The Archives of Psychiatry and Mental Health (APMH) operates as an open-access journal dedicated to providing immediate, unrestricted access to research in psychiatry, psychology, and mental health sciences. Article Processing Charges (APCs) support essential editorial functions, peer review management, DOI registration, digital preservation, indexing, and long-term content hosting. Because these services involve significant operational resources, the refund framework must be fair, transparent, and aligned with standard scholarly publishing practices. This Refund Policy expands on principles found on the predecessor journal website and introduces a fully modernized, COPE-aligned structure.

Purpose of the Refund Policy

The Refund Policy ensures:

Financial transparency for authors
Consistency in managing APC-related requests
Protection of editorial resources
Acknowledgment of production costs already incurred
Fair treatment across different manuscript stages

Refunds are evaluated based on the stage of publication, ethical circumstances, and legitimate grounds for reversal.

When APCs Are Charged

APCs are charged only after:

The manuscript has passed peer review
All revisions are complete
The paper has been formally accepted for publication

APCs are never charged at submission or during peer review.

General Refund Principles

Refunds may be considered only under the following principles:

No editorial or production work can be undone after certain stages
Refunds are not guaranteed for dissatisfaction or preference changes
Ethical concerns may warrant partial or full refunds
Technical or administrative errors may justify refunds

APCs fund editorial labor, technical infrastructure, DOI registration, and production services; therefore refunds are limited.

Refund Eligibility Based on Manuscript Stage

Stage	Refund Eligibility	Explanation
APC Paid but Production Not Started	Full Refund Possible	No irreversible editorial or production work has been completed.
Copyediting Started	Partial Refund	Editorial team has already invested labor in preparing the article.
Typesetting Started	Partial Refund	Production resources and system formatting steps have begun.
Galley Proofs Sent to Authors	No Refund	Major production work already completed; DOI and metadata queued.
Article Published Online	No Refund	Publication is permanent; APC corresponds to services delivered.

Exceptional Circumstances for Refunds

Refunds may be granted in exceptional cases, including:

Duplicate payment due to system error
Payment made without formal acceptance notice
Publisher-side technical error
Withdrawal due to publisher oversight (e.g., missed communications)
Ethical issues for which authors are not responsible

Each case is reviewed individually by the editorial and finance teams.

Non-Refundable Situations

Refunds are not provided when:

Authors change their mind about publishing
Authors prefer another journal after acceptance
APC waivers were previously granted
Authors request withdrawal for convenience
Publication delays occur due to incomplete author responses
Authors fail to provide necessary documentation (e.g., copyright forms)
Ethical violations are identified post-acceptance

Non-refundable scenarios protect the sustainability of open-access publishing.

Refund Process and Requirements

Authors must submit a written refund request via the corresponding author’s registered email address. The request must include:

APMH manuscript ID
Title of the manuscript
Date of APC payment
Reason for refund request
All supporting documentation (receipts, proof of error, etc.)

All co-authors must be notified of the request, though their formal approval is not required unless linked to withdrawal.

Processing Timeline

Refunds typically follow this timeline:

Review of request: 3–5 business days
Financial assessment: 5–10 business days
Refund issuance: 7–14 business days

Total expected processing time: 15–30 days.

Refund Methods

Refunds are issued through:

Original payment method (primary option)
Bank transfer (for international authors)
Digital transaction platforms (where applicable)

Transaction fees for international payments may be deducted.

Refunds for Waived or Discounted APCs

APCs that were waived or granted at a reduced rate due to financial need, geographic classification, or academic circumstances cannot be refunded under any circumstances.

Waivers represent a financial investment by the publisher; thus, refund is not applicable.

Refunds Related to Ethical Breaches

If ethical concerns arise that:

Are caused by the authors — no refund is provided
Are due to editorial or system error — refund may be considered
Require withdrawal of the article — refund depends on the stage

Ethical concerns may include:

Undisclosed conflicts of interest
Plagiarism detected after acceptance
Incorrect authorship attribution
Concerns raised by institutions or readers

Refunds for Duplicate Payments

A full refund is provided for unintentional duplicate payments. Authors must provide:

Two invoices or payment confirmations
Transaction verification information

Real-World Scenario

Scenario: An author pays an APC immediately after receiving an acceptance email. However, the journal discovers a technical glitch where the acceptance notice was sent prematurely before verification checks. The editorial office notifies the author, reverses the acceptance, and issues a full refund. The manuscript is returned to peer review. This demonstrates transparency and responsibility in APC administration.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Can I get a refund if my revised manuscript is rejected after acceptance?: No. APCs are charged only after final acceptance.
Q: What if I want to withdraw my paper after payment?: Refund eligibility depends on the stage of production.
Q: What if payment was made mistakenly by an institution?: A refund may be issued with institutional confirmation.
Q: How do I know if my refund request is approved?: You will receive a written confirmation from the editorial office.
Q: Are APCs refunded if publication is delayed?: No. Delays rarely justify refunds unless caused solely by publisher-side issues.

Conclusion

APMH’s Refund Policy reflects its commitment to fairness, transparency, and ethical stewardship of open-access publishing. By clearly defining refund eligibility, processes, and exceptional circumstances, the journal ensures trusted financial practices and maintains the integrity of its editorial and publication workflows.