UK Visa Administrative Review
We identify Home Office casework errors and manage your UK visa administrative review from start to finish, so you don’t miss your chance to challenge a refusal.
A UK visa administrative review is a formal request asking the Home Office to reconsider an “eligible decision” under Appendix AR of the Immigration Rules, where you believe a specific casework error was made. It is not a fresh application and it is not an appeal.
Adam Bernard Solicitors is an SRA-regulated firm (SRA No: 598171, 656730) with immigration teams operating from our Central London and Upton Park, East London offices, handling administrative review applications across the full range of UK visa categories.
A UK visa administrative review carries strict, unforgiving deadlines that don’t apply the same way to every Home Office challenge. You may have as little as 14 days if you’re in the UK, or 28 days if you’re outside it, new evidence generally isn’t permitted, and getting the grounds wrong can close off the review altogether, usually with no realistic route to a second attempt.
What Counts as an Eligible Decision
The right to a UK visa administrative review applies to specified refusals under Appendix AR of the Immigration Rules. Depending on the decision, it typically covers cases where the caseworker has:
- Applied the wrong Immigration Rules or policy — used requirements that weren’t actually in force when your application was decided
- Misapplied evidential flexibility — failed to follow Home Office policy on requesting missing or correctable evidence
- Made an error assessing your evidence — overlooked or misread documents properly submitted with the application
- Failed to consider evidence you submitted — left relevant evidence out of the decision-making process entirely
- Refused a Points-Based System route incorrectly — most administrative reviews concern routes such as Skilled Worker, Student and Global Talent
Not every refusal qualifies. Human rights and protection claim refusals generally carry a right of appeal instead — see our Immigration Appeals page if your decision letter doesn’t mention administrative review.
Why instruct Adam Bernard Solicitors
We are an SRA-regulated firm (SRA No: 598171, 656730) and listed on the Law Society’s Find a Solicitor directory, with immigration solicitors who have handled UK visa administrative review applications across the Points-Based System and beyond. Having served over 15,000 clients across 15 years, we know how Home Office caseworkers apply Appendix AR in practice, and we build every submission around the specific grounds most likely to succeed rather than a generic restatement of your case.
UK Visa Administrative Review Fee and Time Limits
- 14 days if you’re in the UK
- 7 days if you’re in the UK and detained
- 28 days if you’re outside the UK
How to Apply for a UK Visa Administrative Review
- Read the decision letter carefully. It will confirm whether administrative review is available for your specific refusal and set out your deadline.
- Identify the specific error(s). A review must set out precisely which parts of the decision are wrong and why — disagreeing with the outcome isn’t enough on its own.
- Apply online within the deadline and pay the £80 fee.
- Wait for the outcome. The reviewer checks only the errors you’ve identified; they won’t re-examine the whole application from scratch.
Can You Ask for a Second Administrative Review?
Generally, no. You can’t request a second administrative review of the same decision unless the outcome of your first review identifies a new reason for refusal that wasn’t part of the original decision. Your decision letter will confirm whether this applies to your case. If a second review isn’t available and you still disagree with the outcome, judicial review may be the only remaining route — but it challenges how the decision was made, not simply whether you think it was wrong.
What Happens After You Apply
Processing an administrative review currently takes far longer than it once did. Home Office guidance confirms it can take 12 months or more to receive a result, and you’ll only be contacted with an update if you haven’t heard within 6 months. Your existing leave or immigration status isn’t affected by this delay while the review is pending. Once decided, the outcome will either uphold the original refusal, overturn it, or occasionally identify a different reason for refusal.
Covering Central and East London
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a UK visa administrative review cost?
How long do I have to apply for an administrative review?
How long does a UK visa administrative review take?
Can I submit new evidence with my administrative review?
What's the difference between an administrative review and an appeal?
Can I request a second administrative review if the first one is refused?
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