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The short answer
If your UK spouse visa has been refused, you can usually appeal to the First-tier Tribunal or apply again with the problem fixed. The appeal deadline is 14 days if you applied inside the UK and 28 days if you applied from abroad.
Which option is right depends on why you were refused. If a document was missing or in the wrong form, a fresh application is usually faster: appeals of this kind took 74 weeks on average in April to June 2026. If you met the rules and the decision is wrong, an appeal may be the better route.
This guide explains how to read your refusal letter, what each option costs, how long each takes, and what to change before you apply again. It covers husbands, wives, civil partners and unmarried partners. The Home Office calls all of these partner applications.
Key points at a glance
Your two main optionsAppeal to the First-tier Tribunal, or make a fresh application
Deadline to appeal, applied inside the UK14 days from the date you received the decision letter
Deadline to appeal, applied outside the UK28 days from the date you received the decision letter
Tribunal fee£82 without a hearing, £144 with a hearing. Help with the fee is available on a low income
How long an appeal takes74 weeks on average for human rights appeals, April to June 2026
How many appeals succeed42% of human rights appeals were allowed, April to June 2026
Fresh application: Home Office fee£2,064 from outside the UK, £1,407 inside the UK, plus the health surcharge
Fresh application: decision timeUsually within 12 weeks from outside the UK, or 8 weeks inside the UK
Health surcharge from the refused applicationRefunded in full, automatically, usually within 6 weeks
Application fee from the refused applicationNot refunded
Future applicationsYou must declare the refusal every time. Hiding it can be treated as deception
What X Law doesWe assess your refusal and prepare fresh applications. Appeal hearings are outside our authorised work, and we refer you on
Sources: GOV.UK: Appeal a decision online; Ministry of Justice: Tribunal Statistics Quarterly, April to June 2026; GOV.UK: Family visas; GOV.UK: health surcharge refunds. Checked 11 November 2026.
Why was my spouse visa refused?
A spouse visa is refused when the Home Office decides that one of the requirements was not met or was not proved. Your refusal letter names the requirement. In most letters the problem is the evidence, not the couple.
What the letter saysWhat it usually meansWhat to check
You do not meet the financial requirementThe documents did not prove a combined income of at least £29,000 a year, or the right amount of savingsSix months of payslips with matching bank statements, an employer's letter, and whether the income is a type that counts
Income from self-employment or a company was not acceptedThe rules ask for set documents covering the last full financial yearWhether the figures came from the right year and the tax documents were included
The relationship is not accepted as genuine and subsistingThe evidence did not show the relationship over timeTime living together, visits, regular contact, shared money, and a clear account of how you met
The English language requirement is not metThe test, the level or the test centre was not approvedAn approved speaking and listening test at the right level, with the certificate number
Accommodation is not adequateThere was no proof you can live at the address, or it looked overcrowdedThe tenancy or ownership document and, if you live with family, a letter from the owner listing rooms and occupants
SuitabilitySomething in your immigration history, an unpaid NHS debt, or information the Home Office believes was false or left outWhat was declared on the form against your full history
A required document was missingA marriage or divorce certificate, a certified translation or a tuberculosis test certificate was not provided or was out of dateEach document on the checklist for your case, with its date
The Home Office does not have to ask for a missing document, and often refuses instead.
For the full requirements, see our UK spouse visa guide.
What does the refusal letter tell you?
The refusal letter tells you three things: which rule the Home Office says you did not meet, whether you have a right of appeal, and how long you have to use it.
- The reasons. Each reason is linked to a rule. Read every one. A fresh application or an appeal has to answer all of them, not only the first.
- Your right of appeal. Most spouse visa refusal letters confirm a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal.
- Your deadline. Time runs from the date you received the letter. Keep the email or envelope that shows that date.
- Exceptional circumstances. The letter also says whether the Home Office looked at your family life outside the normal rules. This matters if you appeal.
Keep the letter. You will need it for an appeal, for a fresh application, and for every later UK visa application.
Can you appeal a spouse visa refusal?
Yes, in most cases. A refused spouse visa is a refused human rights claim, and a refused human rights claim can be appealed to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). The tribunal is separate from the Home Office, and a judge decides your case.
Appeal factDetail
Deadline, if you applied inside the UK14 days from the date you received the decision letter
Deadline, if you applied outside the UK28 days from the date you received the decision letter
If you are lateYou must explain why. The tribunal decides whether it can still hear your appeal
Fee£82 for a decision without a hearing, £144 with a hearing
Help with the feeAvailable if you have little or no savings, receive certain benefits or have a low income
How to appealOnline, or by post or email with form IAFT-1. Online is quicker
With or without a hearingYou choose. Without a hearing, a judge decides from your form and documents. The tribunal can still decide to hold one
Average time to finish74 weeks for human rights appeals in April to June 2026
Outcome42% of human rights appeals were allowed in April to June 2026
Those two statistics cover all human rights appeals, not only spouse visa appeals. The Ministry of Justice does not publish a separate figure for spouse visas.
