In short
An administrative review asks the Home Office to check whether its refusal contained an error. For an application made from outside the UK, GOV.UK says you must ask within 28 days of getting the decision, the fee is £80, and a result can take 12 months or more. Applications made inside the UK follow separate rules.
Published 10 October 2026. Sources last checked 10 October 2026.
Who can ask
GOV.UK’s guidance for refusals of applications made from outside the UK applies if you were outside the UK when you applied and were refused. Frontier Worker applicants use a different route, as do people whose visa was cancelled at the border. Applications made from inside the UK have their own guidance, deadlines and rules: your decision letter will say which applies.
Key facts for refusals outside the UK
| Point | What GOV.UK says |
|---|---|
| Deadline | Apply within 28 days of getting the decision. |
| Fee | £80, paid through the online service. |
| How long it takes | 12 months or more. If there is no decision within 6 months the Home Office will contact you. The delay does not affect your rights. |
| Second review | Generally not possible, unless the first review found new reasons for the refusal. Your decision letter says whether one is available. |
| Making another application | Your request is withdrawn if you make another immigration or visa application, and the £80 fee is not refunded. |
What it is not
Administrative review is not an appeal. It does not involve an independent tribunal, and it is aimed at case-working errors rather than a fresh look at your circumstances. If you have a right of appeal, or you can fix the problem with new evidence in a fresh application, those routes may serve you better. Because a new application can withdraw a pending review, the order of steps matters.
Before you apply
- Note the date you received the decision and count the 28 days now.
- Identify the exact error you say the Home Office made, using the refusal reasons.
- Check whether you have a right of appeal, which is limited to certain decisions.
- Take advice before making any new application while a review is pending.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Ask for an administrative review of a visa decision (outside the UK) (opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK: Appeal to the immigration and asylum tribunal (opens in a new tab)
General information only, not legal advice. Immigration rules, fees and processing times change; your circumstances need individual consideration.