Quick answer
Your refusal letter states whether you can appeal or ask for an administrative review, and the deadline. From inside the UK, both must usually be made within 14 days of the decision. We read the letter and tell you in writing which option fits: an appeal, a review, judicial review or a new application, and what it costs.
On this page
Your options after a refusal
- An appeal. Where your refusal letter gives you a right of appeal, for example when a protection or human rights claim is refused, an independent judge at the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) looks at your case again.
- An administrative review. Where there is no right of appeal, some decisions can be reviewed by the Home Office for a mistake in how your application was decided.
- Judicial review. Where there is no appeal or review, or a review has failed, a judge can be asked whether the decision was lawful. It usually starts with a pre-action protocol letter to the Home Office.
- A new application or a fresh claim. Sometimes the better step is a new application that deals with each reason for refusal, or a fresh asylum claim based on new evidence (see asylum).
GOV.UK explains how to appeal to the tribunal and how to ask for an administrative review.
What we do for you
- Read your refusal letter and confirm which options are open to you and the deadline for each
- Tell you in writing which option fits, and what it costs, before you instruct us
- Ask the Home Office for your file with a subject access request, where we need to see what it holds
- Prepare and submit your appeal, administrative review or new application within the deadline, provided you instruct us in time
- Prepare your appeal case: the evidence, the statements and the written arguments for the hearing
- Send a pre-action protocol letter and bring a judicial review where that is the right route
Oliverta Mediu advises Albanian-speaking clients directly in Albanian. If you need an interpreter, tell us when you call.
What it costs
Typical ranges for our legal fee, excluding VAT:
| Preparing & submitting an appeal only | £300 – £500 excluding VAT |
|---|---|
| Appeal case preparation | £1,800 – £2,500 excluding VAT |
| Judicial review | £2,000 – £3,500 excluding VAT |
| Pre-action protocol letter | £300 – £500 excluding VAT |
| Subject access request | £200 – £350 excluding VAT |
| Fresh claim | £1,500 – £2,000 excluding VAT |
Typical ranges for our legal fees only. Home Office, tribunal, healthcare-surcharge, biometric, interpreter, translation, expert and barrister charges are separate. Where VAT applies it is charged at 20%; whether it applies depends on your residence and immigration status.
For a new application, or work not listed here such as an administrative review, we give you a fee in writing first.
You get a written quote for your case before you instruct us. Every published fee range, and what it covers, is on our fees page.
Not part of our fee: the tribunal fee, which depends on whether you ask for a hearing (see current tribunal fees on GOV.UK), and any barrister, expert, interpreter and translation costs. We tell you each of these costs in writing, and nothing is paid without your OK.
How it works
The Home Office and the tribunal set the timing, including the hearing date, so we cannot promise dates or outcomes.
Deadlines and review times
| Appeal to the tribunal | Within 14 days of the decision letter if you are in the UK; 28 days if you are outside the UK, or 28 days from leaving if the letter says you must leave before you appeal |
|---|---|
| Administrative review | Within 14 days of the decision if you are in the UK (7 days if you were detained when you got it); 28 days if you are outside the UK |
| How long a review takes | The Home Office says it can take 12 months or more, and it contacts you if there is no decision within 6 months |
Deadlines from GOV.UK, checked 8 October 2026. The review time is a Home Office estimate, not guaranteed.
- When the letter arrives
The deadline runs from the decision, not from when you contact us. Send us the letter, and your application if you have it.
- Reading the decision
We go through each reason for refusal against the rules and your evidence, and ask for your Home Office file if we need it.
- Your options, in writing
We set out which option fits, what it involves and what it will cost.
- Before the deadline
We prepare the appeal, review or new application with you and submit it, provided you instruct us in time.
- Hearing or decision
The tribunal lists a hearing date, or the Home Office reviews its decision. Where a barrister represents you at a hearing, their fee is confirmed first. We go through the outcome with you.
Who handles your case
Immigration work is carried out by our team of solicitors, legal advisers and paralegals, supervised by Partner Oliverta Mediu.
Where we act
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Leicester office 3rd Floor, St George's House, 6 St George's Way, Leicester LE1 1QZ 0116 393 0334
Immigration in Leicester
What clients say
Firm-wide reviews across all our services.
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Regulated by the SRA SRA No. 605949, view our record
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CQS accredited Law Society Conveyancing Quality Scheme
Questions people ask
How long do I have to challenge a refusal?
From inside the UK, an appeal to the tribunal and an administrative review must usually both be made within 14 days of the decision (7 days for a review if you were detained when you got it). From outside the UK, the limit is usually 28 days. Your refusal letter confirms which applies to you. Figures from GOV.UK, checked 8 October 2026: appeals and administrative review.
Should I appeal or make a new application?
It depends on why you were refused and what the refusal letter allows. If the refusal came down to missing or weak evidence, a new application that answers the reasons can be the better route. If the decision is wrong on the facts or the law, a challenge may be. We read the decision and tell you in writing which option fits.
Can I appeal a visit visa refusal?
Usually not: most visit visa refusals carry no right of appeal. The usual route is a new application that deals with each reason for refusal. In a small number of cases judicial review is possible. Send us the refusal and we will tell you which applies.
Will a refusal affect my future applications?
Application forms ask about previous refusals, so you must declare it. That is why your next application needs to deal with the reasons you were refused last time.
Do I need a barrister for my appeal hearing?
Not always. Where a barrister is needed to represent you at the hearing, their fee is separate from ours and we confirm it in your written quote before anything is booked.
How long does an appeal take?
The tribunal sets the hearing date, so we cannot promise one. For an administrative review, the Home Office says a result can take 12 months or more, and it contacts you if there is no decision within 6 months.
How do I get started?
Call our London office on 020 7063 9040 or our Leicester office on 0116 393 0334, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm, or send us a message. Have your refusal letter with you.
Helpful guides
Had a refusal? Talk to our immigration team before the deadline.
Request a call backThis page is general information, not legal advice for your situation. Immigration rules, deadlines and tribunal fees change: check GOV.UK or ask us before you act.