₦airaland Forum

Castalia:
Hi @justwise and all,
I want to apply for 6months UK visa for my wife and daughter.
I have a 5year UK visa, and valid US visa on passport. Wifey and daughter also have valid US Visas. They have previously had 6months UK visas which we used to travel in 2014. We both have a good travel history.[b][/b]

My wife works, but her pay is very infinitesimal. Like 50k per month. So I will be footing the bill.
My salary is about 400k monthly (net) and I also have a registered business for about 7years.
In our Previous application, my brother who has a resident permit sent me his documents and all, and we stayed in his house. However, this time, I do not plan to stay in his place, as we only plan 5days in UK before going to US. Hence we plan to stay in a hotel. Therefore, do I still need to ask for his documents?

Also, though I have a good account turnover, the balance on my personal account is 1m. 1 also have a dollar card with about 1k dollars.

1. Do I need to get documents from my wife's place of work? Actually, I will prefer not to, since I am the one footing the bill
2. will they need her statement of account? Like I said, her salary is 50k
3. Do I need to beef up my account first, or is the 1m balance ok? I plan to apply soon to travel early August, so i really dont av time to beef it up
4. Since I do not plan to see my brother, can I just apply for tourist visa? Or do I do the normal family visit options that i used for their previous application.
5. I already have my visa. Do I need any letter from my place of work showing I will be on leave at that period?

Please advice

The bold will count in their favour. Having said that:
1. Yes you will need to get document from her place of work eg letter of introduction from employer
2. Yes her statement of account plus payslips will be needed.
3. Since you're footing all the bill, do the math and evaluate if 1 million naira can be sufficient for a 5 days stay in the UK (air tickets for 3, hotel accommodation, local transport, feeding etc). If not provide an additional source of fund, by including your domiciliary account statement for the dollar card.
4. Since you have a successful visa outcome using family visit, I advise that you maintain that option. However, you can still change to the general visitor as this does not require any documents from your brother, except his passport data page and permit to stay in the UK. In fact all visitor visa is now classified as Standard irrespective of the category.
5. No, just include a copy of your visa and passport data page in their application document. Also include a cover letter to ECO to explain that you're sponsoring the trip.

Believe13:
@nairacountry and ekpotek, thanks alot for your advice.appreciate!

the invitation letter is not signed will it have any effect? cos she asked me to prefered the letter sent it to my aunt via mail for her to check . said is ok .

The invitation letter must be signed and addressed to the Entrance Clearance Officer (ECO). She should also disclose her telephone number and email address. If you plan to stay with her, then she must send you a copy of her current utility bill as proof of address, passport data page.

Believe13:
thanks.

been to only dubia about 4yrs ago. been working for about 8yrs now. first 6yrs was with a company . gratuity from first company though not up to 1m but above 500k.been saving up since last year for a vacation. its not lump sum.

Explain it to ECO as you have done here in a cover letter with documents to back it up and it will be okay.

nairacountry:
Exactly my opinion too. If you must go to UK before the US, go with above option. Cheers

Yes she stand a better chance if she do the U.K application as a family.

Arinzona4oxide:
@ekpotek, thanks for the reply, Wednesday makes it exactly the 15th day counting from the day I did biometrics,possibly I get a feed back before the week runs out? as the conference I want to attend holds on the 5th.

Sure you should get a feedback soon. If not call their special phone number which is a paid service. To use this service, you must have a credit/debit card in handy as UKIV will request for its details in order for them to charge you for the call.

yispa:
@ekpotek, please why does an application take 2 weeks to get to Sheffield from the day of biometrics when all documents are in electronic copy?

Don't know. What is moving at snail speed is not the application and documents but your passport. All other stuffs are electronically transferred, but your passport have to move physical from the TLS to Embassy and off to Sheffield and back same route. If your passport does not get to Sheffield on time, they cannot put the visa stamp on it even if a decision has been made on the application days back. My Opinion.

Arinzona4oxide:
Dear All,

Please what could the message mean?
I did my Biometrics on 07/06/2017 at Abuja, I got a mail from on the 08/06/2017 that my application has been received by the UKVI.

On the 20th I received another mail from VISAINFO.SHEFO@fco.gov.uk which reads;


Your Visa Application: VAF *******


Dear *********,

Regarding Visa Application: GWF******
For: **********

Your online application has been received in Sheffield, UK. Your application is currently being prepared for consideration by an Entry Clearance Officer.

