A refusal, detention, removal notice or an adverse tribunal decision is not necessarily the end of your UK journey. UK immigration law provides several options to challenge decisions, each with its own procedure and strict deadlines. We understand that receiving a refusal or an adverse tribunal decision is upsetting and disruptive. It can feel personal, especially when you have invested time, money and hope in your application.

At Angelov Solicitors, we recognise that impact on your life. Our first job is to steady the situation, explain your options in plain language, and act within the deadlines that apply.

For clarity, the person bringing the challenge is usually called the appellant (in appeals) or the claimant (in judicial review). The Home Office appears as the respondent (formally, the Secretary of State for the Home Department).

How Do You Challenge A Refusal Made By The Home Office?

Can I raise Administrative Review (AR) for my visa refusal?

Some visa categories do not offer a right of appeal but allow an Administrative Review (AR). On your decision letter, it will tell you whether you have rights to appeal or not. If an appeal is not available, the UK Immigration Laws allow the Home Office to correct decision-maker's administrative errors. If you are in the UK, you normally have 14 days from receiving the refusal to request AR (only 7 days if detained). For entry clearance refusals made outside the UK, the usual period is 28 days. AR is not a second application; it is a mechanism to correct mistakes where the Rules allow it. 

The following applications do not normally attract a Right of Appeal, but may offer an Administrative Review instead:

- Skilled Worker visa refusals

- Student or graduate visa refusals

- Global Talent visa refusals (visa stage)

- Innovator founder visa refusals

- High Potential Individual (HPI) visa refusals

- Scale-up visa refusals

When Can A Reconsideration Request Be Raised?

You cannot make a reconsideration request if you have a right of appeal or right to an administrative review against the decision.

Your decision letter will usually tell you if you have either of these rights.

A Reconsideration Request can sometimes be made in limited circumstances, for example, if your citizenship application has been refused, and you believe that the refusal is not in line with UK nationality law and prevailing policy. 

Right to Appeal: Appeals to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration & Asylum Chamber)

When the Home Office refuses an application (commonly protection and human-rights refusals, private life and family routes, and some EUSS application) that carries a right of appeal, you may appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). 

A First-tier Tribunal hearing allows you to present your evidence and explain your situation directly before an independent immigration judge. The judge does not work for the Home Office and must decide your case fairly, based on the law and the evidence before them. You can submit documents ("appeal bundle"), call witnesses, and give oral evidence yourself. The Home Office will sometimes have a representative (often called a Presenting Officer) who will set out the Home Office’s position.

During the hearing, the judge will listen to both sides, ask questions where clarification is needed, and then make a decision, either allowing the appeal or dismissing it. The decision is normally sent in writing a short time after the hearing.

This hearing is the first time people feel their story is truly heard. It is a structured but human process, and preparation makes all the difference. At Angelov Solicitors, we prepare you thoroughly for that day, ensuring your evidence is well-organised, your statement is detailed and clear, and you understand what to expect in the hearing room. Where appropriate, we instruct experienced advocates or barristers (also called "counsel") who specialise in immigration appeals to represent you. They handle the advocacy while we continue to support you throughout the process, liaising closely with counsel to ensure your case is presented at its strongest.

Appeal to the Upper Tribunal

If the First-tier Tribunal has dismissed your appeal, the next step is to ask the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) to look at whether the judge made an error in law. This is a different kind of hearing from the one you had at the First-Tier Tribunal: it is not a second chance to re-argue the facts, but an opportunity to show that the First-tier judge misapplied the law, failed to take a relevant matter into account, took an irrelevant matter into account, gave inadequate reasons, or acted unfairly.

The process usually has two stages. First, we apply for permission to appeal, identify the errors of law and present them in written grounds of appeal. If permission is granted, the case moves to an error-of-law hearing before an independent Upper Tribunal Judge. At that hearing, the judge will listen to legal submissions from both sides: your legal representative and the Home Office Presenting Officer, and decide whether the First-tier decision has an error in law.