Administrative review is a different process, used for decisions that carry no right of appeal. It is not normally the route for a refused spouse visa. Your refusal letter says which one applies to you.
Sources: GOV.UK: Appeal a decision online and Appeal by post or email; Tribunal Statistics Quarterly, April to June 2026, published 10 September 2026. Checked 11 November 2026.
Should you appeal or apply again?
Apply again if the refusal was about evidence you can now supply. Consider an appeal if you met the rules when you applied and the decision is wrong, or if you cannot meet a rule and rely on your right to family life.
After a refusal · 4 questions
Appeal or apply again? Four questions to ask
Work through them in order, with your refusal letter in front of you.
- 01
Does your refusal letter give a right of appeal?
Most spouse visa refusals do, because the application counts as a human rights claim.
If it does notThe letter says whether you can ask for an administrative review. A fresh application stays open to you.
- 02
How many days do you have left?
14 days if you applied inside the UK, 28 days if you applied from outside, counted from the date you received the letter.
If the deadline has passedA late appeal must explain why, and the tribunal decides whether to hear it. You can still apply again.
- 03
Was the decision wrong, or was the evidence short?
If you met the rules on the day you applied and can show it, an appeal may fit.
If the evidence was shortA fresh application with the missing evidence is usually faster than an appeal.
- 04
Can you fix every reason in the letter now?
A fresh application has to answer each reason, with documents that are in date.
If you cannot yetWait until you can, for example until you have six months of payslips, or take advice on an appeal before the deadline.
- The goal
Choose your route before the appeal deadline passes.
Book a strategy session and we read your refusal letter and tell you which route fits.
AppealApply again
Fits best whenYou met the rules on the day you applied and the Home Office got the facts or the law wrong, or your case rests on family life outside the normal rulesA document was missing, out of date or in the wrong form and you can supply it now, or your circumstances have improved since
Deadline14 days inside the UK, 28 days outsideNone from outside the UK. Inside the UK, take advice at once, because your permission to stay may be running out
Paid to the government£82 or £144£2,064 from outside the UK or £1,407 inside, plus the health surcharge again
Usual time to a decision74 weeks on average12 weeks from outside the UK, 8 weeks inside
Who decidesA tribunal judgeA Home Office caseworker, on the new evidence
Can X Law act?No. Appeal hearings are outside our authorised work, so we refer youYes. We prepare fresh applications
Time · appeal against a fresh application
An appeal takes about six times longer than applying again from abroad
Time to a decision. Applying again only works if you can fix every reason in the refusal letter.
Take advice before you do both. A new application can affect an appeal that is already running.
On this page
- 01Key points at a glance
- 02Why was my spouse visa refused?
- 03What does the refusal letter tell you?
- 04Can you appeal a spouse visa refusal?
- 05Should you appeal or apply again?
- 06How much does it cost after a spouse visa refusal?
- 07How do you apply again after a spouse visa refusal?
- 08What if your spouse visa extension was refused inside the UK?
- 09What we see most often in spouse visa cases
- 10What should you do now?
- 11How X Law can help
- 12Frequently asked questions
- 13Glossary
- 14Useful resources
Had a spouse visa refused?
A regulated adviser can read your refusal letter and tell you whether to appeal or apply again.
Book a consultationHow much does it cost after a spouse visa refusal?
An appeal costs £82 or £144 in tribunal fees. A fresh application costs the full Home Office fee again, £2,064 from outside the UK or £1,407 inside, plus the health surcharge.
What you pay next
CostAmount
Tribunal fee, without a hearing£82
Tribunal fee, with a hearing£144
Fresh application from outside the UK£2,064
Fresh application inside the UK£1,407
Health surcharge on a fresh application from outside the UK (2 years 9 months)£3,105
Health surcharge on a fresh application inside the UK (2 years 6 months)£2,587.50
What you get back from the refused application
PaymentRefunded?
Health surchargeYes, in full and automatically
Home Office application feeNo
Priority service fee (£500), if you paid oneNo
The health surcharge refund goes back to the card or account you paid with, usually within 6 weeks. If you applied inside the UK and you appeal, it is refunded up to 6 weeks after an appeal is dismissed. If you are refunded and then win your appeal, you pay the surcharge again.
A fresh application from outside the UK therefore costs £5,169 in Home Office charges for one adult. Inside the UK it costs £3,994.50.
Sources: GOV.UK: Family visas; GOV.UK: health surcharge refunds; Home Office: immigration and nationality refunds policy; GOV.UK: Get a faster decision. Checked 10 and 11 November 2026. Home Office fees usually rise each April.
