₦airaland Forum

I might reconsider later but for now, i will stick with the stock market

jedisco:
Don't let that hold you back ooo.
Even if you leave the UK, an estate agent can manage it and send you returns though it'd require more planning.

2025 was a good time to get in. The market was slow and one could eck out discounts. I was able to get a rental yield of 8.1% on a decent property in the south which would have been unheard of a few years back.

BTL in itself ain't easy. An ETF may give better returns with much less hassle and unrivalled flexibility. However, property serves as a good means to diversify and there's the feel that comes with owning a tangible asset. There's the flex that comes with the phrase 'I own British property'.

I spent 1-2yrs looking and waiting for interest rates to drop and unlike when I got my personal place where I left my deposit in a cash ISA for peace of mind, this time, I invested my deposit in an ETF as I would rather be invested while waiting. This got me over 20% profit on my deposit by the time I was ready to buy. Trumps shenanigans would have been scary but the market rebounded sharply. Returns from the market helped me bid my time and wait for what I wanted. At a point, I was about to pull the plug on BTLs and just be solely in ETFs.

We bought a house in 2024 and i had already started looking for a buy to let property but i had to suspend that due to the uncertainty surrounding ILR

jedisco:
Reflecting on the last day of what has been an intense year for migrants worldover, the best migrant-centric UK-based news for me this year is captured below.

Indian nationals are leading the charge internationally, founding 684 new companies in the first half of the year.... Nigerian investors follow closely with 647 new incorporations, while Polish and Irish nationals also feature highly.
https://www.hamptons.co.uk/articles/international-landlords#/

The main cohort of Nigerians counted here would be those on a visa/ILR who are awaiting their kpali as those with one wouldn't have been counted as foreign. It shows that despite all the noise, we are pushing on. At least, if someone blames migrants for not being able to buy a house, there'd be some 'evidence' to point at.
Of note, this counts professional landlords i.e those setting up through companies. It does not include those renting directly and certainly not owner-occupiers. Also worth noting that most people setting up via limited companies hardly stop at one property. Many go on to have more just because of the nature of the market.


Caveats here would be
1. Starting a BTL company does not mean one has bought. Its a process but it depicts professional intent.
2. Some of these could be Nigerians resident abroad though this would be a miniscule number if at all significant.

This is not just about the health care sector. Anyone in a role below RQF level 6 faces a 15 year wait. Some roles will be exempted but what about others

HustlaOfLagos:


I remember when Justwise used to blame all and sundry for speaking about healthcare visas and saying Nigerians can switch to whatever career they want after 5 years even though the signs were there that the gov would soon start to target that sector.

I wonder if he still shares the same sentiment

What is the general perception of townhouses? I’ve noticed that they are cheaper and offer more space. Some even have three bathrooms and an en-suite master bedroom, all at a reasonable price. Are they difficult to sell?

Noted, thanks

dende3:
This amount is outrageous
things to Conside .How long is she staying in UK?
you need to develope a budget
flight Price depends on when she is travelling Summer is most expensive above GBP 1000 while off peak time is less than GBP 1000
I think for 1 Person GBP 1,500 is fine and if you have times 2 of the amount in your account it is okay

Thanks bro, i will.be picking a lot of ideas from here

OgbeniOptional:
Not true. Had £3k in my acct when I sponsored my mom, she had 1m naira in her bank when we applied (my dad transferred 500k to her few days before application and it was explained in cover letter as travel support but there are loads of transactions from my dad to her for groceries and upkeep). she’s 50, she has a shop. We just keep everything real. The documents from her side are her passport, 2 months SOA, my birth certificate, our pictures when I was few days old till last time we were together. Then from my side are 3 months pay slip, 1 month SOA, tenancy agreement, work ID, Certificate of achievement from work, my driving license. Her budget is £1,100 for one month. Very simple and basic application. Cover letters are direct straight to the point and about have a page from both of us.

Hi everyone

What is the minimum amount that is required for sponsoring a uk visit visa. A friend said from £5000.

What would you advise? The account is used for receiving payment for goods. I would not be able to explain the transactions as i intend state that the person is not working

giselle237:
Some get away with it. Others do not.

Hi everyone
Can one apply.for a visitors visa without providing a bank statement if someone else is fully paying for the visit? The applicant is a small business owner. The business is not registered and she receives payments for goods into her account.

Thanks, i will consider your suggestion

giselle237:
You can say she is a home maker and full time house wife since she is an older individual. Her ties back home will be her husband and other family members back home. If there are properties and assets in her name, include them. Stress on her family ties.

Hi

I intend to invite my mum. She runs a small shop. This business is not registered. How should i present her application. Bear in mind that i will be fully sponsoring her visit.

giselle237:
Unfortunately been salaried and also self employed at same time are quite tricky for visa applications. If you want to be considered on both, I am unsure if you provided full documentation for both- providing business account in isolation does not guarantee that this business automatically got considered as a source of income.
It is not about ‘saying’ something … it is about proofs…
What about this business did you prove?
ECO clearly spoke about only salary earning. Unfortunately I do not see how you want to reapply without doing your own homework first and arranging the economic circumstances you are presenting.

I do, i will consider your suggestion

justwise:
Do you send money to your mum from time to time?

If yes then add evidence of it and also mention that your mother is a petty trader but that you support her financially from time to time. It will strengthen her ties to Nigeria

Ok

Viruses:
No need to mention the business, Just say she's a full time house wife that depends on allowances from children. This makes it more difficult but give it a try.

Noted

eyesaswide:
Can I suggest you read through the uk visit visa thread. I got some nice advise there when I was in your situation.

Noted, thanks

missjekyll:
If it's an unregistered business which doesn't pay tax ,I would keep that quiet and apply as " not in employment "

@viruses, justwise
What would you advise if the person i intend to invite is not up to pension age. My mum owns a small shop but she doesn't pay tax. The business is also not registered. I will be fully responsible for all expenses.

Viruses:
Assuming your mum is of pensioners age and you can sponsor the full trip:

Your birth certificate
Your int passport
At least 3 months recent payslips
1 - 3 months recent bank statement (this is optional but if you decide to add it, the opening and closing balance should be up to 4k upwards)
Utility bill
Tenancy agreement/purchase contract
Your mum's passport
Your mum's bank statement (at least 3 months. Opening and closing balance of 100k upwards is okay)
Invitation letter stating that you will bear full financial responsibility for the trip, where she will stay, reason and duration of visit and your share code to prove your right of residency (BRP would have done this but all BRPs have expired).

If your mum will sponsor herself or if she's not of pensioneers age, it becomes more complex because her account balance needs to reflect the cost of the trip and she then needs to prove source of the funds, tax payment etc

Hello everyone,
I currently live in the UK and would like to apply for a visitor visa for my mother. She runs a small, unregistered shop and does not pay taxes. I will be fully sponsoring her visit. I need advice on how to maximize her chances of visa approval.

Hi everyone

Can someone on a visa get a mortgage for a buy to let? The person is not a first time buyer.