1. APC amount 

• APC (both journals): USD 200 (Two Hundred US Dollars) per article.
  • Applies to accepted, peer-reviewed articles in:
    • OpenMind Journal of Multidisciplinary Innovation & Development
    • OpenMind Journal of Humanities, Arts & Creative Studies

1. When the APC is charged

• The APC is charged only after the article has completed peer review, been formally accepted, and the author has approved the final proofs.
• Acceptance is separate from payment: inability to pay should not delay editorial decisions. If funding concerns exist, authors should request a waiver or discount at the time of acceptance (see Section 4).
• An official invoice will be issued to the corresponding author or designated payor upon acceptance.

1. What the APC covers

The APC contributes to:

• Editorial and peer-review management (editorial office operations, reviewer handling);
• Production (copyediting, typesetting, formatting of the published version);
• DOI registration via Zenodo and preparation of metadata;
• Archiving and preservation (Zenodo, Internet Archive, SSRN);
• Platform and website hosting costs, indexing support, and long-term maintenance of the published record;
• Administrative costs associated with invoicing and optional payment processing.

1. Waiver & discount policy — principles

OMR Publication  aims to ensure equitable access to publishing. Waivers and discounts are available under the following principles:

• Equity: Waivers are designed to reduce barriers for authors from low- and lower-middle-income economies, early-career researchers without funding, and authors with demonstrable financial hardship.
• Transparency: Waiver decisions are based on documented need, not on the perceived importance of the research.
• No editorial influence: Requests for waivers or discounts are considered separately from editorial decisions; editors and reviewers remain unaware of waiver requests.

1. Waiver & discount eligibility (examples)

The following (non-exhaustive) categories are eligible for full or partial waivers. Authors must provide supporting information in the waiver application form (see Section 7):

• Full waivers (priority consideration): Authors whose corresponding affiliation is in a low-income economy as identified by major international sources (e.g., World Bank classifications) or authors who can demonstrate lack of institutional/funder support and financial need.
• Partial waivers or discounts: Authors from lower-middle-income economies, authors with limited funding (doctoral students, unfunded independent researchers), and cases where only a portion of the APC can be covered by the author or institution.
• Automatic considerations: Authors who request a waiver at acceptance and provide a short rationale and supporting evidence will be considered promptly.
• Other cases: In rare cases OMR Publication  may grant waivers for invited papers, special issues, or where institutional agreements apply.

Note: Authors should provide truthful information in waiver requests. Misrepresentation may result in cancellation of publication or retroactive billing.

1. How to request a waiver or discount

• When to apply: At acceptance, authors must indicate their request in the acceptance correspondence or via the waiver application form (URL: /editorial-policies/apc-waiver/apply — create this form in your submission system). Early inquiries about waivers (before acceptance) are welcome for planning purposes but final waiver decisions are made on acceptance.
• What to include: A short statement (max 300 words) explaining the reason for the waiver, the affiliation of the corresponding author, and any supporting documents (e.g., institutional statement of no available funds, student ID, country of affiliation).
• Decision timeframe: Waiver requests are considered promptly; authors are usually notified within 7–14 days of application. (This is an internal guideline — actual time may vary depending on volume.)
• Contact for waiver queries: editorial@omrpublication.com

1. Waiver application form — suggested fields (copy-paste ready)

Create an online form with the following fields to standardize requests:

• Submission ID / Manuscript Title: _______
• Journal: [Dropdown: AHL / MDS]
• Corresponding author name & email: _______
• Corresponding author affiliation & country: _______
• Are you requesting: [Full waiver / Partial waiver / Discount / Delay in payment]
• Reason for request (max 300 words) — please explain financial circumstances and any supporting details.
• Supporting documents (file upload — optional): [e.g., letter from institution, student ID, funder rejection letter]
• Declaration checkbox: “I declare that the information provided is true and accurate.”
• Submit button