How do you apply again after a spouse visa refusal?
You can apply again, often called reapplying, as soon as you can answer every reason in the refusal letter. There is no waiting period, unless you were refused for deception.
- List every reason in the refusal letter. One line for each.
- Match each reason to new evidence. If the letter says a payslip was missing, the new application needs the full six months with matching bank statements.
- Check your dates. Payslips, bank statements, the English test and the tuberculosis test certificate must all be in date on the day you apply again. Evidence from the first application may now be too old.
- Declare the refusal. The form asks about earlier refusals. Answer yes and give the date and reason.
- Explain what has changed. A short covering letter that takes each refusal reason in turn and points to the new evidence.
- Do not send the same application twice. The same evidence usually gets the same answer.
Hiding a refusal can be treated as deception. Under the Immigration Rules (Part Suitability), deception in an application can lead to visa applications being refused for 10 years. This is law, not policy.
What if your spouse visa extension was refused inside the UK?
Act within 14 days. If you applied before your visa ran out, your permission to stay normally continues while you can still appeal, and while an appeal made in time is waiting to be decided. This is called section 3C leave.
- It ends if you leave the UK.
- It ends if the appeal deadline passes and you have not appealed.
- Your refusal letter says whether you can appeal from inside the UK.
A refusal inside the UK is urgent and often needs an appeal. Speak to an adviser who is authorised for appeal work as soon as you get the letter. If you contact us, we assess the letter and tell you straight away if it needs someone else.
Source: Home Office guidance: 3C and 3D leave, section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971. Checked 11 November 2026.
What we see most often in spouse visa cases
These are the problems our advisers meet most often in spouse visa cases. If your refusal letter mentions one of them, check whether a fresh application with the right evidence would put it right.
- Payslips and bank statements that do not match. Pay in cash, pay going into a different account, or one missing month.
- Income shown the wrong way. A job change in the last 6 months, or a self-employed sponsor or company director using the wrong year's figures.
- Counting the applicant's job abroad. Couples applying from outside the UK often expect the applicant's overseas salary to count towards the £29,000. It does not.
- Savings that do not qualify. Money held for less than 6 months, moved between accounts, or with no proof of where it came from.
- Thin relationship evidence. A recent marriage, little time living together, few visits, and nothing to show for the months between the wedding and the application.
- The wrong English test. A test that is not on the approved list, the wrong level, or a centre that is not approved.
- Paperwork gaps. No proof that an earlier marriage ended, translations that are not certified, or a tuberculosis certificate that is out of date.
- Extension timing. Applying too early and falling short of 5 years, leaving it too late, or the sponsor's income dipping just as the extension is due.
From X Law's own casework, confirmed by the firm in November 2026. No client details are used.
What should you do now?
- Write down the date you received the refusal letter and work out your appeal deadline: 14 days if you applied inside the UK, 28 days if you applied from outside.
- Read every reason in the letter, and check whether it confirms a right of appeal.
- Do not travel if you are inside the UK, until you have taken advice.
- Do not apply again with the same documents.
- Collect what was missing: the payslips, bank statements, certificates or relationship evidence the letter says were not provided.
- Have the refusal assessed before the deadline, so you can still appeal if that turns out to be the right route.
- Keep the letter. You must declare this refusal in every later UK visa application.
How X Law can help
Had a spouse visa refused? We assess your refusal first and tell you the right next step. Appeal hearings are outside the work we are authorised to do, so if an appeal is your best route we say so straight away and refer you to a suitably regulated adviser or solicitor, at no charge for the referral. What we take and what we refer is set out on our page what we do and what we refer.
X Law charges £69, VAT included, for a 30 minute personal immigration strategy session, in which we read your refusal letter and tell you whether to appeal or apply again. A fresh spouse or partner visa application costs from £999 from outside the UK, where no VAT is added, and from £949 plus VAT inside the UK.
ServiceOur feeVAT
Personal immigration strategy session (30 minutes, with a written summary). We read your refusal letter and tell you whether to appeal or apply again£69Included. The fee comes off your application fee if you go ahead
Fresh spouse or partner visa application from outside the UKfrom £999No VAT is added
Spouse or partner visa application inside the UK (further leave to remain)from £949Plus VAT
Your exact fee is confirmed in writing before any work starts. Home Office fees and the health surcharge are paid to the Home Office and are not included. See all our fees.
Who handles it. Your consultation is with Raja Faizan Qaiser. Your application is then prepared by Danish Masood or Qurat-ul-Ain, our legal advisers, with support from Muzaffar Chandio and Zania Faraz.
What we do and what we refer. We prepare spouse and partner applications made from abroad and from inside the UK, extensions and settlement applications. We do not act in tribunal hearings, or where a person has no permission to stay in the UK. If your case is one of these we tell you at the start and refer you on.
