the MRT and RRT prescribed periods for inviting an applicant to a hearing, to provide further information, and to comment on adverse information.

Amendments have also been made to the Migration Regulations 1994 regarding lodgement processes.

These include introducing the capacity for the MRT and RRT to accept applications electronically, although electronic lodgement will probably not be available until the end of this year.

From 1 July 2012, processing priorities (with highest priority listed first) are:

1. applications from people who are sponsored under the RSMS program
2. applications from people who are sponsored under the ENS program
3. applications from people who are nominated by a state or territory government agency
4. applications from people who have nominated an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) - Schedule 1 in effect from 1 July 2012
   See:  Skilled Occupation List
5. all other applications.

Applications for visa subclasses 186, 187, 189, 190, or 489 which are lodged through SkillSelect will be given the highest priority within each priority processing group.

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