If the Upper Tribunal finds no error of law, it will uphold the First-Tier tribunal's decision. If it finds an error that is material to the outcome, it will set aside the decision and either re-make the decision itself (sometimes on the day, sometimes after further directions) or remit the case to the First-tier Tribunal for a fresh hearing. Throughout, strict time limits apply for seeking permission and complying with tribunal directions.

This stage is more technical and less personal than the FTT hearing. That is true, and it is why careful drafting and focused advocacy matter. At Angelov Solicitors, we prepare the grounds with precision, assemble a concise authorities bundle, and instruct experienced advocates/barristers to argue the appeal.

Judicial Review (JR)

Where no appeal/AR is available and you would like to challenge the lawfulness of a decision or action, your option is raising a Judicial Review. In England & Wales, most immigration JRs are lodged in the Upper Tribunal (IAC); in Scotland, JR is brought in the Court of Session (Outer House). Claims must be filed promptly and within 3 months of the decision. A Pre-Action Protocol letter is expected before issuing.  

Where removal is imminent, urgent JR with an application for interim relief (a “stay” of removal) may be possible.

Detention, Removal and Deportation.

Being detained or told that you are going to be removed or deported from the UK can be one of the most distressing experiences a person faces. Many clients describe feeling powerless and confused about what options remain. We understand the urgency and emotional weight of these situations. 

Immigration Detention

Immigration detention is used by the Home Office to hold individuals pending a decision, removal, or deportation. Detention is meant to be a last resort, and the Home Office must be able to show that detention is both lawful and necessary. There is no fixed time limit on immigration detention in the UK, but the longer it continues, the stronger the scrutiny becomes on whether it remains justified.

If you are detained, you have the right to apply for immigration bail. There are two routes:

- Secretary of State bail, decided by the Home Office; and

- First-tier Tribunal bail, decided by an independent immigration judge.

Bail is not a decision on your immigration status, it is about release from detention on agreed conditions (for example, living at a specified address, reporting regularly, or providing a financial surety).

At Angelov Solicitors, we act promptly to prepare and submit bail applications, gather supporting documents (such as accommodation and character references), and represent you at bail hearings. We also assess whether your detention has become unlawful, which can lead to a separate challenge or claim for damages.

Removal from the UK

“Removal” generally refers to being taken out of the UK following a refusal or curtailment of leave. Before removal takes place, you should receive removal directions setting out the date and destination of the planned removal.

If you still have a pending appeal or judicial review, or if new evidence arises that the Home Office has not properly considered (for example, fresh human-rights or protection grounds), this creates a barrier of removal, which may be possible to challenge or suspend the removal. In urgent cases, this can be done through a Judicial Review application combined with a request for interim relief, which, if granted, stops removal until the court can consider the case fully.

Time is critical in these situations. Removal can be scheduled within days, and urgent applications must be made correctly and supported by proper evidence. Our team responds quickly - reviewing your case, contacting the relevant Home Office unit, and coordinating with specialist counsel to file urgent applications if the legal threshold is met.

Deportation from the UK

“Deportation” is a specific legal process used mainly when the Home Office believes that someone’s removal from the UK is conducive to the public good, often following a criminal conviction. Deportation decisions carry serious long-term consequences, including re-entry bans and restrictions on family reunification.

If you receive a Deportation Order or a Notice of Intention to Deport, you may have a right of appeal on human-rights or protection grounds. The Home Office must follow strict procedural rules, and its decision can be challenged where it fails to properly assess risk, rehabilitation, or family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Deportation appeals are often complex, involving a balance between the public interest and the private or family life of the individual concerned. We gather detailed evidence including doctor's reports, sentencing remarks, rehabilitation records, and family impact statements, to ensure the tribunal has a full and fair picture. Where removal is imminent, we can also seek interim measures to stop deportation pending appeal or judicial review.

How Can Angelov Solicitors Help?

If you have recently received a refusal, removal notice, detention documents, or an adverse tribunal decision, prompt action is essential.

Book a One-Hour Consultation with us or email us via info@angelov.law and we will look at your decision letter in detail and confirm the legal options available, and explain to you the next steps.