Refund Policy

The Journal of Forensic Science and Research (JFSR) strives to maintain transparency and fairness in its financial transactions. This Refund Policy outlines the conditions under which Article Processing Charges (APCs), withdrawal fees, or other payments may be refunded or adjusted. Since APCs are used to support open access publishing infrastructure, refunds are granted only in specific, well-defined circumstances.

General Principles

• Refunds are considered only when payments were made in error or when a publication process cannot be completed due to journal-related issues.
• Refund requests must be submitted in writing to the editorial office within 30 days of payment.
• Refunds, where applicable, are processed within 4–6 weeks of approval.

Scenarios Eligible for Refund

• Duplicate Payment: If an author is charged more than once for the same invoice.
• Technical Error: If a transaction error occurs during online payment processing.
• Journal Error: If JFSR is unable to publish the accepted article due to internal reasons (e.g., technical failures, closure of journal).

Non-Refundable Circumstances

Refunds are not granted in the following cases:

• Author-initiated withdrawal after peer review or acceptance.
• Rejection due to plagiarism, ethical misconduct, or guideline non-compliance.
• Delays caused by authors in submitting revisions, proofs, or mandatory documents.
• Failure to comply with journal formatting or submission standards.
• Once an article has been published online.

Partial Refunds

In rare circumstances, partial refunds may be considered when only part of the editorial process has been completed. The decision rests with the editorial office and publisher, and deductions may apply for administrative and editorial costs already incurred.

Dispute Resolution

Disputes regarding APCs, charges, or refund requests are handled transparently and fairly by the editorial office. Authors may appeal refund denials with detailed justifications. Appeals are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and publisher.

Method of Refund

• Refunds are processed through the same payment method originally used.
• Authors must provide transaction proof and invoice details when requesting a refund.
• Bank or processing charges may be deducted from the refunded amount.

FAQs

Can I get a refund if my article is rejected?

No. APCs are charged only after acceptance, ensuring no charges apply to rejected manuscripts.

Is the withdrawal fee refundable?

No. Withdrawal fees are administrative costs and are non-refundable.

Can I transfer APC payments to another article?

In special cases, with editorial approval, APCs may be transferred to a new submission from the same author group.

Commitment to Transparency

JFSR enforces this Refund Policy to safeguard fairness, protect authors, and maintain transparency in financial operations. We strongly encourage authors to review APCs and policies prior to payment to avoid misunderstandings.