If you have made a Settlement application (except for applications lodged in USA and Canada): you must ensure that your UK sponsor has sent all relevant supporting documentation to the visa section in Sheffield. The documents should be arranged in this order: application form and relevant Appendix* (See below); English language evidence; relationship documents; maintenance documents; accommodation documents. If documents are not received a decision will be taken on the basis on the information that has been provided.

If you have already had your supporting documents scanned in at the Visa Application Centre, or if you have already sent them in to us, please ignore the request for documents.

Please note that UKVI aims to complete all Visit Visa applications within 15 working days and all Settlement Visa applications within 12 weeks of the application date. If it is not possible to complete your application within this timeframe a member of our team will contact you to explain why.

If you have paid for Priority Service, your application will be placed in front of the queue and assessed ahead of other non-priority visa applications. As indicated in the terms of service, the amount paid for the priority service, as well as the visa fees, is not refundable if the visa application is refused or if the decision is delayed.

We regret that we are unable to respond to enquiries asking about the status of any application. Any status enquiry should be made to the international enquiry service, details of which are on the GOV.UK website. Staff at Embassies, visa processing centres and visa application centres cannot assist with visa enquiries. You may also wish to view the current processing times for applications made in your country.

A further email will be sent to you to confirm when your application has been assessed and dispatched. If your application was made in a Visa Application Centre, the staff there will contact you when your documents are ready – please do not attend the Centre until you are requested to do so.

Please note that you are advised not to purchase flight tickets until you have secured a visa for travel to the UK.

*List of Appendices:
Appendix 1 - Children / Other Dependants
Appendix 2 - Spouse / Partner
Appendix 4 - Pre-flight family members of Refugees
Appendix 5 - Access Rights to Child

Further information is also available on the UK visas and immigration website.

Kind regards,

Sheffield Visa Section

This is a generic email. Every applicant get this email and its meaning nothing! Wait for the decision email.

Believe13:
Thanks for your response ekpotek.

salary 200k
married with a child.
bank balance 1.7m
invitation from my aunt same person 4years ago.(invitation is not signed )
traveling alone for holidays.

Salary - Average
Family ties - good
Bank balance - good (you will need to explain how you saved such a huge balance with a salary of just 200K
Intention in the UK- This is where the issues lies, the ECO while be surprise that you're not vacationing with your family.

If you have good travel history, the ECO may over looked this. You need to have a strong reason why you're leaving your child behind. My opinion is hUng your UK visa application on premise that you are vacationing with your family to the US, and you which to stop over in the UK to visit your aunt whom you have not seen for a very long time. This way you can actually apply together with your husband and kid, where having a US visa will be taking into consideration.

nairacountry:
About 9m closing balance with turnover of around 21m within the 6months printed. Corporate Account

With such a closing balance and turnover, the ECO knows that you are very unlikely to overstay or disappear in the UK as your home ties are very solid! ��. I would not advise any applicant to submit a 38 days old bank statement. I got my visa with a closing balance of less than 200K. What stood in my favor was my previous travel history to the U.K in the last 6 years which have never exceeded 10 days. My application took less than 5 days for a decision and the visa was issued at British high commission, Lagos.

Believe13:
@nairacountry
Am going to the US with my family but UK alone. Have always wanted to visit UK so my husband decided that a give it a try again after 4yrs of taking a break.

Note: have only applied once and was denied back then . reason was finance . salary poor. 48k then but have commission from sales .( statement of account was 800k) not lump sums built it over time. Was engaged then and the same was stated in my application.

Reason for denial: basically because of my salary that other income was based on commission and that I might not return . I even added my wedding IV card and that was also going for shopping. But VO officer thought otherwise.

Having a US visa does not conferred any advantages for a U.K. visa because the two countries operate different systems of evaluating an applicant. In fact a Scenghen visa is more stronger than a US visa for U.K application. Having said that, your success will depend on the intention of your visit and supporting documents. With a previous UK visa refusals, you need to really package your application to avoid another refusal. That means, your job, income, bank balance and family ties in Nigeria and the U.K. will be the deciding factors. Good luck.

huey99:
cc: ekpotek n justwise please help

I don't know how to help. If read back, many have similar complain on payment issues. Some got the solution by using a foreign card to pay. Some where lucky paying with paga. Still others commented that using the old online application portal will accept Naira cards. Just read backward and try all the solutions offered.

adoox2:
Hello @justwise and Co.

