There are incidents where UK visas are refused due to unjustified reasons. It’s not uncommon for ECOs to make mistakes or overlook crucial documentation. If you believe that your UK visa was refused on unjustified grounds, you can challenge it. In this article, you will learn how to challenge UK visa refusal.
How to challenge UK visa refusal?
You can challenge UK visa refusal through a reapplication. Read your refusal letter carefully and understand the reasons for your visa refusal. If the reasons were unjustified, address them with the necessary information and supporting documentation. Draft a strong cover letter and point the ECO to the new information and documentation.
Let’s look at how to reapply and a few other ways to challenge your UK visa refusal.
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WAYS TO CHALLENGE UK VISA REFUSAL
You can challenge your UK visa refusal in these ways –
- Re-application (recommended)
- Judicial review (expensive)
- Appeal (only if eligible)
Re-application
The easiest and inexpensive way to challenge your UK visa refusal is by a re-application. If you believe that ECO has made a mistake in your application, challenge your refusal with a re-application by writing a strong and detailed cover letter.
It’s not uncommon for ECO’s to overlook crucial information and make quick decisions. Mention the information or documentation that was overlooked in your other information section and cover letter. Make this the first section in your cover letter to catch ECO’s attention. You want the ECO to cut through the chase and get straight to the point. This will save time, money and spare you from another refusal.
Judicial review
If you feel that there is no point in submitting another application with the same set of documents, you can very well go for a judicial review.
Keep in mind that judicial review is a legal challenge. You must have legal grounds to prove that ECO has made an unlawful decision in your case.
You would need to hire a legal firm specialized in immigration law to file a judicial review with UKVI on your behalf. The legal firm will cite the appropriate immigration laws to challenge your visa decision.
Keep in mind that these legal firms charge hefty fees for filing judicial reviews. Legal firms in the UK typically charge upwards of £600 for the Pre-Action Protocol (PAP), which is just the first step in the judicial review process. That’s just the first step. You can imagine how much you will end up spending overall.
Legal firms can also take advantage of your situation. They can recommend judicial review even though you do not have proper grounds for judicial review. You may end up losing the case and a lot of money during the process.
In my opinion, it’s easier and cheaper to just reapply than going for an expensive and complicated judicial review. A fresh UK tourist visa application costs you only £95.
Appeal
UKVI has suspended the right to appeal for visitor visas. Currently, the right to appeal is available only in certain cases based on humanitarian grounds.
ECO will indicate in your refusal letter whether you have the right to appeal to the tribunal. If you do, the ECO will also indicate the appropriate section and the act.
Keep in mind that an appeal is also an expensive and time-consuming process. It’s really not worth it for regular visitor visa refusal.
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How do you know if your UK visa is denied?
UKVI notifies you via email when a decision has been made on your visa application. The email notifies you that a decision has been made, but it does not disclose the visa result itself. The only way to know the visa result is to wait till you receive your passport.
When you receive your passport, you should see either a UK visit visa sticker in your passport or a refusal letter enclosed in the package.
If there is a visa sticker, then your visa is APPROVED. Verify your name, visa type and expiration dates to make sure everything is correct.
If there is a visa refusal letter enclosed, then your visa is DENIED. Read the letter thoroughly to understand the reasons for your UK visa refusal.
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Do you get a refund if your UK visa is refused?
You cannot get a refund if your UK visa is refused. UK visa fee is non-refundable.
UKVI requires resources to review visa applications, conduct background checks and other visa related tasks. The amount of resources required to process a visa application is the same irrespective of its outcome.
Even though the outcome is a refusal, UKVI has technically spent your visa fee on the visa process. So, you cannot get a refund of your UK visa fee.
NOTE
UK visa fee is refundable as long as you haven’t given your biometrics. Once you have given your biometrics, the UK visa fee is non-refundable.
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What are the chances of getting UK visa after refusal?
Your chances of getting a UK visit visa after refusal are higher if the ECO has made a mistake or overlooked crucial information. In your re-application, you would need to make the new ECO aware of your previous refusal, mistakes or overlooked information and point the ECO to the right information/documentation.
Your chances are also higher if you know exactly what caused your refusal and how to address those refusal reasons. Reasons can be inadequate information, missing documentation, an error from your side, etc. Fix these issues in your re-application and point the new ECO to the new information or documentation provided.
But if your visa was refused due to ineligibility, deception or re-entry ban, you have absolutely zero chances. It’s wise not to spend any more money on your UK visit visa re-application.
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Can you reapply for UK visa after refusal?
