Last Updated: 30 January 2026

What is an appeal?

If the Home Office refuses your application, you may have the right to appeal the decision. An appeal means you ask an Immigration Tribunal (a type of court) to review your case.

At the Tribunal, an independent judge looks at  the Home Office decision and the evidence in your case. You (or your representative) can explain what you think the Home Office got wrong, and you can send evidence to support what you say. The Home Office can also send  its reasons and evidence. 

An appeal is not just “checking the paperwork”. It is a chance to challenge the Home Office refusal and ask a judge to decide your case fairly, based on the evidence.

How to submit your appeal

If you do not have a lawyer and need to submit (lodge) your appeal within 14 days of a Home Office refusal decision – you can do this online yourself. It is important you do not miss this deadline. 

You do not need to include any legal arguments or evidence when you submit your appeal, you can do this later once you have found legal representation or received legal advice. 

Different ways to submit an appeal 

For most people, the easiest way to appeal is online. You can appeal by email or post, but it is usually slower and it can be harder to keep track of what is happening.

If you appeal online, you create an account and can use the service to submit your appeal, upload documents, ask for a hearing, request support (for example an interpreter), and later see the decision. You will need your Home Office reference number and an email address. 

If you are detained in an immigration removal centre or prison and you do not have a lawyer you will need to appeal by post or email.

If you appeal by post or email, you usually use form IAFT-1. After The Tribunal  receives your appeal, they will check it over and tell you what happens next. 

Visit the government website to learn about how to submit an appeal here. 

If you missed the deadline

If you missed the deadline, you can still try to appeal, but it will be an out of time appeal (a late appeal). You will need to explain why your appeal is late and, if you can, give evidence to support your reason (for example: you did not receive the decision in time, you were unwell, you were in hospital, you did not have access to your documents). You can do this through the online system (see below). The Tribunal may or may not accept an out of time appeal. If possible, get legal advice. 

If you are receiving  asylum support, a late appeal can also affect your support, because support usually continues during an appeal only if the appeal is lodged in time. It is a good idea to contact Migrant Help as soon as you lodge your appeal. Keep proof that the appeal has been submitted (for example, the confirmation email or a screenshot from the online system) and share it with them if needed. Read our page about asylum support here. 

Appeal fees: when you do not need to pay, and what to do

Most appeals to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) have a fee. The fee is usually £80 (without a hearing) or £140 (with a hearing)

When you do not need to pay (fee exemption)

Some people do not need to pay the fee. This is called “fee exemption”. You do not need to pay the appeal fee if you:

• receive asylum support from the Home Office
• receive legal aid
• are appealing deprivation of British citizenship or revocation of refugee status (revocation of protection status)
• are under 18 (or you have parental responsibility for a child under 18) and the child is receiving certain support from the local council under children’s law
• have had the fee waived by the Home Office for your application in certain human rights situation

If you are fee exempt, you should provide proof when you submit your appeal (for example, a letter confirming asylum support or legal aid).

If you do not have the proof on the day you lodge the appeal, lodge the appeal in time and send the proof as soon as you can.

If you are on asylum support, you can ask Migrant Help (or your asylum support provider) for a letter or confirmation you can use as proof.

Sometimes people later get a letter asking them to pay because the Tribunal has not yet received the proof. If this happens, don’t panic – send the evidence as soon as possible. You can find contact details for the Tribunal at the top of the letter or on the UK Government website here. 

If you are not fee exempt

If you do not fit into a fee exempt category, you may still be able to get help to pay the fee. This is for people on a low income who cannot afford the fee. You apply online and get a reference number to use when you submit your appeal. Read more about how to get help with court and tribunal fees here.

Guide to submitting your appeal online

This guide was created at the suggestion of and in collaboration with Rainbow Migration. Many thanks to colleagues there for their wisdom, support, and tips.

