Appeal against a visa or immigration decision
Appeal from outside the UK
You can only appeal to the tribunal if you have the legal right to appeal - you’ll usually be told if you do in your decision letter.
Your decision letter will usually tell you if you can apply for an administrative review and if you do not have the right to appeal.
Talk to a solicitor or an immigration adviser if you’re unsure whether you can appeal.
Read the guide on representing yourself if you’re not going to have a legal representative.
How to appeal
How you appeal depends on whether you’re applying for yourself or if you’re a legal professional appealing on behalf of a client.
If you’re a solicitor or an immigration adviser
For most cases, you must appeal online using the MyHMCTS service. You’ll need to create an account first if you do not have one.
You must only appeal using a paper form if your client is in detention.
If you’re appealing for yourself without a solicitor or immigration adviser
You have 28 days to appeal after you get your decision. If you have to leave the country before you’re allowed to appeal, you have 28 days to appeal once you’ve left the country.
If you apply after the deadline, you must explain why - the tribunal will decide if it can still hear your appeal.
You can appeal later if your administrative review was unsuccessful for a EU Settlement Scheme, frontier worker or S2 healthcare visitor application. Your administrative review decision will tell you how to appeal.
Apply online if you can - online appeals are quicker than post or fax appeals.
Appeal an immigration or asylum decision online
If you’re appealing for yourself, use the online service to:
- submit an appeal
- add documents in support of your application
- ask for a hearing
- get a decision on your appeal
You’ll need to create an account. You’ll also need:
- your Home Office reference number - you can find this on your decision letter
- any documents that will support your application
- an email address or mobile phone number
If you cannot use this service
You can either:
- apply using a different online service
- apply by post, fax or email
To apply by post, fax or email, use one of the following forms. Send the relevant form with copies of the documents that support your application.
Use form IAFT-5 to appeal a decision about any of the following:
- deporting you under the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016
- refusing your permit, revoking your permit or deporting you if you’re a frontier worker
- refusing your leave, revoking your leave or deporting you if you’re on an S2 Healthcare Visitor visa
Use form IAFT-6 to appeal a decision about any of the following:
- refusing a human rights claim for entry clearance
- deporting you, refusing or revoking your status, or varying the length or condition of your stay under the EU Settlement Scheme
- refusing or revoking your family permit or travel permit under the EU Settlement Scheme
Use form IAFT-7 to appeal a decision to refuse a human rights claim or protection claim, where you’ve been told you can only appeal after you’ve left the country.
There’s a different way to appeal if you made your application before 6 April 2015.
Ask for an oral hearing
You can ask on your appeal form for a decision to be made either:
- just on the information in your appeal form and any documents supplied to the tribunal
- at a hearing that your representatives can attend
The tribunal can decide to have a hearing even if you do not ask for one. You’ll be told if this is the case.
If the tribunal does not hold a hearing, a judge will decide your case based on your appeal form and documents.
Hearings are carried out in public. You can ask for it to be held in private or to attend by video link, but you must have a reason, for example a public hearing would put you in danger.
You can ask for a male or female judge if you think there are issues in your appeal that make it appropriate. The tribunal will decide if it can do this.
Special requirements
Contact the Customer Enquiry Unit before your hearing if any special help is needed, for example someone attending on your behalf needs wheelchair access.
Customer Enquiry Unit
Telephone: +44 (0)300 123 1711
Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm
Find out about call charges
Fees
It costs:
- £80 without a hearing
- £140 with a hearing
You may not have to pay if you get legal aid.
Read the tribunal fees guidance for more information.
Contact the tribunal if you’re not sure if you have to pay a fee.
First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber)
[email protected]
Telephone: +44 (0)300 123 1711
Find out about call charges
How to pay
You can pay your fee with a credit or debit card when you make your appeal online or by including your details on your appeal form.
If you’ve already made your appeal you can also pay your fee online.