Appeal against a visa or immigration decision
Get a decision
You’ll be given a decision in person or by post.
The tribunal will either decide to:
- allow your appeal - this does not automatically mean you’ll be able to enter or stay in the country and may simply mean the Home Office has to reconsider its decision
- dismiss your appeal and uphold the Home Office’s original decision
You’ll usually get a copy of the tribunal’s decision within 4 weeks of the hearing.
Both you and the Home Office can appeal the decision of the tribunal.
The tribunal can order either you or the Home Office to pay the other’s costs if either of you has acted unreasonably.
If you win your appeal
The Home Office will change (‘revise’) its decision if you win your appeal. The Home Office may reconsider your entire application if your circumstances have changed since you first made your appeal.
The judge may order the Home Office to pay you a ‘fee award’ if you win your appeal, up to the amount you paid for your tribunal fee.
Email the Home Office if you do not get your fee award after 60 days.
Home Office appeals fees enquiries
appealsfeesenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk
Include the following information:
- your Home Office reference number
- your appeal reference number
- the date of the tribunal decision letter
If you lose your appeal
You can ask for permission to appeal to the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) if you lose your case and you think there’s a legal mistake with the tribunal’s decision.
For example, you think the tribunal:
- got the law wrong
- do not apply the correct law
- do not follow the correct procedures, which affected the decision
- had no evidence to support its decision