What to do after a visa refusal
First steps after receiving a refusal: read the decision carefully, note deadlines, and get advice before you act.
Read the decision record
Identify which criteria were not met and whether the decision maker raised credibility, documentation, or eligibility issues. Those details shape whether review or a fresh application makes sense.
Check time limits early
Merits review and some other options have strict lodgement windows. Missing a deadline can close a pathway even when the underlying case has merit.