Why do I need to provide documents to support my
application?
UK immigration law says that it is up to you to satisfy
the visa officer that you qualify for a visa. We aim
to make a decision on your application without interviewing
you, so it is vital that you send us the correct documents
with your application. If you do not send us the documents
we need, we may refuse your application without interviewing
you. Where possible, please send us documents which
can be checked by someone else. For example, it can
be difficult to prove that a mobile phone number belongs
to a particular person, whereas it is easier to prove
that a landline number belongs to that person. We appreciate
that it may not always be possible for you to provide
these kinds of documents, but please be aware that it
will help us make the decision if you can.
What sort of documents do I have to show?
Everyone's circumstances are different. This is why
we don't ask for a set list of documents. We have given
you a general idea of the kinds of documents which will
help the visa officer check that you have met the immigration
rules. It is up to you whether you send us these documents,
or different ones. It is your responsibility to make
sure that you have read the available information on
the category of visa you want to apply for. The list
below does not cover every single situation, and producing
all the documents on it will not guarantee you a visa.
Please make sure that you include all supporting papers
with your application, and don't send or fax us any
papers separately.
Will you accept photocopies of documents?
Where possible, please send original documents. We see
a lot of forged documents, and it is easier for us to
confirm that an original document is genuine, rather
than a photocopied one. We can examine original documents
to make sure that they have not been tampered with.
But we realise that some documents are too valuable
for you to want to send them with your application,
for example, a US Green Card. In these cases, please
send us a good-quality photocopy of the original. Also,
please make sure that, wherever possible, you do not
laminate your documents.
Will you accept documents which aren't in English?
If you want to send us documents which are not in English,
we strongly advise you to get them translated beforehand.
It will help the visa officer to make a decision if
all supporting papers have been translated into English.
Are there any documents which you don't need to
see?
Please don't send us credit cards, or original airline
tickets.
What happens if I don't send the suggested documents?
If you have not included the documents we need to see
with your application, the official at VFS, our commercial
partners, will point this out to you. She or he will
also ask you if you want to make your application, knowing
that you do not have all the documents to support it.
It is entirely up to you whether you go ahead with your
application or not. You can find more detailed information
on UKBorder Agency requirements by visiting our website at www.ukinindia.com
or contacting www.vfs-uk-in.com.
What
if I want to apply for a visa for my child?
If your child is under 18, as well as meeting the immigration
rules, they must show that they have a parent or guardian
who is responsible for their care, and that they have
suitable travel and care arrangements for when they
travel to the UK. From 12 February 2006, the name of
the adult accompanying them to the UK will now be on
the visa, and the child must travel with this adult.
If travel plans change and the child will travel on
their own, or with another adult, you must apply for
a new visa.
How do I make my application?
You can apply
online at www.ukinindia.com,
or make your application in person, through your representative
or your travel agent. To protect you, if you are not
making your application in person, you must give your
representative or agent a letter signed by you, giving
them permission to present and collect the papers on
your behalf. Please note that you must be in India when
your application is recorded. Please allow enough time
for us to process your application, and remember that
at busy times of the year, it may take slightly longer
for us to make a decision about your application. We
recommend that you do not buy your ticket before we
have issued your visa.
What documents do I need if I want to go to the
UK on a temporary basis (this is called a non-settlement
application)?
You must provide the following documents.
A passport, which is valid for at
least six months. The visa we place in your passport
will take up one full page, so please make sure
that your passport has at least one spare page
with no stamps, visas or endorsements on it.
A recent passport-sized colour photo, on a white
background, 45 millimetres (2 inches) high and
35 millimetres (1.5 to 2 inches) wide. This should
be glued, not stapled, to the application form.
A fully filled-in and signed application form.
Please make sure you use a current form, as we
cannot accept the out-of-date versions.
You can send us the following documents.
To satisfy the visa officer that
you plan to leave the UK at the end of your visit
You could show evidence of your personal circumstances
in India, for example, letters of employment,
evidence of a regular salary (if you have one)
in the form of wage slips or bank statements,
and evidence of your assets.
To satisfy the visa officer that you have enough
money to support yourself and live or stay in
the UK without working or needing any help from
public funds
*If your sponsor, employer or anyone else is
supporting you, you could show evidence of his
or her immigration status in the UK. This includes
six months' itemised bank statements, payslips
and evidence that they are willing to pay for
your stay in the UK.
* If you are paying for any part of the trip yourself,
you could show evidence of your personal circumstances
in India, for example, letters of employment,
six months' itemised bank statements, and evidence
of your assets.