Absolutely! You can reapply for UK visa after refusal. But you must first determine if it’s even worth reapplying for your UK visit visa. It’s you who have to make the decision whether to reapply or not. Like I mentioned above, if your UK visa was refused due to ineligibility, there is no point in reapplication. The visa result would be the same.
Read the remarks from the ECO in your refusal letter. This will indicate whether your visa was refused due to ineligibility. Ineligibility could be insufficient funds, low income, lack of ties with your country, lack of travel history, etc. Reapplying for your UK visa without fixing these will lead to refusal again.
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How soon can you reapply for UK visa after refusal?
There is no set time limit on how soon you can reapply for UK visa. You can reapply the very next day of your refusal.
Jumping too quickly into re-application without understanding the reasons for your previous refusal will only lead to another refusal.
Take some time to understand the reasons for your UK visa refusal. Research on the internet, gain some knowledge and learn from other applicants. Determine and gather all the additional information or documents necessary for your re-application. And then start your re-application.
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How to apply for UK visa after refusal?
Applying for a UK visa after a refusal is the same as applying for a fresh UK visa. But it’s very important to address your refusal with relevant information and documentation in your re-application.
Draft a write-up on your refusal, the reason for refusal and additional information or documentation to address the refusal. Adjust the language, spell check and format it well.
You will see a question “Is there any other information you like to be considered…” which is usually at the end of the application with a large text area for the answer. You can use this large text area to mention your previous refusal and how you would like to address it. Add your explanation to this area.
Add the same information in your cover letter as the very first section. Format it well, use bullets and screenshots if necessary.
Let’s look at an example and a sample write-up.
Example: UK visit visa was refused due to a large deposit in your bank account
UK visa refusal due to large deposits in the bank statements is very common. Bank statements are very important in your UK tourist visa application. ECOs are not just looking at your balance, but they are looking at patterns that tell them whether you are a genuine visitor. Many fail to understand the importance of bank statements for UK visa. They come to realize how important they are only after receiving their refusal letter.
Below is a sample write-up that should be added to the “other information” text area in your online UK visa application.
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My previous application for the UK visitor visa with GWF number {GWF number} was refused on {date}. I would like to address the reason for my previous visa refusal with an explanation and relevant additional documentation. Please consider my explanation and additional documentation to evaluate my case.
Reason for refusal: The sources of these deposits were not demonstrated by the documents provided
Explanation: The deposit in question was made on 10-Dec-2020 for an amount of £850. This amount was my yearly bonus from my employer. We typically receive our yearly bonus in the first week of December. Please find the attached documentation to address the concern for the refusal.
Additional Documentation: (1) Bonus slip, (2) bonus announcement email and (3) letter from my employer with details of bonus, amount and dates.
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Below is a sample write-up that should be added as the first section in the cover letter.
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<date>
The Entry Clearance Officer
The Consulate General of the United Kingdom
<City Name>
Sub: Multiple-entry visitor visa application
Dear Sir/Madam,
My name is <your full name> and I am writing this letter in application to my multiple-entry visitor visa to the United Kingdom.
Previous UK Visa Refusal
My previous application for the UK visitor visa with GWF number {GWF number} was refused on {date}.
I would like to address the reason for the refusal with my explanation and relevant additional documentation.
Reason for refusal: The sources of these deposits were not demonstrated by the documents provided
Explanation: The deposit in question was made on 05-Dec-2020 for an amount of £850. This amount was the yearly bonus from my employer. We typically receive our yearly bonus in the first week of December every year. Please find the attached documentation to prove that these funds are available to me.
Additional Documentation: (1) Bonus slip, (2) bonus announcement email and (3) letter from my employer with details of bonus, amount and dates.
… <rest of the cover letter goes here> …
I hereby request you to grant me a multiple-entry visitor visa to the United Kingdom.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
<your full name>
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SUMMARY
It’s not uncommon for ECOs to make mistakes or overlook crucial documentation. If you believe that your UK visa refusal is not justified, you can challenge it with a re-application, judicial review or an appeal.
The easiest and inexpensive way to challenge UK visa refusal is by a re-application. Address your concerns with the necessary information and supporting documentation. Draft a strong cover letter and point the ECO to the new information and documentation provided.
So, there you have it. How to challenge UK visa refusal. If you have any questions, leave a comment below. I will answer them as soon as I can.
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Leon says
Hello. I am from India. I recently applied for a visitor visa to the UK to attend my PLAB 2 exam which is to be held on January 4th, 2023. My application had been refused. I have been working for the past 18 months and with my current employer for the past 3 months. They had stated that my bank accounts were not showing my income but they did show the salary I had received for the past 3 months. Also, I had a fixed deposit that had matured a month before my visa application. In the refusal letter, they stated that the source of the deposit is cannot be explained by my salary. I had inherited the money from my parents which were deposited in my account years back. I submitted my ITR and the deposit certificates as proof. But unfortunately, it was not enough. I am looking to reapply in a month. Is there any solution to the problems mentioned here? What other documents would I need to lessen the chances of rejection? Thanks in advance.
