If you are turned down for a visit visa to the UK, you will get a letter explaining what you can do. The notice will tell you why you were turned down and what law was used to make that decision. The notice would also tell you what you might do. In almost all cases, the notice will tell you that you have no right to appeal the decision or to seek administrative review. The option available to you is to reapply. 

  • How do I reapply

If you wish to reapply, you must make a new application, pay a visa fee, and submit your application at a visa application center. You must either show new, convincing evidence or show that your personal situation has changed in a big way. If you reapply without providing any new information, your application will be refused.

  • How do I prove changes in my personal circumstances?

To be accepted a second time, you must show that your personal situation has changed in a big way. The Immigration Rules interpret personal circumstances to include the credibility of your plans for the visit, your family, social and economic background, previous immigration history, personal ties to your home country, etc.

Personal circumstances do not change overnight. Depending on why the first application was turned down, it is best to wait a reasonable amount of time before trying again. What is a reasonable amount of time is hard to say and may depend on the specifics of each case. We think that a minimum of six months to a year is fair, but it depends on your situation. 

  • Compelling new evidence

You may also wish to reapply if you have compelling new evidence. “Compelling new evidence” is not defined in either the Immigration Rules or any of the published guidance. In our opinion, compelling evidence, when applied to the facts, could lead the ECO to make a different decision. 

If the decision is not about concerns about your personal circumstances but about missing information or concerns about some part of the evidence, you may reapply immediately. 

Consular officers sometimes turn down applications because they use the law or a fact in the wrong way. Some decisions are based on the misrepresentation of evidence or the imposition of additional requirements without considering the evidence submitted by the applicant. In such cases, you may apply by providing new evidence to overcome the refusal without the need to wait for any change in circumstances.

In some cases, new evidence might be documentary. In others, a reference to an error of law or fact made by the ECO may be enough to address the refusal. 

Conclusion

Changes to the law have hurt the options that people used to have when they were denied a visit visa. So, it's best to take the time to make a good application the first time around. 

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.