If you apply for a UK visa and – after consideration – the Home Office refuses your application due to you failing to meet the requirements for that visa route, you will not be entitled to a refund of your application fees.
There are certain circumstances in which the Home Office may refund an immigration application fee. These include if:
There is no legal basis to keep the fee, such as if the application cannot be processed due to being void
The Home Office is legally obliged to return the fee, such as because the application is fee exempt
The application is rejected as invalid (minus an administration charge)
The applicant submits a second application that has the effect of modifying their application
An incorrect fee has been charged and paid to the Home Office
In some cases, the application fee may also be refunded if the applicant withdraws their application –for example, where the application requires biometric data to be taken in order for the Home Office to process it, and the withdrawal request is made before biometrics have been submitted.