Getting rejected for a UK visa application can be a disheartening experience for applicants as any prospect of travelling, relocating, or staying in the UK can be eradicated, leaving you wondering what the next steps could be for your future plans.
It is therefore very important to make sure that when applying for your visa, you have provided all the necessary information and documents in addition to disclosing any key information about your immigration history and any criminal records to the Home Office.
It is equally important to be aware of the different reasons why a visa application can be rejected for the UK, some of which are listed below:
1. Criminality
A common reason why visas are rejected is an applicant’s criminal history, including involvement in illegal activities or being a security concern. If you have an existing criminal record, this can threaten your prospects of approval for obvious reasons, but it is not always the case. Applicants are required to disclose all offences and consequent penalties both in the UK and overseas. Failure to declare this information may lead to refusal of the application.
2. Insufficient funds
It is mandatory as part of your application to provide evidence that you have sufficient funds to sustain yourself and your family once you are in the UK. This will usually be evidenced by providing bank statements and payslips. Failure to provide such evidence could lead to your visa getting rejected. In some cases, it will also be necessary to show that you have enough savings.
It’s crucial to demonstrate that you can financially support yourself and any dependents, thereby minimizing the chances of being perceived as a potential burden on resources.
3. False representations
‘Representations’ refers to statements or assertions, which in the context of a visa application, will be made in writing by the applicant or a third party. ‘False’ meaning ‘not true’, ‘misleading’ or ‘incorrect’. As important as it is to make sure you are filling out the form correctly as per the paragraph below, you also need to make sure you are not being misleading and omitting vital information pertaining to your situation or being intentionally deceptive. Misleading information can be related to personal circumstances as well as information about earnings. ‘False documents’ relate to things such as:
- A document which has been altered or tampered with;
- A counterfeit document;
- A document which is being used by an imposter;
- A document which has been fraudulently obtained or issued; or
- A document which contains a falsified entry clearance, visa or endorsement.
4.Failure to fill out form adequately
If your application form has incorrect or incomplete information such as wrong names or addresses and if you have failed to provide the correct documents, this will have an adverse impact on your application. You must make sure you are filling out your application form correctly. It would help to review the form a few times before submission. You would also need to carefully examine the list of documents in order to ensure you have not overlooked any. Documents can prove detrimental to your application; gather all relevant correspondence, letters and anything else you are using to support your application and this will decrease the risk of your visa getting rejected.
5.Previous breach of immigration laws
A person will have previously breached the UK’s immigration law, when aged 18 or over, they have:
- Overstayed (unless an exception applies);
- Breached a condition of their permission;
- Been, or are, an illegal entrant (‘illegal entrant’ includes those who have attempted to enter illegally); or
- Used deception in an application for entry clearance or permission to enter (whether the application was successful or not).
When a person has been in breach of immigration laws, the caseworker in this situation will have to consider when this breach took place in the UK and whether the application is within the relevant time period. Approval or rejection will fall to the discretion of the case worker assigned to your application.
Although visa applications can be a daunting process, understanding the reasons above should put you in a better position to ascertain what you need and how to go about applying for a visa. Prepare carefully and pay attention to any minute details as these can prove to be very significant. Make sure you are also really understanding the requirements of the visa so that you do not miss anything.
Here at Barar & Associates, we specialise in ensuring all requirements are met for visa applications, and with our extensive experience you can rest assured that the finer details will be taken care of by our expert team.
Contact our friendly team of London immigration lawyers today if you are interested in having these often-stressful complexities handled in their entirety on your behalf at barar.london@bararassociates.co.uk or call us on 020 7487 8370. You can access more information about us at https://bararassociates.com/