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Leon! There seem to be three different reasons why your application was refused.
(1) Salary deposits not reflected in your bank statement: This usually happens if the salary was not deposited on a particular day every month. If your salary was deposited on random dates, then ECOs get confused and refuse the visa. Since this is an ECO’s mistake, you can file a PAP for this one.
(2) Large undocumented cash deposit: This one is from your fixed deposit, so any proof showing that this cash was from your fixed deposit would work. A PAP will not help here, so you will have to re-apply addressing this particular reason for refusal.
(3) High beginning balance in your account: This one is due to the money you inherited from your parents years ago. ECO may assume that you have deposited a large sum of cash a while ago to inflate your bank balance for your visa. In such cases, you would need to submit 9 or 12-month bank statements to disprove the ECO. But if you have acquired this cash years ago, then instead of 9/12 months of statements, you must produce a document that states that you have inherited this from your parents.
Dante Redgrave says
Hi there, wondering if you can help me understand. My girlfriend from Thailand applied for a UK visit/tourist visa and got refused because they said they read the application WRONG. In the application, she wrote ‘Income per year’ as £XXXX but they said ‘where are her SAVINGS of £XXXX’?! They read income per year as ‘savings’, which means they did NOT read correctly.
What should I write back to them in the evidence? Should I screenshot and highlight where they READ it wrong? Will the next ECO understand??? How should I show the total income per year, and send extra statements with highlights? (The income comes from me because she does not have a proper job).
What can be done if the ECO does NOT read the application correctly?
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Dante! If you believe the ECO has made a mistake, you should file a PAP. PAP is free and it’s a simple form that you fill out and email it to them. Usually, PAP results are favorable in cases like yours where the visa was refused due to ECO’s mistake. Here is the link to PAP.
Godson says
Please can I get a PAP form template?
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Godson! You can download the PAP template on the UKVI website.
Satnam Singh says
Hi, my wife’s father and brother from India applied for a visit visa which she sponsored. The father got his vignette issued in his passport, but the brother’s passport was returned without any vignette, letter or email. I assume his visa has been refused, but without a letter or email to say why, we cannot understand what’s going on. No one seems to know and when they have tracked the application online, nothing shows up even though he was given a reference number when it was submitted. Any advice would be welcome in this somewhat mysterious outcome?
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Satnam! Yes, if there is no vignette, then the visa is refused. UKVI might have forgotten to send the refusal letter along with the passport. Not very common, but happens usually once in a thousand cases. But, UKVI also sends a refusal letter copy to your email when the visa is refused. So, check your inbox and spam folders.
If you can’t find the letter in your email either, then you can try to contact UKVI either by email or phone. Unfortunately, emails or calls to their customer service are charged. Another option is to file PAP asking why your visa was refused when no reason was provided. PAP is free.
Sara says
Hi, I contact you from Iran and I need your help if you don’t mind. My mother applied 4 times. They refused her visa but give 2 times visa to my dad. I don’t know what I have to do. Every time ECO reject my mom because of the stupid reasons but give a visa to my dad.
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Sara! I’m sorry to hear that they refused your mom’s visa. I need to see their applications and refusal letters to understand what exactly is the issue. Can you email me your mom’s refusal letters at thirumal@visatraveler.com?
Babes Ornada says
Hi Sir, I am about to apply for a UK visa. My plan is, I will be coming from Rotterdam, The Netherlands before going to London. That’s why my dummy ticket is only from Manila, Philippines to Amsterdam to Manila. Is it fine to just mention it in my cover letter? Because they might be asking why I don’t have a round trip ticket from my country. Can I also include my whole itinerary for them to know my travel plans and justify that I am indeed going back to my country only that I will not be coming from London but from Amsterdam? Please advice.
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Babes! If you already have your Schengen visa, then yes, submit a copy of your Schengen visa, tickets back and forth Manila-Amsterdam and tickets back and forth Amsterdam-London. This will strengthen your case as you already hold a Schengen visa and helps convince the visa officer that you are genuine traveler.
Diljinder says
Sir, I got refused from UK student visa because I applied without IELTS and the embassy took my interview as the embassy gave the reason that you’re not a genuine student. Now after refusal I gave UKVI test and got 6.0 overall scores. Can I again apply for a UK student visa?
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Diljinder! My knowledge and experience are only in tourist visas with tourism intent. I don’t have enough knowledge of student visas. But in your case, I think it’s fine to apply again for your student visa.
