How to Make a Successful UK Visa Appeal? [Expert Guide]

1) Do not Delay the Submission of Your UK Visa Appeal

If you are thinking to appeal against the Home Office about your visa decision, the first step is to prepare and submit your appeal application either online or in writing (i.e. by post). The rules state that if you are currently inside the UK, you have 14 days to appeal from the date that your decision letter was sent. If you are currently outside the UK, you have 28 days to appeal. Unfortunately, if you submit your application late, your appeal may be refused unless you can provide a strong rationale and evidence as to why you missed the deadline. Given the time it takes to properly understand the reason/s why your visa decision was not as you expected and then to prepare and submit your application with the required documents, the window of time available is extremely short. For this reason, we recommend taking action immediately rather than delaying the appeal application process.

2) Request an Oral Hearing

When applying for your UK visa appeal, you have the option to have your case decided purely on the information and documents provided with your appeal application or at an oral hearing that you and your representative can attend. The statistics show that immigration appeals are far more likely to succeed[PM1]  if an oral hearing is held. According to analysis by Freemovement.org, “an appellant has a 46% increased chance of their appeal being allowed at an oral hearing versus a paper hearing”. Being able to attend the tribunal gives you the opportunity to explain your circumstances and how the adverse decision has negatively affected you and/or your family members.

3) Take the Time to Collate and Submit the Required Documents

Much depends on the documents and information you provide to support your appeal case. The judge will take their time to review the documents you supply before making a decision. For this reason, providing all of the necessary documents to back up your case, translated and correctly formatted, may make the difference between a successful or unsuccessful appeal outcome.

4) Understanding the Grounds for Refusal

While it may seem obvious, it is imperative to understand the grounds for the decision made against you. Only by understanding why UKVI made their decision can you properly bring an appeal. The decision letter you received will explain why your application was refused or your status was revoked. For example, if your British citizenship has been cancelled by the Home Office because they believe that you made a false representation in your application, it is essential to understand exactly what they are referring to, i.e. the exact document, wording when this was sent, and why this was false.