1. Payment methods & invoicing

• Invoice: On acceptance an official invoice (USD) will be issued to the corresponding author or designated payor. Invoices include: article title, author(s), journal, invoice number, APC amount, payment instructions, and any applicable taxes or fees.
• Payment methods (examples to configure in your payment system):
  • International bank transfer (wire / SWIFT) — provide full beneficiary bank details in the invoice.
  • PayPal / Stripe — for card payments (consider fees and currency conversion).
  • Local payment gateways (Razorpay/Paytm) — if you wish to accept INR locally.
  • Institutional purchase order (PO) — we accept PO on agreement; please send to contact@omrpublication.com.
• Currency & conversion: Invoices are issued in USD. If authors prefer to pay in another currency, the payor is responsible for any exchange-rate differences and bank fees. The invoice will specify the due date and correct amount in USD.
• Taxes & VAT: Any local taxes, VAT or withholding taxes are the responsibility of the payor and must be handled according to local laws. The invoice will indicate if additional taxes apply. Please consult your finance office.

1. Payment deadlines, late payments & refunds

• Payment deadline: Payment is due as specified on the invoice (typically 30 days from invoice date) but publication is not withheld for pending waiver applications. If no waiver is granted and payment is not received, publication may be delayed until payment is made or an alternate arrangement is agreed.
• Late payments: May incur administrative fees where applicable. Communicate with the publisher finance contact (contact@omrpublication.com) to arrange extensions if needed.
• Refund policy: If an accepted article is withdrawn by authors before final publication procedures begin, a partial refund may be considered on a case-by-case basis (administrative fees may apply). No refunds are given for articles already published. Fraudulent payment or misrepresentation may lead to withdrawal and possible institutional notification.

1. Institutional agreements & sponsor payments

• OMR Publication  welcomes institutional agreements or bulk arrangements with universities, research centres, or funders to cover APCs for affiliated authors. Contact contact@omrpublication.com to discuss institutional arrangements, invoicing options, and ROLES (e.g., centralized billing).
• When a funder or institution pays the APC, the funding source will be listed in the published article’s Funding statement and metadata.

1. Transparent reporting & metadata for indexing

• For indexing and discoverability, OMR Publication  will include APC and funding information in article metadata where required by indexers and directories (e.g., DOAJ). Published articles will contain a clear statement of the APC status (e.g., “This article was published Open Access. APC funded by [author/institution/funder]/waiver granted”). This transparency supports indexer assessments.

1. Discounts, sponsorships & editorial neutrality

• Discounts (e.g., for reviewers, editorial board members, invited authors) may be offered at the publisher’s discretion but are managed transparently. Any sponsored or discounted APCs will be recorded and reported internally.
• Editorial decisions are never conditioned on payment or the ability to pay. Waiver applications are handled independently from the peer review and editorial decision process.

1. Record keeping and audit

• Records of APC invoices, waiver applications and decisions are retained for auditing and reporting needs. Authors may request confirmation of waiver decisions; such requests should be directed to contact@omrpublication.com.

1. Example APC statement for published articles (copy for production)

Include one of the following short lines in the published article’s metadata or footer:

• If APC paid: “Article processing charge: USD 200 (paid by [Author / Institution / Funder]).”
• If waiver granted: “Article processing charge: waiver granted (full / partial) by OMR Publication .”
• If no APC charged (exception): “No APC charged.”

1. Contact & support (who to contact for APC queries)

• Invoicing & payments: contact@omrpublication.com
• Waiver applications & editorial queries about APCs: editorial@omrpublication.com
• General enquiries: contact@omrpublication.com

1. Frequently asked questions (short)

Q: When will I be invoiced?
A: After the article is accepted and you have approved proofs. Waiver requests should be made at acceptance.

Q: What if I can’t pay the APC?
A: Request a waiver or partial discount at acceptance — inability to pay will not affect editorial decisions.

Q: Are APCs refundable?
A: Refunds are considered only if publication is withdrawn before production starts; no refunds after publication.