X Law is regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA, formerly the OISC), registration F202200098, which you can check on the IAA adviser register. We advise from our office at 19 Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester M4 4FY, and by phone and video across the UK. We give advice in English, Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi.
We never promise a result. We tell you honestly where your case stands and what it needs.
Book a strategy session or call 0330 236 9248.
Frequently asked questions
Can I appeal a spouse visa refusal?
Yes, in most cases. A refused spouse visa is a refused human rights claim, which can be appealed to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). Your refusal letter confirms whether you have a right of appeal and how to use it.
How long do I have to appeal a spouse visa refusal?
You have 14 days from the date you received the decision letter if you applied inside the UK, and 28 days if you applied from outside the UK. If you miss the deadline you must explain why, and the tribunal decides whether it can still hear your appeal.
How much does a spouse visa appeal cost?
The tribunal fee is £82 for a decision without a hearing or £144 with a hearing. You may get help with the fee if you have a low income, little or no savings, or receive certain benefits. A representative's fee is separate.
How long does a spouse visa appeal take?
Human rights appeals, the category that includes spouse visa appeals, took 74 weeks on average to finish in April to June 2026, according to Ministry of Justice statistics. A fresh application made from outside the UK is usually decided within 12 weeks.
Is it better to appeal or reapply after a spouse visa refusal?
It depends on why you were refused. If a document was missing or in the wrong form and you can supply it now, applying again is usually faster. If you met the rules and the decision is wrong, or you rely on your right to family life, an appeal may be the better route.
Can I apply again straight away after a spouse visa refusal?
Yes, in most cases. There is no waiting period unless you were refused for deception. A new application only helps if it answers every reason in the refusal letter, so check that your new evidence covers each one before you pay the fee again.
Do I get a refund if my spouse visa is refused?
You get the immigration health surcharge back in full, automatically, usually within 6 weeks. The Home Office application fee is not refunded after a refusal, and neither is a priority service fee.
Does a spouse visa refusal affect future applications?
A refusal does not stop you applying again, but you must declare it in every later UK visa application. Hiding a refusal can be treated as deception, which can lead to applications being refused for 10 years.
Can I stay in the UK if my spouse visa extension is refused?
Usually yes, for a short time. If you applied before your visa expired, your permission normally continues while you can still appeal and while an appeal made in time is waiting to be decided. It ends if you leave the UK or miss the appeal deadline.
Who can help after a spouse visa refusal in Manchester?
A suitably regulated adviser or solicitor can assess a spouse visa refusal. X Law is regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) and works from 19 Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester. In a £69 strategy session we read your refusal letter and tell you whether to appeal or apply again. We prepare fresh applications, and we refer you on if you need an appeal hearing.
Can X Law represent me at a spouse visa appeal?
No. Appeal hearings are outside the work we are authorised to do. We assess your refusal, tell you whether an appeal or a fresh application is the right step, prepare fresh applications, and refer you to a suitably regulated adviser or solicitor if you need an appeal.
Glossary
TermPlain meaning
Refusal letter (notice of decision)The Home Office letter that gives the reasons for refusal and your appeal rights
Entry clearanceA visa applied for from outside the UK
Further leave to remainPermission to stay longer, applied for from inside the UK. An extension or a switch
Appendix FMThe part of the Immigration Rules that covers partners and family
Human rights claimA claim that refusing you would breach your right to family or private life. A spouse visa application counts as one
First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber)The independent tribunal that hears immigration appeals
Administrative reviewA Home Office check for errors, used where there is no right of appeal
Section 3C leaveThe automatic extension of your permission to stay while an application or appeal made in time is decided
Immigration health surchargeThe charge for NHS access paid with a visa application
Useful resources
- GOV.UK: Appeal against a visa or immigration decision
- GOV.UK: Appeal a decision online (deadlines and fees)
- GOV.UK: Family visas, apply as a partner or spouse
- GOV.UK: Immigration health surcharge refunds
- Immigration Rules: Appendix FM
- Ministry of Justice: Tribunal Statistics Quarterly, April to June 2026
- Home Office guidance: 3C and 3D leave
- IAA adviser register
X Law is a trading style of X Law Limited (Company No. 14358643), regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority, registration F202200098. General information only, not legal advice. Figures checked on GOV.UK on 11 November 2026.
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A personal immigration strategy session costs £69, and a business immigration consultation costs £149. Full application fees are quoted in writing before any work starts.
X Law's immigration lawyers and advisers help families, skilled workers and employers with UK immigration. Manchester office; meeting rooms in London and Birmingham by appointment.
X Law is a trading style of X Law Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (Company No. 14358643). Regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA), registration F202200098. The IAA was formerly the OISC. Registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), reference ZC293876.
Information on this website is general information only, not legal advice.
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