If you do not have a lawyer and need to submit your appeal within 14 days of a Home Office refusal decision, you can do this online yourself. It is important you do not miss this deadline. 

You do not need to include any legal arguments or evidence when you submit your appeal, you can do this later once you have found legal representation or received legal advice. 

If you missed the deadline and your appeal is late, please seek legal advice before submitting your appeal online.

Visit the government website to learn about how to submit an appeal online here. 

ACTION SECTION

STEP 1: When you sit down to submit your appeal online, make sure you have all the below information with you, and that you have enough time to complete the whole application, because you must complete each section of the application before moving onto the next. If at any point you need to stop filling in the online form, you can click on ‘Save for later’ so anything you have completed is saved. You can then log back in later and continue.

Make sure you have:

• Your Home Office reference number – usually on the refusal letter, and
• A copy of the Home Office refusal letter saved in PDF format because the system sometimes will not allow other formats such as pictures (you can create a PDF on a computer, or by Googling ‘create free PDF’), and 
• An email address or phone number you would like to use.

STEP 2: Visit this website to create an account. 

STEP 3: Create an account using your preferred email address. You should see a page asking you to go to your email inbox to follow the instructions to finish creating your account. You should then receive an automated email from HM Courts and Tribunals Registrations asking you to confirm your email address. Click on the link that says ‘Confirm your email address’.

STEP 4: You will then be taken to a page that asks you to create a password. Make sure you use a password you will remember, but that is strong. Keep a record of your password somewhere safe. Then click ‘Continue’.

STEP 5: You will be taken to a page to confirm your account has been created, and you can now sign in. Click ‘Continue’. You will then be taken back to the account page. Ensure your email and password are entered correctly then click ‘Sign in’.

STEP 6: Once you have signed in, you will be taken to a page that looks like this. 

This account is where you will be able to monitor the progress of your appeal. To start the process of submitting your appeal online, click ‘Continue’.

STEP 7: You will be taken to a page that says ‘Tell us about your appeal’. This is like the menu page for filling out the different sections of the application. The first section you need to fill in is called ‘1. Your details.’ Remember, you need to finish each section before you start the next section. 

Begin by clicking the link that says ‘Appeal Type’ and input the following answers:

• If you are currently living in the UK, click ‘Yes’ and click ‘Continue’;
• If you are claiming asylum, then click ‘Protection’ for ‘What is your appeal type?’. Then click ‘Save and continue’. 
• Note: You can only select one option, so even if you have human rights as part of your claim just select ‘Protection’ for now. You can inform the Tribunal of other issues later. 

Remember, if at any point you need to stop filling in the online form, you can click on ‘Save for later’ so anything you have completed is saved. You can then log back in when possible and continue.

STEP 8: After this, you will be taken back to the ‘Tell us about your appeal’ page, and can start the next section called ‘Your Home Office details’. 

Click on this link that says ‘Your Home Office details’ and input the following:

• Enter your Home Office reference number. There is a number to call if you cannot find the correct number. Click ‘Continue’;
• Enter the date your Home Office decision letter was sent. If you received it by email, this will be the date the email was sent by the Home Office. If you received it by post, it will be the date stamped on the front of the envelope. If you don’t have the envelope, enter the date on the first page of the decision letter. Click ‘Save and continue’;
• You will then need to upload your Home Office decision letter:
  • First, make sure you have a PDF version of the decision letter saved on the computer or device you are using;
  • Second, click ‘Browse’ and select the Home Office decision letter;
  • Third, click ‘Upload file’;
  • Fourth, check that the file has been uploaded under the section stating ‘Uploaded file’.
  • Finally, once you are sure the decision letter has been correctly uploaded, click ‘Save and continue’. If it has been uploaded properly, it should look like this:

STEP 9: Back on the ‘Tell us about your appeal’ page, you should then be able to click on the link that says ‘Your personal details’ and enter the following:

• Your given names as used on your application form (any first names and middle names) and your family name (surname) as used on your application form. Click ‘Save and continue’;
• Your date of birth;
• Select your nationality from the drop-down list (or click ‘I do not have a nationality’ if you are stateless);
• Enter your UK postcode and then click ‘Find address’, and select your address from the drop-down list. If you cannot find your address, click the link saying this and enter your address in full. Click ‘Save and continue’.