Thanks for the good works, as stated earlier still assembling my doc. For my Visa Application. My questions re thus:
1. do I need my Husbands letter of consent for my Trip?
2. How much should I state as cost of my Trip?

3.my annual leave starts ending of Sept. I intend travelling early Oct. When is d right time to apply for Visa.

1. Not necessary unless you are a minor

2. Do maths (airtickets, hotels, local transport, tickets for tourist sites, shopping, meals)

3. Now is the time. This is summer time and pick period for tourists visiting Europe

dammy2good:
Hello All[b]
My partner decided to deposit 500k in my account for ticket without my knowledge[/b] although it was stated as for ticket fee, Hope it would not be seen as lodgement as am thinking of cancelling the whole process.. can I state him as part sponsor , but will doing so involve me bring his statement of account? On grounds that I do not attach his statement can I be denied because he is not ready to part with his statement.. ibo men always hiding their money

Sure the ECO will view it as money lodgement for visa purpose. Your partner should have waited for your to secure the visa first! You will need to really explain this amount to the ECO and back it up with adequate documentation if you still proceed with the application. Another option is to liquidate this amount from your account before printing the bank statement. Your partner is an unreliable sponsor as he/she is not yet your family member. The ECO would want you to show evidence that you can foot the whole trip at your own expenses as this is a vacation. Bringing in your partner as a part sponsor is a red flag and shows a lack of strong ties to Nigeria.

rinw:
Just picked up my passport. Visa granted for 2 years.

Biometrics: 31-05-2017
Received by UKVI: 01-06-2017
Visa Issued: 16-06-2017
TLS dispatched to courier since 19-06-2017 but DHL did not pick my package till this morning so I just went to their processing facility to collect it.

Thanks @justwise and ekpotek for ur support.

Congrats. Enjoy your trip

Brightingsus:
Really

Old system
https://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/home/welcome

New system
https://visas-immigration.service.gov.uk/product/uk-visit-visa

DobraDobra:
Guy put all ur documents ur wife's and urs include all her medical stories they know all this that grandparents come in and help to take care of newborns. Fill in ur form hopefully ur mother inlaw does not need leave from work I can tell u all this done well she can stay 5 months to be on safe side she goes back renew and come bk to help u with d new born . But make sure u fill d family application and not d general visa application forms

All visitor visa is now called standard visitor under the new online application system. The applicant may wish to use the old system that still offers subgroups of visitor visas.

huey99:
Good morning all

I intend going for a conference in the uk next month. The programme is maximum four days which is covered (travel expenses and hotel) by the organization inviting me. Am I to choose the permitted paid engagement visa or a short stay visa.

Also do I need to take along landed documents which I have, I have a small saving (not up to 1m) apart from my salary, to help my application.

Thanks

Ps: please help with other information I might need.

Your visa type is a 6 month standard visitor visa. The onus is on you to prove to ECO that you will return back to Nigeria after your visit. Being sponsored thus not guaranteed a visa. So read backward to know the documents you will need to submit with your application.

bigbus:
Just to add that my experience is that the 180 days is cumulative in one calendar year, not per visit. Exceed it, and risk a refusal when you want to renew. The ECO will not only question how you survived in UK on a visit visa (no work, no income), but also how you managed to keep your job/source of income/ties in Naija. Even after making 3/4 weeks visits for many, many years, if you ever exceed the 180 days in one calendar year, there will be issues o. For medicals, there are other visa categories (so was the ECO's position).

I agree with you. Applicants should take note.

Brightingsus:
Many thanks,

I live in London with my wife who is pregnant. We are permanently based in London. I want to invite my mother inlaw for Omugwo. So my questions are on her behalf.

The ECO might find it difficult to understand this Omugwo stuffs. The only way to really justify your mother inlaw staying up to 4 months at a go, is if she will be visiting also for routine medical checkup in addition to the Omugwo. Then you may be required to submit doctor bookings and a fat bank account to convince the ECO that you can afford the cost.

Brightingsus:
Thanks Ekpotek...

You remember I buzzed you earlier for tips on how to successfully invite my mother inlaw over as my wife is pregnant. To be honest the more of my mother inlaw being with us the better. I would want her to stay with my wife and new baby and save us the money for nannies that can cost a fortune in London. So when I apply and we get the visa for 6 months for her, I would want my mother inlaw to stay for like 5 months or 4 at the earliest.