Karthik says
The Decision
You have applied as a dependant of a Student in the UK. Paragraphs ST32.4, ST32.5 and ST32.6 of the Immigration Rules states:
ST 32.4. The relationship must be genuine and subsisting.
ST 32.5. The applicant and their partner (who is a Student, or applying at the same time as a Student) must intend to live together throughout the applicant’s stay in the UK.
ST 32.6. The applicant must not intend to stay in the UK beyond any permission granted to their partner (who is a Student or applying at the same time as a Student).
You have applied to join your husband, who has applied as a Student to the UK NEDE/ 4155741 refers). I acknowledge you have submitted photos of your wedding and a marriage certificate dated 16/01/21, to demonstrate that your marriage took place on 08/01/21.
Whilst this certificate demonstrates that your marriage took place, it does not demonstrate that you are in regular contact or that your marriage is subsisting. You have not provided any other evidence of your relationship with this person.
I, therefore, am not satisfied that your relationship is subsisting, that you intend to live with your sponsor throughout their stay in the UK or that you do not intend to stay in the UK beyond any period of leave granted to your sponsor. I, therefore, refuse your application under paragraphs ST32.4, ST32.5 and ST32.6 of the immigration rules.
How to write a covering letter in this case?
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Karthik! My knowledge and experience are only in tourist visas with “tourism” intent. I’m not sure how a student or dependent visa works. I will try to answer your question in relation to a tourist visa. There are actually 2 reasons –
Reason 1: It is not clear whether you are still married to your husband and in regular contact
To address this, you would need to provide the following
(1) A letter from your husband stating that you are his wife, your passport details, visa details and any support he will provide during your stay in the UK.
(2) Screenshots of email/whatsapp/messenger conversations to prove that you both in contact regularly
Reason 2: It’s not clear that you will leave the UK after your trip
To address this, you would need to provide the following
(1) Leave approval letter from your employer stating that you have been given leave of certain days and you are expected to report back at your job on a certain day
(2) If you are unemployed, then you must figure other ways to prove that you will return.
In your re-application, you must address the above refusal reasons in your visa application within the “extra information” section and also in your cover letter. I have a detailed article on how to write a cover letter for UK visa. It will walk you through how to address previous visa refusals in the cover letter
Billy says
I was refused on spending 7 times of my disposable salary income even though I stated that I will be shopping for my upcoming wedding which I saved purposely for that and my expenses for my UK travel weren’t even half of my savings in my bank account. Please how can I overturn this in my next reapplication?
Thirumal says
Hi Billy! If these facts were clearly mentioned in your application and cover letter, ECO still refused the visa, then you can try Pre-action Protocol (PAP). By facts I mean, your wedding, shopping, large savings, etc. PAP is a form that you will download, fill and email them. It’s their mistake, so they will usually respond to PAP.
If you hadn’t mentioned these facts clearly, then you can try re-application. Make sure you mention your visa refusal, upcoming wedding, shopping trip to the UK, purposefully saved up cash, etc. in the extra information section and your cover letter. I have seen success in reapplications, but you will have to make everything crystal clear in your cover letter, yet keeping the letter simple and within 2 pages.
Billy says
ok, thank you, will do so.
Also, I was invited by my cousin to join him in christening his baby on May 14, 2021 and the invitation date has passed, which I wanted to use that opportunity to shop for my upcoming wedding. For my purpose of the trip on my re-application, can I just say I’m going for holidays and shop for my upcoming wedding and can my cousin also state that reason in his invitation letter to support my documents? Or can you give a suggestion for my purpose of trip?
Thirumal says
Since your purpose now is purely shopping, there is no need to mention your cousin or need his invitation. Mentioning him can lead to background checks and processing delays. When you will be in the UK, you can, of course, meet up with your cousin and shop for your wedding together. But for now, no need to mention.
Billy says
Can I do my trip itinerary for 5 days which I can use for my shopping even though there’s a mandatory quarantine for 10 days?
Thirumal says
You have to account for 10 days of mandatory quarantine. I have seen applications that did not account for it were either refused or asked to withdraw, readjust the itinerary and reapply.
Sarumi Ekundayo says
Hello, am from Nigeria, my aunt was refused a visa, want to reapply but need your advice on the refusal reason. Thanks
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Sarumi! Sure! Send me an email with your aunt’s refusal letter. My email thirumal@visatraveler.com.
Sanya Sharma says
Your information on the UK visa refusal challenging has helped thousands of people. Thanks and subscribed to your blog for updates.
Thirumal says
Hi Sanya! Thanks for the kind words!