STEP 10: Back on the ‘Tell us about your appeal’ page, you should then be able to click on the link that says ‘Your contact details’. Click on it and enter the following:

• Select how you would like the Tribunal to contact you – by email or mobile phone, or both;
• Then enter your email address and/or phone number. Make sure the details you input are correct. Then click ‘Save and continue’.

You have now completed section 1! 

STEP 11: You will now be able to move onto the next section called ‘2. Decision type’. Click the link that says ‘Decision with or without a hearing’. 

You will then be taken to a page that asks ‘How do you want your appeal to be decided?’

• Please select ‘I want the appeal to be decided with a hearing’. This means you and your lawyer will go to the Tribunal and be able to speak to the judge about your case;
• There is a fee of £140 for this, but you do not have to pay this now and if you are on asylum support or do not have the means to pay this, you may not have to pay. You can discuss this with a lawyer or seek legal advice later.
• Click ‘Save and continue’.

STEP 12: You will be asked if you want to pay the fee now. Select ‘No, I will pay later’ if you don’t have a lawyer and think you might be exempt.

STEP 13: You will then be taken to a screen saying ‘Equality and diversity questions’.

• These are questions about your background and identity, which the Home Office uses to monitor how they are treating people from different communities.
• These questions are optional, which means that you do not have to answer these questions and if you choose not to answer, this will not affect your appeal.
• If you do want to provide this information, click ‘Continue to the questions’. If you do not want to, then click ‘I don’t want to answer these questions’. 

STEP 14: After this, the last thing to do on the ‘Tell us about your appeal’ page is section ‘3. Check and send’. When you are ready to check and send your appeal details, click on the link that says ‘Check and send your appeal details’. Check all your answers carefully. If you need to change anything, click on the ‘Change’ button next to the answer that you want to change.

STEP 15: Once you have checked your application, and are ready to submit your appeal, tick the ‘Statement of truth’ and click on the ‘Submit your appeal’ button.

You have now submitted your appeal! You should be taken to a page which has an appeal reference number written on it (usually starting with PA/XXXX). Make sure you keep a copy of this appeal reference number somewhere safe, as you will need to take it with you if you need to report to the Home Office and to prove any continued eligibility for asylum support (or to show at a reporting centre to prove that you have lodged an appeal).

This page will also say that a Tribunal Caseworker will be in touch with you by a specific date. This is just so the Tribunal can check your appeal is valid and was submitted within the deadline. After this you can follow what should happen next on the online system by logging into your account. If anything changes on the system, you should receive an alert via email or phone.

What happens after you submit your appeal? 

After you submit your appeal, you will receive updates and deadlines from the Tribunal. The exact timing can be different for different cases, but the steps are often similar. This section explain whats usually happens next.

1. Directions Letter

After you submit your appeal, the First Tier-Tribunal (IAC) will send you Directions. Directions are a letter (or an email) from the Tribunal with instructions about what you must do, what the Home Office must do, and the dates things are due. Always follow the dates on your own Directions letter.

2. Give contact details (often within 5 working days)

The Directions may ask you to confirm your phone number and email address (even if you appealed using the online system), so the Tribunal and the Home Office can contact you.

If your address, email address, or phone number changes after you submit your appeal, make sure that you tell the Tribunal (and the Home Office) as soon as possible. If the Tribunal cannot reach you, you might miss important letters or deadlines (for example your hearing notice or the decision). If you appealed online, you may be able to update details in your online account. Even if you update online, it can still be sensible to send a short message confirming the change, so there is a clear record.

