If your visa application has been rejected or if your visa has been canceled, you can appeal the decision to the AAT (Administrative Appeals Tribunal). The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) is a body that reviews the appropriateness of many administrative decisions made by the Regional Government. In 2015, the implementation of the Migration Review Tribunal (MRT) and the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) were submitted to the AAT Migration Unit. In the Department of Immigration, the AAT acts as a non-aligned tribunal to review the decisions of the Department of Immigration. This means that you can be represented by an Immigration Agency, but there is no advisor on behalf of the Department of Immigration. Decisions are made by the Member of the Executive Council who will review the decision of the Department of Immigration and the facts about your situation.

The role of the Tribunal is to review the Department’s decision to reject your application (or cancel your visa), and re-determine whether the Department’s decision was correct. The Member of the Tribunal concerned will assess and determine whether your application meets the relevant legal requirements for approval. The AAT can make a decision in your favor and determine that the Department’s decision is wrong and refer the matter back to the Department for reconsideration. If the matter is referred back to the Department for reconsideration, at present, the Department will issue a visa or revoke the cancellation of the visa.