With the advent of
various “colleges” which offer bogus educational qualifications
to the needy (read as people seeking to enter UK for economic
reasons), there is a surge in UK visa applications made by their
relations seeking to visit them. Most of the sponsors are holding
visas good for about 14 months or more and surely some vacations fall
in within this period – or otherwise anyways. Who needs vacations,
like Pinocchio said (Girls? Who needs girls!) this was after visiting
the hardware store for sandpaper to cure his splinter issue….
Putting that little excursion aside, lets go into the details of the
issue at hand.
1. If you are seeking
to apply to visit your son/daughter/spouse/sibling in UK, and they
are there as on student visa, then consider the following before you
apply:
2. Do not use Faminly
Visa application – this is because they are not UK or EU
nationals/PR holders. Always use General Visitor form.
3. The Visa Bastard is
more likely to refuse the application lodged by a genuine applicant
than otherwise – so just because your intentions are honourable do
not take it for granted that the moron on the other side will respond
in kind….
4. Try to show as many
ties to your home country as possible. These include properties, job
(also provide a leave approval letter in this case), proof of a
reasonable income, sufficient funds in the bank to afford the trip,
and family & other commitments in home country.
5. The sponsor
(student) MUST show adequate accommodation set aside for you (this
could be a hotel or in their rented property, and in most cases a
letter from a landlord with contact telephone number & address
will also do)
6. A letter from the
college / educational service provider confirming the sponsor is a
current student or awaiting graduation, addressed to the Visa Officer
7. Three months bank
statements of the sponsor is useful also – even if you have money
in bank for yourself..
8. Birth or marriage
certificate proving your relationship to the sponsor is also a must –
please don’t leave that out.
Make sure you do not
overburden the moron at UK High Commission –
http://visacolombo.blogspot.com/2013/05/home-office-uk-recruitment-vacancies.html
this one does not take the price considering the later experiences
down here. Assuming you did not stuff it, there is a good chance that
the visa will be granted. Now the question arises what if my visa
application was refused? The trick employed by the ECO’s is to
somehow give you limited rights of appeal by using the red-tape
against you. Appealing does not work out in most cases and it is time
consuming. I am talking of months here kids.. I am not saying you
don’t appeal – but merely stating that appeals these days are
lengthy and chances of success are not as high as you’d wish them
to be. Nevertheless, down here we always appeal, but I would not say
it’s the course for all. In some cases a re-application is worth
the effort but then again, consider your options carefully. That is
if you do not have a stronger case, then the next application is also
likely to be refused.
I think a word or two
about why applications get refused is important here. Mostly it’s
the finance. Show the money in a traceable manner and there should be
a good history for that money you show. Do not give conflicting
evidence – such as a salary of $500 per month but an account
balance of $20,000 – no one is going to take that bait. In this
type of cases say you have additional sources of income (and don’t
forget to back it up with evidence) rather than ask one to believe
the money materialized out of thin air in your bank account. Second
most common reason for refusal is not having a strong basis in your
home country. Please show that you have ongoing job/business
interests and properties &/or financial ties in home country, as
well as family and social commitments (such as caring for
parents/children/membership in societies, etc.). I do know that some
ECO's care not about the evidence you put forth, but if you had to go
to the tribunal, then these things matter.
The thing to understand
here is that visa bastard will be hard pressed to refuse it if you
have given voluminous bulk of credible supporting evidence, and you
have a better chance at the courts than otherwise. Also watch it when
you fill the application form – something like “How much money
you give to your family..” etc. must be addressed carefully in a
weighted manner. Too much will impress you are hard pressed for money
and too less looks like you are not having commitments or ties. So,
the financial questions must be answered in a logical manner with
careful consideration.
Hope this helps when
you lodge an application for visiting a student fellow in UK.
Good luck.
