Citizenship Areas
Advice on challenging eligible immigration decisions where a caseworking error may have affected the outcome.
Assessment of whether an immigration decision can be challenged through administrative review.
Advice on errors in applying the Immigration Rules or published Home Office guidance.
Administrative review asks the Home Office to review an eligible decision for caseworking errors. It is different from a tribunal appeal and from making a fresh application.
We review your decision letter, original application and circumstances before advising on the available response.
Our approach connects the reasons for the decision with the rules, guidance and material considered in your original application.
Review the decision, available review rights and the relevant deadline.
Examine the original application and how the rules and guidance were applied.
Present focused grounds and any evidence that can properly be considered.
Explain the decision and advise on reconsideration or other appropriate next steps.
Administrative review is available for specified decisions under eligible immigration routes. Your decision letter and the rules applying to the application need to be checked together.
Certain decisions to cancel permission on arrival can also be eligible. Some categories, including frontier worker decisions, have a separate review procedure.
We check the precise decision and your location before recommending the correct process. An unfavourable decision does not automatically carry a right to administrative review.
We assess whether the decision maker failed to apply, or incorrectly applied, the relevant rules or published guidance.
We examine the material already provided and how it was considered when the decision was made.
Administrative review is not generally an opportunity to rebuild the application with new documents or rely on a different immigration basis. Additional evidence can be considered only in the circumstances allowed by the applicable rules.
We assess whether the concern is a reviewable error or whether a different response may be more appropriate.
Time limits are short and differ according to the decision, your location and whether you are detained. Contact us promptly with the decision and the date you received it.
Leaving the UK, requesting a passport for travel or making another immigration application can affect or withdraw a review. Seek advice before taking a step that may change your position.
We assess any effect on your existing permission and work conditions individually. Do not assume that requesting a review automatically gives you new permission or a right to work.
The eligible decision is withdrawn and reconsidered. We review the outcome and any further Home Office action needed; success does not always mean an immediate grant of permission.
The original reasons may be maintained, changed or supplemented. We examine the outcome and explain the appropriate options in your circumstances.
A second review is not normally available, although different or additional refusal reasons can give rise to a further right under the applicable rules. We check the decision before advising.
Where a tribunal appeal is the relevant process, see our Immigration Appeals service.