If you are not using the online service, you can usually tell the Tribunal by email or post (and you can use the Tribunal’s form IAFT-4 to notify changes and make requests). Always include your appeal reference number on anything you send, and keep proof that you sent it.

If you get a legal representative after lodging your appeal, or if your representative stops acting for you, make sure to tell the Tribunal as soon as you can. This helps make sure the Tribunal sends important notices to the right person, and avoids delays or confusion. Using the online system (if you have one) or the IAFT-4 process can help keep the record up to date.

3. Tell the Tribunal early about any support you need

You may have different needs to make sure your hearing is fair and you understand what is happening.

Remote hearings: Some appeal hearings take place remotely using the Tribunal’s video system (often called CVP). If you want to ask for a remote hearing, or if you cannot travel to the hearing centre, tell the Tribunal as early as possible. Explain why you are asking (for example: serious illness/disability, pregnancy, risk/safety concerns, caring responsibilities, or practical barriers to travel). The Tribunal will decide whether to list the hearing remotely.

Interpreters and judges: If you need an interpreter or other help to take part in the hearing (for example step-free access, a hearing loop, breaks, or extra time), tell the Tribunal as soon as you can. If you want to ask for an all-female or all-male judge (or raise any vulnerability concerns), you should give clear reasons linked to your case. The Tribunal will decide if it can do this.

Public and private hearings (“in camera”): Appeal hearings are usually held in public. This means members of the public may be allowed to sit in the hearing room. If you do not want your hearing to take place in public (for example because of safety risks, very sensitive evidence, or because a child is involved), you can ask the Tribunal for a private hearing. A private hearing is sometimes called an “in camera” hearing. You should ask as early as possible and explain your reasons clearly. The Tribunal will decide whether the hearing (or part of it) should be in private.

Anonymity Anonymity is different from a private hearing. An anonymity direction is about not publishing identifying details (for example using initials in written decisions and not naming you in public documents). Anonymity is commonly used in protection cases (asylum) and the Tribunal may anonymise you and others in the case (including witnesses) to reduce risk of harm. Still, it’s sensible to check what your Tribunal notices/directions say  and if you are worried about identification (including “jigsaw identification” through detailed facts), raise it with the Tribunal as early as you can. In non-asylum immigration appeals: anonymity is not automatic. If you want anonymity directions, you usually need to ask, and explain why identification would create a real risk or injustice.

How to make requests: In many cases, the Tribunal will send you a form called IAFT-3 (“Tell us what you need at your hearing”) and ask you to return it by a certain date. The form asks what support you need (including your language and dialect if you need an interpreter). You can send IAFT-3 by email or post. If you email it, include your appeal reference number in the subject line. You can find it online here. 

4. The Home Office sends their document to you and the Tribunal

The Tribunal will tell the Home Office to send a set of documents to you and to the Tribunal. This is called the respondent bundle. (The Home Office is the “respondent”. You are the “appellant” – the person appealing.) The respondent bundle usually includes the refusal decision and the main documents the Home Office relies on in your appeal. If you had a Home Office interview, it usually includes a record of the interview.

When you receive the respondent bundle, check that you have all the documents the Home Office and Tribunal are using in your case.

For example:
– the decision letter you are appealing
– your application form and any evidence you sent with it
– your screening interview record
– your witness statement or any written statement you gave
– your asylum interview record
– any further submissions you may have made later
– any country information the Home Office used in the refusal letter
– any other documents mentioned in the refusal letter
– any older refusal letters or appeal decisions, if your case had an appeal before

The deadline for the bundle will be written in your Directions letter. Sometimes it is 14 days. Sometimes it is longer (for example 28 days). Sometimes the Home Office is late. Always follow your Directions letter.

