This page explains how you can appeal against an immigration decision made outside the UK or at the UK border.

There is a different procedure (known as 'administrative review') if we refuse your application for a visa under the points-based system. The Administrative review page describes this procedure.

If we refuse your application, we will send you a letter informing you of our decision. This is called your 'notice of decision'. The notice of decision will also state your appeal rights.

Applicants for some types of visa have full rights of appeal if their application is refused. The most common types of visa applicant with full rights of appeal are:

family visitors, who want to visit qualifying family members in the UK; and

partners, children and other dependent relatives of British citizens or settled persons, who are seeking to come to the UK with a view to settlement.

If you have the right of appeal, we will send you an IAFT-2 appeal form with your notice of decision. We will also send an information document explaining how to complete the appeal form.

For decisions made on or after 19 December 2011, a fee will need to be paid, in most circumstances, in order to submit an appeal to the the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) (FTTIAC). Details of fee amounts and when a fee needs to be paid are on the guidance accompanying the Notice of Appeal and on the Ministry of Justice website.