What is a reconsideration request?

A reconsideration request is a written request to UK Visas and Immigration to review a decision on an application made inside the UK. It is not a formal appeal or an administrative review, and it is not available if you have a right to either. It must be made no later than 14 days after the decision.

How a reconsideration request works

A reconsideration request lets you ask UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to review the decision on a visa or immigration application you made in the UK. GOV.UK says it is not a formal appeal or an administrative review, and you cannot ask for a reconsideration if you have a right of appeal or review.^{[1]UK Visas and Immigration, Visa and immigration reconsideration requests} Your decision letter will usually tell you whether you have either right. See right of appeal and administrative review.

You can make a request if you believe the Immigration Rules or policies were not followed correctly when the decision was made. You must be in the UK to make it.^{[1]UK Visas and Immigration, Visa and immigration reconsideration requests}

You write a letter explaining why you think the decision was wrong. Refer to the rules or policy under which you applied. Send it to the team that made the decision on your original application. The address is on the decision letter.^{[1]UK Visas and Immigration, Visa and immigration reconsideration requests}

Who can use it and when

GOV.UK allows a request only if you applied in the UK for one of the following.^{[1]UK Visas and Immigration, Visa and immigration reconsideration requests}

You can also make a request if an application was successful but you believe the type or the expiry date of the leave is wrong. If a transfer of conditions or no time limit application was refused, you can ask for a reconsideration only if you have one of three kinds of new evidence. These are new evidence about the date of the application, new evidence that your documents were authentic, or evidence that information UKVI received before the decision date was not available to the team that made the decision. GOV.UK says these are the only kinds of new evidence you can use.^{[1]UK Visas and Immigration, Visa and immigration reconsideration requests}

Time limit and rejection

You must make the request as soon as possible and no later than 14 days after you get the decision on your application. You can make only one request.^{[1]UK Visas and Immigration, Visa and immigration reconsideration requests}

GOV.UK lists six situations in which a request will be rejected.^{[1]UK Visas and Immigration, Visa and immigration reconsideration requests} A request is rejected if you:

• make a new application before or after you send the request
• have since been given permission to stay in another visa category
• left the UK and your permission to stay has expired
• were removed or deported from the UK
• have already used up your appeal rights or lost a judicial review
• need to appeal or apply for an administrative review instead

Compared with an administrative review

An administrative review is the formal route for some in-UK refusals. You can use it only if you are in the UK, you applied in the UK and your application was refused. You must apply within 14 days of getting the decision, or within 7 days if you were detained when you got it. It costs £80.^{[2]UK Visas and Immigration, Ask for a visa administrative review: if you're in the UK} Because a reconsideration request is only for people with no right of appeal or administrative review, the two routes do not overlap. See administrative review vs appeal.

Cancellation decisions

A similar process exists after a decision to cancel permission, which UKVI caseworker guidance calls an error correction request. It must explain why the decision was incorrect and be sent within 14 calendar days of the deemed date of receiving the decision. For a decision sent by post to a UK address, that date is 2 working days after posting, unless the person can prove they received it later. The request must be considered by a caseworker who did not make the original decision. Sending it does not extend a person’s permission.^{[3]UK Visas and Immigration, Cancellation and curtailment of permission (caseworker guidance)}

Example

Sunita applied in the UK to extend her permission. UKVI granted it, but she believes the expiry date on the grant is wrong. Her decision letter gives no right of appeal or administrative review. She writes to the team that made the decision, quotes the rule she applied under and explains the error. She sends it within 14 days of getting the decision.

Wei applied to move his indefinite leave to an eVisa and was refused. He has new evidence that his documents were authentic. That is one of the three kinds of new evidence GOV.UK allows. This example describes the process. It does not say how UKVI will decide any request.

What people get wrong

Many people send a reconsideration request and a new application together. GOV.UK says the request will be rejected if you make a new application before or after sending it.

The second mistake is the deadline. The 14 days run from when you get the decision, and GOV.UK says to make the request as soon as possible. You also get only one request.^{[1]UK Visas and Immigration, Visa and immigration reconsideration requests}

The bottom line

A reconsideration request is a short written route for in-UK applicants who have no right of appeal or review. It has a 14-day limit, one attempt and strict rules on what new evidence counts. Check the decision letter first to see which right of challenge it gives.