FtT(IAC) Appeal Bundle Preparation: A Complete Guide for 2026

Last updated: April 2026

This article provides general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration matters are highly fact-sensitive and Tribunal procedure changes regularly. Consider seeking advice from an OISC-regulated adviser or solicitor on your specific circumstances. Always verify current Procedure Rules with official sources.

Quick Answer

If you have received a decision refusing your protection or human-rights claim, your right of appeal is to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) — usually written as FtT(IAC). You ordinarily have 14 days from the date you were given the decision to lodge an in-country appeal (28 days if you are appealing from outside the UK). The bundle you prepare for the substantive hearing is governed by the Tribunal Procedure (First-tier Tribunal) (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) Rules 2014 and the IAC Presidential Guidance on bundle preparation. A compliant appellant's bundle typically contains the appeal skeleton argument (ASA), witness statements, country-of-origin evidence, expert reports, and the documents from the original application — all paginated, indexed, and produced as a single searchable PDF.

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What an FtT(IAC) Appeal Is For

The FtT(IAC) hears appeals against Home Office decisions, including refusal of asylum, refusal of humanitarian protection, refusal of a human-rights claim (typically Article 8 family or private life), revocation of protection status, and deprivation of citizenship.

You can find your hearing centre using the BundleCreator find-court tool — IAC hearing centres include Hatton Cross, Taylor House, Birmingham, Manchester, Newport, Glasgow and several remote video centres.

The appellant carries the burden of showing that the decision was wrong in law or on the facts, against the relevant standard of proof:

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The 14-Day Filing Deadline

Time limits in immigration appeals are short and strict. Under Rule 19 of the Procedure Rules:

• In-country appeals: notice of appeal must be received by the Tribunal within 14 days of the date on which the appellant was sent the decision (5 days if detained).
• Out-of-country appeals: 28 days from the date of receipt.
• Late appeals: the Tribunal may extend time only if satisfied that it is in the interests of justice — supported by clear evidence of why the appeal is late.

Use the court deadline calculator to map out your filing date, the directions deadline for the appellant's bundle, and the hearing window. Mistiming a filing is the single most common avoidable problem in IAC appeals.

After the notice of appeal is lodged on form IAFT-1 (or IAFT-5 for out-of-country), the Tribunal issues directions setting deadlines for:

• Filing the appellant's consolidated bundle (typically 28 days before the hearing)
• Filing the respondent's bundle (Home Office)
• Filing any expert evidence and witness statements
• Listing the substantive (full) hearing

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Appellant's Bundle vs Respondent's Bundle

You will encounter two bundles in every IAC appeal:

The respondent's bundle. Prepared by the Home Office. Contains the refusal letter, the original application, the Home Office interview record, country information used in the decision, and any other material the Secretary of State relies on. You should receive this shortly after lodging the appeal — review it carefully for inaccuracies and missing documents.

The appellant's bundle. Your bundle. This is where your case is built. The Tribunal will read your bundle alongside the Home Office bundle, so it must be self-contained, organised, and easy to follow.

A well-organised appellant's bundle does three things at once: it presents the appeal skeleton argument, it evidences each disputed fact, and it places the country evidence in a structure the judge can navigate during the hearing.

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Structure of an Appellant's Bundle

There is no single mandated structure for IAC bundles in the way Practice Direction 27A governs Family bundles. The Procedure Rules (Rule 4) give the Tribunal a wide case-management power, and Presidential Guidance Notes set conventions for electronic bundles. The structure below reflects long-standing IAC practice:

Each section paginated consecutively and indexed at the front. Bundles are submitted as a single PDF with bookmarks matching the index. Searchable text (OCR for scanned documents) is essential — judges reading on screen need to be able to find names, dates and country references quickly.

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The Appeal Skeleton Argument (ASA)

The ASA is the spine of the bundle. It tells the judge what the appeal is about, what is in dispute, and how the evidence supports each ground. A good ASA is short — typically 6 to 12 pages — and tightly cross-referenced to the bundle.

A workable structure:

1. Introduction (1 paragraph): who the appellant is, what decision is appealed, what the grounds are.
2. Issues (½ page): a numbered list of the issues the Tribunal must decide.
3. Factual background (1–2 pages): a neutral chronology, cross-referenced to the witness statements and documents.
4. Submissions on each issue (3–6 pages): for each issue, the relevant law, the relevant evidence (with page references), and why the appellant succeeds.
5. Article 8 proportionality (where applicable): the Razgar five-stage analysis, with reference to s.117B of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.
6. Conclusion: the disposal sought.

