Rejected Visa Applications
If your visa is rejected you will receive a letter from ISD explaining the reason why. A visa refusal can be appealed at no extra cost. However, you must appeal the refusal decision within 2 months of the date on the letter of refusal. If you send your visa appeal after this date it will not be accepted.
How to Appeal a Visa Refusal
You will need to write a letter to the office address stated in the letter of refusal.
The letter must include the following information:
- Full name
- Postal address
- Personal email address
- Visa Application Transaction Number
The letter should also explain in detail why you believe the decision should be changed. You should refer to the reasons the application was refused (as stated in the letter of refusal). You can also take this opportunity to add any new information you believe is important. Full details on the visa refusals process can be found on the ISD website.
In some circumstances, you cannot appeal a visa decision and may be blocked from applying for a visa for up to 5 years. This may happen if you submitted false or misleading information with your original application.
For this reason prospective students are advised to be very careful when submitting documentation, and should read and follow the application instructions as indicated.
Additional Information
You should beware of agencies that guarantee visa approval, as this is a promise they will not be able to keep.
Many English language schools insert a clause in their terms and conditions stating that they will keep your money if your visa is refused for providing false or misleading information.
See our Guide to English Language Schools.