Refund Policy

At Critical Reviews in Biotechnology and Life Sciences (CRBLS), we strive to ensure transparency and fairness in all financial transactions related to manuscript submission and publication. This Refund Policy outlines the conditions under which authors may request a refund of submission or publication fees.

1. Eligibility for Refunds:

• Before Peer Review:

  • Authors may request a refund of submission fees if they decide to withdraw their manuscript before the peer review process begins. The withdrawal request must be submitted in writing to the editorial office. Once the manuscript is cleared for review, the refund request will be processed.
  • Refunds requested before the manuscript enters the peer review process will generally be processed in full, minus any administrative charges, such as processing fees.

• During Peer Review:

  • Once the peer review process has started, submission fees become non-refundable, as the journal has already invested resources in the evaluation of the manuscript. If an author chooses to withdraw the manuscript after peer review has begun, no refund will be issued.

• After Acceptance:

  • After the manuscript has been accepted for publication, no refunds will be issued for submission or publication fees. This is because the manuscript has already gone through the review process, and the journal has committed resources to the editing, production, and distribution of the article.

• Post-Publication:

  • Once an article is published, no refunds will be issued under any circumstances. Published articles are part of the permanent archive of the journal and are accessible to the public.

• Exceptional Circumstances:

  • In cases of extraordinary circumstances (such as a medical emergency, personal crisis, or issues related to the manuscript submission process that were caused by journal error), authors may request a refund. The editorial office will evaluate the situation on a case-by-case basis and may offer a partial or full refund depending on the nature of the issue. Documentation may be required to support the request.

2. Processing of Refunds:

• Request for Refund: Authors must submit a formal refund request to the editorial office via email. The request should include the manuscript ID, title, the reason for withdrawal or refund, and any relevant supporting documentation (if applicable).

• Refund Approval: Upon receipt of the refund request, the editorial office will review the situation and determine whether the refund is eligible under the conditions outlined in this policy. The editorial office may request further information if necessary.

• Refund Processing Time: If approved, refunds will be processed within 30 days. Refunds will be issued through the same payment method used by the author for the manuscript submission. Authors should ensure that their payment details are up to date.

• Administrative Fees: Refunds may be subject to an administrative fee to cover processing costs incurred during the submission, review, and production stages. The amount of the administrative fee, if applicable, will be communicated to the author when the refund request is submitted.

3. Non-Refundable Situations:

• After Peer Review Begins: No refunds will be issued once the manuscript has entered the peer review process, as the review and editorial resources have been allocated.

• If the Manuscript is Rejected: If the manuscript is rejected after peer review or editorial decision, no refunds will be provided. The submission fee covers the cost of the peer review process, regardless of the outcome.

• Failure to Comply with Submission Guidelines: Manuscripts that are withdrawn or rejected due to non-compliance with submission guidelines, formatting requirements, or ethical standards are not eligible for a refund.

4. Refund Policy for Open Access Publication:

• Open Access Fees: Authors opting for open access publication may incur additional publication fees. These fees will not be refunded once the manuscript is accepted for publication, as open access articles are made publicly available immediately upon publication.

• Open Access Refunds: In cases where an open access article is withdrawn before acceptance, the author may request a refund for the open access fee, subject to the same conditions outlined in the refund policy above.

5. Contacting the Editorial Office:

If you have any questions or concerns about the Refund Policy or need assistance with a refund request, please contact the editorial office at:

Email: refunds@crbls.org