Avoid emotional language. The judge wants concise legal analysis tethered to the evidence, not narrative.

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Witness Statements

Witness statements are the appellant's primary factual evidence. Each statement must be signed and dated, and should contain a statement of truth. Best practice:

• Use first-person narrative.
• Cover events chronologically.
• Anchor every claim to a date, place or document.
• Address the points the Home Office disputed in the refusal letter, head-on.
• Keep paragraphs numbered for easy cross-reference from the ASA.

For protection appeals, the appellant's statement is often the only direct evidence of past persecution. Inconsistencies between the asylum interview, the screening interview, and the witness statement are the most common reason for adverse credibility findings — review the Home Office interview record carefully and explain any apparent inconsistencies.

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Country Evidence and Expert Reports

For protection appeals, country evidence is decisive. Sources to consider:

Country evidence must be current. A report from 2018 is rarely persuasive on conditions in 2026 unless used historically. Date every country document and prefer the most recent reliable source.

Expert reports — country experts, medical experts, scarring experts, psychiatric experts — must comply with Practice Direction: Expert Evidence (PD18). The expert's duty is to the Tribunal, not the appellant. Reports must include the expert's CV, the source materials used, and a statement of truth.

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Producing the Bundle

The Tribunal expects a single consolidated electronic bundle. Practical specifications:

• Format: single searchable PDF
• Pagination: consecutive throughout, page labels matching the PDF page numbers
• Index: hyperlinked, at the front of the bundle
• Bookmarks: one per section, matching the index
• File size: keep below 20MB where possible (compress images, OCR scans rather than including image-only PDFs)
• Filing: by the date set in directions, served on the Home Office at the same time

Late or non-compliant bundles can result in adjournments, costs warnings, or in extreme cases the appeal being decided on the papers without the appellant's evidence being properly considered.

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Common Mistakes

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How BundleCreator Helps

BundleCreator.co automates the mechanical parts of preparing an IAC appeal bundle:

The product is designed to produce bundles aligned with FtT(IAC) conventions — though as always you should review the directions in your own appeal and adapt accordingly.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have to appeal an asylum or human-rights refusal?

14 days from the date the decision was sent to you if you are in the UK; 28 days if you are out of country. 5 days if you are detained.

What is an Appeal Skeleton Argument?

A short legal document — typically 6–12 pages — that summarises the issues, the relevant law, the evidence and why the appeal should be allowed. It sits at the front of the appellant's bundle.

Do I need a country expert?

Not always. Country Guidance cases and CPINs may already cover the position. An expert is most useful where conditions have changed since the most recent CG case, or where the appellant's specific profile (ethnicity, religion, political activity, sexuality) needs targeted evidence.

Can I rely on documents that are not in English?

Yes, but every non-English document must be accompanied by a certified translation. The translation goes immediately after the original in the bundle.

What happens if my appeal is dismissed?

You may apply for permission to appeal to the Upper Tribunal on a point of law. Application must be made within 14 days of the FtT's written decision.

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Your IAC Appeal Bundle Checklist

• Notice of appeal — IAFT-1 lodged within the deadline
• Appeal skeleton argument — 6–12 pages, cross-referenced
• Chronology — neutral, dated
• Appellant's witness statement — signed, dated, statement of truth
• Supporting witness statements — each signed and dated
• Identity and family documents — passports, birth and marriage certificates, with translations
• Country evidence — current, dated, sourced
• Expert reports — CV, sources, statement of truth, PD18 compliance
• Authorities bundle — CG cases, statute extracts
• Index — hyperlinked, accurate page references
• Bookmarks — match index
• Pagination — consecutive, matches PDF page labels
• Filing — by the date in the Tribunal's directions
• Service — copy to Home Office at the same time

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This guide provides general information about IAC appeal bundles in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It is not legal advice. For advice specific to your appeal, consult an OISC-regulated adviser or immigration solicitor.

Sources:

• Tribunal Procedure (First-tier Tribunal) (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) Rules 2014
• Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002
• HMCTS — First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum)
• Practice Direction: Expert Evidence (PD18)
• Find a court or tribunal — BundleCreator
• Court deadline calculator — BundleCreator