* If you are visiting the UK, you could show evidence
that you have somewhere to stay, for example,
a hotel reservation or a letter from your sponsor
confirming that you are staying with them.
* If you are spending a longer period of time
in the UK, for example, as a student or with a
work permit, the visa officer needs to be satisfied
that you have somewhere to live that it is suitable
for you and your family, and that the person who
owns or rents it is willing to let you live there.
You could do this by providing a local-authority
property report, or written confirmation from
the mortgage lender.
If you are going to the UK with a work permit
*You must present the original work permit within
six months of it being issued, and travel to the
UK before the work permit runs out. We cannot
accept photocopies or out-of-date work permits.
* You should also send us the same documents that
you sent to Work Permits UK when your work permit
application was made.
If you are going to the UK as a student
*You need to show that you can pay for your
course, support yourself and any dependants, and
live in the UK without working or needing help
from public funds - see the previous page.
* You need to show that you plan to leave the
UK when you complete your studies (see the previous
page), although if you are a degree student and
you successfully complete your studies, you may
be able to take work-permit employment if you
meet the requirements for this. These are detailed,
so for more information, please visit our website
at www.ukinindia.com.
* A good way to show your academic ability is
to provide any relevant diplomas or educational
certificates that you have. If you have a degree,
it is helpful to send us your marksheets, and
any passing certificates as well as your degree
certificate.
* A good way to show that your English is good
enough for you to follow the course is to provide
an original certificate from an organisation which
tests English ability. Two such organisations
are International
English Language Testing System (IELTS) and
Test
of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
* A good way of showing that you have been accepted
and that the course meets the immigration rules
is to provide a letter from the institution confirming
this, together with a statement of charges for
the course.
* Your chosen educational establishment must be
on included on the Department
for Education and Skills (DfES) Register of Education
and Training Providers.
* You'll need to fill in another checklist along
with your visa application form. Or you can apply
online.
* If
you are applying to go to the UK as a student,
a prospective student or a student nurse, you
must complete student form, together with VAF1.
If you are going to the UK as a dependant of
someone who is already there
*You can show us that you are related to them
by sending us a copy of your marriage certificate.
If children are applying to join a parent in the
UK, we need to see their birth certificates. *
You can also send us evidence of their immigration
status there, for example, a copy of the work-permit
pages of their passport.
What documents do I need to live in the UK permanently
(this is called a settlement application)?
You must provide the following documents.
A passport which is valid for at
least six months. The visa we place in your passport
will take up one full page, so please make sure
that your passport has at least one spare page
with no stamps, visas or endorsements on it.
A recent passport-sized colour photo, on a white
background, 45 millimetres (2 inches) in height
and 35 millimetres (1.5 to 2 inches) wide. This
should be glued, not stapled, to the application
form.
*A fully filled-in and signed application form.
Please make sure you use a current form, as we
cannot accept the out-of-date versions.
You can send us the following documents.
To show that you are legally married
to each other or are in a civil partnership recognised
in the UK (see note below)
You could show a letter from your official sponsor,
evidence of your relationship, evidence of your
sponsor's immigration status in the UK, and a
copy of your sponsor's passport.
To show that your husband, wife or civil partner
is present and settled in the UK (see below)
To show that your husband, wife or civil partner
is not under 18
To show that you both plan to live together
permanently as husband and wife or as civil partners
If your relationship has lasted for some time,
you could provide evidence that it is ongoing,
for example, letters and phone bills.
To show that you have met each other before
You could show photographs, or your marriage
certificate may be enough.
To show that you can support yourselves and
any dependants without any help from public funds
It helps if you show evidence that you or your
sponsor (or both of you) will be supporting you.
This could include evidence of your sponsor's
immigration status in the UK, six months' itemised
bank statements, evidence of your or your sponsor's
savings, your P60, or a letter from the Department
for Work and Pensions (if relevant).
To show that you have suitable accommodation,
which is owned or lived in only by you and your
household, and where you and your dependants can
live without any help from public funds
You could provide evidence in the form of a
letter from the mortgage company or tenant to
show that the accommodation you plan to live in
is owned outright, mortgaged or leased. You could
also provide a property inspection report, or
another independent report to show that the accommodation
is suitable for your family circumstances, for
example, that there are enough bedrooms for you
all.
Note: You can find more information on what 'legally
married' and 'civil partnership' mean by visiting www.ukvisas.gov.uk
and reading Guidance - Husbands, wives and partners
(INF 4).