5. You send your written explanation (AEC) and any documents you want the Tribunal to read for your appeal hearing

If you do not have a lawyer, the Tribunal will usually ask you to send a written explanation of why you disagree with the refusal letter. This is called the Appellant’s Explanation of Case (AEC). The AEC is your main written response to the refusal letter. You can also send a witness statement (your story in your own words) if it helps, either as part of the AEC or as a separate document in your bundle. You can read our guidance on how to respond to your refusal letter here. If you have a lawyer, they should instead prepare an Appeal Skeleton Argument (ASA) and a bundle.

The deadline for your AEC will be written in your Directions letter. Some Directions use a rule like “28 days after the Home Office bundle is sent, or 42 days after the Notice of Appeal (whichever is later)”. But the safest rule is to follow the Directions letter.

If you send documents, put them in a simple bundle

If you are sending documents that are not already in the Home Office bundle, put them together as a bundle. A bundle means all your documents in one place, in the order you choose, with page numbers.

if you are uploading online, a bundle is usually one PDF file. If you are posting, a bundle is the pages kept in order in one envelope.

To make it easy to read:

• number every page (page 1, 2, 3…)
• add a short contents list at the front (document name + page number) – this helps the Judge and Home Office find any specific documents quickly and easily in the bundlSave a copy of everything you send. If possible, also save a copy with a trusted person (or in a safe online folder), in case you lose your phone or papers. 
  
  Translations (if any documents are not in English)
  
  If you send a document that is not in English, you should also send the original document and a certified English translation (signed by the translator, confirming it is accurate). Do not use online tools like Google Translate.
  
  If you pay for a translation, use a certified translator (with their name/contact details, signature/date, qualification, and a statement that it is a true and accurate translation). Keep the original document and translation together. If you cannot afford certified translations, focus on the documents that matter most and explain this in writing. Read our detailed translation guidance (including warning signs of poor-quality companies) here.
  
  If you cannot get a translation in time, send what you have and explain this briefly in your covering email/letter. The Tribunal may give directions about translation.
  
  Late documents (important)
  
  Try to send your AEC and evidence by the deadlines in your Directions. If you send documents late (especially in the last 5 working days before the hearing), the Judge may refuse to accept them unless you explain why they are late. If something is late, keep the explanation short and factual (for example: you only received it recently, you were unwell, or it took time to obtain).
  
  Page limits (rules from 1 November 2024)
  
  From 1 November 2024, there are page limits for some documents. These limits mostly affect experts, the Home Office, and people with legal representatives. But two limits may matter if you are preparing your own case:
  
• Country information summary (sometimes called a “country evidence schedule”): 12 pages
• Expert report: 20 pages
  
  Other limits you may see:
• Home Office respondent review: 6 pages
• ASA (legal representative): 12 pages
  
  If someone needs more pages than the limit, they must ask the Tribunal for permission and explain why. If you are writing an AEC, there is no fixed page limit in these rules. Focus on being clear and organised.
  
  Format
  
• If you can, it is best to type these documents (or ask someone to help you type).
• If you cannot type or do not have access to a computer, the Tribunal may still accept handwritten documents, but ensure you write very clearly. It is a good idea to:
• use black ink
• put your name and appeal reference on each page
• scan or photograph the pages clearly so they can be read easily and save a copy for yourself 
  

6. The Home Office review (usually within 14 days)

After the Home Office receives your AEC (or ASA) and documents, they must send a written respondent review within 14 days. They may withdraw the refusal and make a new decision, or they may keep the refusal and explain their reasons.

7. Notice of Hearing (hearing details)

After these steps, the Tribunal will organise the next part of the appeal. If there will be a hearing, the Tribunal will send you a Notice of Hearing. It tells you the date and time, and how the hearing will happen (in person or remote).

Late documents: Directions often say that if documents are sent late, the Tribunal may not accept them unless you get permission.

If you are on asylum support:  If you are receiving asylum support, you can ask for help with travel to your appeal hearing. 