Since I would be indicating that my mother inlaw would be coming to stay with my wife to give birth I hope the ECO should understand that we may need my mother inlaw for a bit more.

Yes I remembered. Your mother Inlaw will not have any issues, if the purpose and duration of visit (4 months) is clearly stated in the application and the visa is approved. Certainly there will be issues if a 4 weeks requested visit is unreasonable extended to 4 months. You may need to evaluate the risk of a refusal for such a request in her first application. My recommendation is you request for just 5-6 weeks. If the visa is granted, she can visit twice within the 6 months permitted.

rinw:
Hi @ekpotek, My passport is ready for collection and I paid for courier service. but using the waybill number provided, I noticed DHL did not pick up the package for about 3 days now so out of curiosity I called DHL and i was told it takes 15 working days after TLS contact me for collection before they can pick up the package (I find it difficult to believe tho). I called them again after 2 hours and another DHL agent said the same thing. Now I want to know if it's still possible to pickup my passport personally since DHL tracker shows it's still at TLS. kindly advise, I need the passport next week. 15 days is a long time. Thanks

Hi if you retrieve your passport from TLS, pls go ahead. 15 days is unreasonably long and I want to believe the DHL guys do not have the correct information.

Ollycka:
Good day Justwise and to all the gurus in the house, please I have an urgent question to ask;
1) Can I put my parents, nieces and nephews birth certificate as my family ties to Nigeria? I don't have kids of my own yet and my husband is travelling with me.

2) Do I put my net or gross income as take home pay?

3) Should the budget for my trip be an estimate or actual money to be spent?

4) How much do you advise I put as the budget for a 3week holiday including flight ticket( I really don't want to over spend), free accommodation.

5) Since my husband gives me allowance every month, should I call it another income?

6) Can I submit my bank statement without pay slips or should I include my personal income tax card.

7) Do I use a pen to highlight all the salary inflow into my account and the allowance from my husband?

NOTE; no money lodgement, the money in my account is from my salary and the allowance my husband sends to me at the end of each month,

Please advise me on these questions and any other advice you have for me will be highly appreciated.

1. Your parents, nephews, nieces, uncles are poor family ties which will not move the ECO. Only your husband and kids are acceptable and strong family ties. If there is a strong and compelling reasons for both of you to travel, you will get the visa despite the fact there are no kids yet.

2. You take home pay is net income after tax.

3. Yes, it must be actual money to be spent, but give room for uncertainty that might arise

4. No idea, do the math yourself and ask question here if you need some clarification. You will need to budget for airticket, feeding, local taxiand buses, shopping, gate tickets to attend event. etc.

5. No your husband allowance is not an income, your income is from employment only.

6. You will need to submit your pay slip, as this is the only way for ECO to verify your income. Submitting bank statement alone will not be good. Submitting your personal income tax card is optional. If your employee does not issue payslip, get a letter from them to cover this for the last 6 months.

7. Sure you can do that.

nairacountry:
Lol @ debate
Visit visas (either 6months, 2 or 5 or 10years) allow stays of no longer than 6 months (or 180 days) per visit.

So if you have a valid 6months visit/tourist visa (single entry), you can stay up to the end (which will automatically be less than 6months coz its not possible you enter UK same day your visa was approved) of the visa validity at a go.

If you have more than 6months visit visa, you can stay up to 180days at a stretch from the day you are stamped in. If USA, you will be stamped in with days you can stay at a go, most times, 180days.

As true and possible as this is in law. It is not advisable unless you're on medical tourism. The UKIV will require a lot of explanations to justify your reasons for staying that long in the UK. Howbeit, this is not applicable to USA, as your length of stay is determined at Point of entry, which can be less than 180 days

Brightingsus:
Hello all,

I have been on a debate with a fellow on the maximum allowed number of days a 6 months visit visa holder can stay in the Uk. He says with a 6 months visit visa one can only stay in the UK for up to 90 days (3 months) on a single trip. I know that with a 2 year visa one can stay for up to 6 months on a single trip to avoid being seen as making the UK one's home. However for 6 months visa, I cannot find anywhere to confirm the claim that one can stay a maximum of 3 months on a 6 months visit visa.

