The new Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026, commencing on 1 November 2026, introduce changes to Australia’s migration regulations, including an upfront application fee for certain protection visa review applications lodged with the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). The amendments also restrict access to Bridging Visa B (BVB) for people with pending protection visa applications or related judicial review proceedings.
Applicants seeking ART review of a reviewable protection visa decision must pay a fee when submitting their review application. The fee is set at 50% of the standard migration review application fee.
The fee does not have to be paid if the applicant is in immigration detention, or if the application is combined with another application for which the fee has already been paid.
The fee will be refunded in full if any of the following apply:
- the applicant was not entitled to apply for review, or the decision could not be reviewed;
- the ART varies the decision, sets it aside, or sends it back for reconsideration;
- the Minister issues a conclusive certificate, or replaces the ART’s decision with one favourable to the applicant;
- the application is withdrawn because the applicant has died.
The new fee arrangements apply to review applications relating to decisions made on or after 1 November 2026. Review applications relating to decisions made before that date remain subject to the previous fee arrangements.
The regulations also change who can get a Bridging B visa, which allows a person to travel outside Australia and return while their visa matter is being decided. To be eligible, applicants must have one of the following:
- a pending application for a substantive visa other than a protection visa;
- an ongoing judicial review of a decision on such an application.
Applicants are not eligible if they have a protection visa application that has not been decided or withdrawn, or if they have ongoing judicial review proceedings about a protection visa application.
The regulations also add conditions 8564 and 8566 to the conditions that may be placed on Bridging E visas.
These bridging visa changes apply to visa applications made on or after 1 November 2026. Click here: Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026