8. Interim hearings (sometimes called a Case Management Review / “CMR”)

Interim hearings (sometimes called a Case Management Review / “CMR”. Sometimes the Tribunal will arrange a short hearing before your main appeal hearing. This is not the full hearing where the Judge decides your appeal.It is a planning hearing to help the Tribunal organise the case.

At a CMR, the Judge may:

• Decide what the main issues are (what the Home Office accepts and what it argues about)
• Decide what evidence is needed (what documents or witness statements are important)
• Check what has been sent in (and whether deadlines have been followed)
• Decide practical things, for example:
  • whether the main hearing will be in person or by video (CVP)
  • whether the hearing needs an interpreter
  • whether any special arrangements are needed (for example breaks, step-free access)
• Decide requests, for example:
  • a request to delay the hearing (adjournment)
  • a request for a remote hearing
• Set the date for the main hearing (or sometimes list another short hearing)

Important: Sometimes the Tribunal may say that an interim hearing could become the full hearing. If this happens, the Tribunal should tell you in advance.If you get a notice for a CMR, read it carefully and follow the instructions.

The Tribunal expects you (and any representative) to attend an interim hearing if one is listed. If you cannot attend, contact the Tribunal as early as possible and explain why.

How to prepare for your appeal hearing

Understand why you were refused

If you want to challenge the Home Office refusal of your claim, you need to look closely at their decision letter. If you have a lawyer, you should do this with them. 

When the Home Office makes a decision, they usually rely on a few key things: what you said in your interviews (and any written statement), any documents or other evidence you provided, whether your account stays consistent across different stages, and general information about your country (often called “country information”). The refusal letter explains how they examined  these things, and why they refused your claim. 

You can read the official Home Office policy on how they make decisions on asylum claims here. 

New matters (if you have a “new” reason why you should stay in the UK) 

The Tribunal can look at new evidence that helps explain that same decision (for example, a new medical letter or a new witness statement). But sometimes a person wants to add a new reason to stay in the UK that the Home Office has not decided before. This is called a “new matter”.

A new matter is more than new evidence. It is a new issue or new legal ground (a new basis of your case) that would normally need the Home Office to make a new decision about it. The Tribunal cannot decide a new matter unless the Home Office agrees (gives consent). The Home Office may say yes or no to consent. If they say no, the Tribunal usually cannot decide that new matter in your appeal. 

If you think something might be a new matter, tell the Tribunal and the Home Office as soon as you can. For example, it happened later, you only found out recently, or you weren’t able to talk about it before (because you didn’t realise it was important, you felt too uncomfortable or embarrassed, or you were scared).

A new matter might be:

•  A new reason you fear return. For example, your claim for protection was about political persecution and you didn’t tell the Home Office about your sexuality because you felt uncomfortable about it. You now want the Tribunal to consider sexuality as part of your claim for protection. This is likely to be a new matter because it is a new protection reason the Home Office has not assessed.
• A new human rights “route/ground” that wasn’t decided. For example, you want the Tribunal to consider new Article 8 reason (private life) based on a new relationship/child that was not part of the Home Office decision.
• A major change in circumstances that creates a new claim. For example,  You start a relationship / become a parent after the refusal, and you now want to rely on that as a main reason you cannot leave. That may become a new matter if the Home Office has not considered it and would need to make a new decision about it.

Not everything “new” is a “new matter”. For example, new evidence that supports the same claim is often not a new matter. But the rule above still applies  if the Home Office says it is a new matter.

If you think you may have a “new matter”, y to raise it early, not at the last minute.Write it clearly in your AEC (or in a short covering email/letter) and explain that it is something the Home Office has not decided before. If you can, get legal advice, because this is a technical rule. (It can affect whether you need to make a separate application/claim.)

Preparing for your appeal hearing

To find out what happens at the Appeal Hearing itself, and the types of decision you could receive, take a look at our Toolkit page on ‘Your Appeal Hearing at the First-tier Tribunal’.