The UK visit visa is for 6 months with multiple entries that allows one to stay for the entire 6 months assuming you entered the UK on the day the visa was issued . Same thing for either its a 2 years, 5 years or 10 years visit visa. You are only permitted by law to stay for up to 180 days per visit. However, depending on your intention and purpose of visit to the UK, exhausting the number of days allowable (ie 180 per visit), can actually lead to refusal of subsequent visit visa in the future. The question is why do you want remain in the UK for up to 180 days, when your visit is not medically related, where you can neither work or earn an income? Certainly, the ECO will question you motive when you want to renew such a visa.

showstopa:
Hello All,

Ekpotek or Justwise or anyone who has been in this scenario.

So after all said and done I have just paid the application fee on visa4uk site only to see on the printed appointment slip that I have put my Mum's expired passport as opposed to the current one. I am annoyed at myself now but I cannot even open the application to see if that is what I filled inside as they are experiencing heavy traffic.
Do I just cancel this application and ask for a refund or does she just print the application and go with it and try to explain herself. arghhhhhh.

Can anyone advise. Thank You

What is more important is the passport number on the application form. If that is correct you do not have a problem. Go with both current and expire passports for the appointment and explain the mistake. You can also cancel the appointment and create a fresh one. Other gurus can add their opinions.

[quote author=gbollytee post=57745046][/quote]Only UKIV can answer you. Contact them ASAP or wait to hear from them.

lehinme:
Justwise please I'm trying to apply for visas for my kids. Would I need to send documents for each kids application? I mean documents like my bank statements etc. I already have a visa as does my wife. We intend to travel together as a family for the summer holidays. Are the kids applications to be sent separately? Do I fill individual forms for each of them?

You will come complete the online application for each kid. Submit as a group application with same documents for both kid. Most importantly include copies of you and your wife passports informations pages and visa pages in the application

Brightingsus:
Hello all,

I wanted to know if visa is granted, is it granted with a start date (validity start date) from the decision time or a date closer to when an applicant stipulates they want to travel by?

For eg, if one applies for a visit visa by July 20 and indicates they want to travel by Oct 15; if the visa is granted by Aug 20, will the 6 months start by Aug 20 or a date just before Oct 15?

Many thanks.

6 months starting from the date the decision was made i.e. Aug 20.

[quote author=iwalewa92 post=57671368][/quote].

In that case you will need to work on your home ties to convince the ECO that you will return after your visit. More importantly, include a cover letter to address all the issued raise in your refusal letter.

Brightingsus:
From my understanding, your application was not comprehensive enough. 9 out of 10, there is a very high probability that 'host' is understood as sponsor. You went ahead to include the biodata, invitation letter, utility bill and mortgage docs of your aunt. This only suggests she is your sponsor. Only you know your intentions and it remains in you until there is a satisfactory evidence backing any claims you have.

From your finances, it seems you are giving away 4 months of your salary for a holiday. The ECO would question your intent to visit. If it's not very concrete and substantial, then the intent could be questionable. Again, from your DOB, you should be full of energy and nothing stops you from seeking employment in th UK which is not allowed. This obviously is not your desire but you failed to convince the ECO otherwise. Including bank statement and payslips et al does not suggest you would return to same job. You might as well desire to seek employment elsewhere and nothing ties you to your current job. So the ECO did not see any ties to Nigeria.

You might not have any properties to your name, or even rent; hence it becomes more difficult to secure a visa BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE. I believe you did not include your economic ties or your family background to establish you have family in Nigeria. Even if you did, you did not include proof.

You could have benefitted from being explicit to establish what 'host' meant. If you meant your aunt would house you, why then did you include feeding expenses? It might be assumed that the person that houses you might feed you. On the other hand, if your aunt were to house you, did you include any proof of your aunt's capability to do so. This could come in form of her bank statements too. So the ECO is not certain you would be adequately maintained without recourse to public funds.

I am not quite clear which bank statements you included, whether yours or your aunty's.

In addition to comments by @Solatrium and @Brightinsus. What killed your application was your intention to spend £1700 when you monthly salary is less than £500. The ECO is this as a desperation on your part. Beside you did not provide evidence how you were able to save over N1.35 million from your salary alone as questioned by the ECO. If you have other sources of income besides your salary of N200000, you can reapply and provide documentation addressing your bank statement. However, if truly you have no other sources of income, then in reapplying your budget should not be more than N600K assuming you are able to save N100K per month. The documents from your aunt is okay.