5 Things To Do Before Applying for a UK Visa

The UK is a popular destination for immigrants, with thousands of people applying to live and work in the country every year. However, getting a UK visa is not going to be easy. There are many things that you should do before applying for your visa that will help make the process easier and more efficient. 

This article covers some things you should do before submitting your visa application to avoid confusion or delays in processing time. Some of these include gathering all necessary documents, filling out the form, making copies of important documents, and ensuring enough money is available on your account for the fees associated with applying for a UK Visa.

We hope this information helps!

Before Applying for a UK Visa

Have a valid passport

To apply for a UK visa, you will require a legitimate passport. To ensure your passport is in order, we suggest you check with your local Indian embassy what the requirements and restrictions are in terms of validity and how old your passport can be when submitted.

You must keep your passport valid for at least six months after you intend to depart the country. If your passport is older, then the embassy may refuse to process your visa application. In that case, you will have spent a trip to the embassy and money on a non-refundable visa application fee.

Gather Supporting Documents

The supporting reports you will need to supply vary from visa to visa. You can get a rough idea of what kind of documents are required by putting in the name of the visa you want and clicking “visa wizard” on the UK immigration’s website. You can consider consulting immigration lawyers in London to prepare the documents and apply following the best practices for an effective outcome.  

You should remember that supporting documents will not count if they do not match the type of visa you are applying for. For example, if you are demanding a 5-year visa to live in the UK with your spouse and submit bank statements showing an amount of less than £18,600, this will not have any bearing on your application.

Fill out the visa application form

If you cannot find the form online related to the type of visa you are applying for, you will have to download it from the correct country/territory section on the UK immigration’s website.

Typically, there is a separate form for different types of visas. However, keep in mind that filling out the forms wrong or with false information has serious consequences, and it carries a maximum fine of £1000 and up to five years of imprisonment.

Apply for a UK visa online

To apply for a UK visa, we recommend applying online. The advantage of this method is that you can start your application without making a personal trip to the embassy. However, be aware that if you apply, you will still need to visit the embassy within 60 days for an interview.

Pay the fee

After you have completed your application, it will be submitted to the UK immigration’s processing center. They will ensure that you have supplied all the required documents and the information is correct before they begin their processing work. At this point, they will propose you pay your visa charge. Depending on your nationality, you can do this online by paying online with a credit/debit card or via other methods.

Then you will hear back from UK immigration within 30 days. If your visa has been issued, then your mail will include your passport and the visa sticker. You should make sure to check whether all of the information is accurate before travelling.

If your visa has been refused, then you will receive a letter detailing why it was refused.

Conclusion

We hope this article on five things to do before applying for a UK visa has helped you understand the requirements and steps better.