No, if your application has been formally withdrawn, we cannot reopen or reinstate it. This applies whether the application was withdrawn because you did not respond to requests for information or correspondence, or because you chose to withdraw it. In these circumstances, you would need to submit a new application once the current pause has ended.
You can't submit your application at the moment. Nothing is lost: your application is held from the point you reached and you'll be able to continue once we reopen applications.
If you meet one of the two criteria, complete the eligibility request and we'll look at your case.
From 30 September 2026, we have paused some applications while we review our rules on transferring qualified lawyers.
We have a large number of applications waiting to be assessed. Many people who apply do not go on to work as a barrister in England and Wales. This pause lets us work through the applications we already have without the queue growing.
You can apply now if one of these is true:
- You've been offered pupillage with an authorised pupillage training provider that is due to start before 1 January 2029
- You've been offered tenancy or employment that needs a practising certificate for the Bar of England and Wales
If neither is true, you can't apply yet. Please bookmark the transferring lawyers page and come back to check for updates.
The eligibility criteria above do not apply to lawyers who have qualified in Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein. Applications from these lawyers will continue to be accepted and processed under the relevant recognition of professional qualifications framework.
