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  • Visa type: Visit (family)
    • Timeline: Biometric: sept 17
    • Concluded: October 6
    • Passport ready for pick up: October 15.
    • Outcome: Denied

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I applied for a month's visit visa to visit my family - (my parents and brother). One of the reasons was to see them, while the other was for my moms graduation earlier this month.

My parents are citizens while my brother has a permanent residency. I just picked up my application yesterday and it was denied due to 2 ridiculous reasons. 1. My sponsor (mom) does not have enough money in her joint account with my dad to donate 800 pounds to my flight which was mentioned in my application. 2. I do not have up to the money I claimed I had in my savings.

Now, I say the reasons were ridiculous because, I submitted two accounts for my sponsor (mom) as supporting documents:

  1. Joint account with my dad which had 63 pounds balance, which was the one they checked. But the purpose of this was only to show my parents were married and share a joint account.

  2. My mom's personal account which had enough money about 4000 pounds to cover the 800pounds flight cost.

So obviously, they only checked one account and did not check the main account and assumed she does not have any money of her own.

Secondly, in the form, I declared a savings of 7k pounds and I submitted my 3 bank accounts to support this. They miraculously checked and mentioned only one bank account which had just 4k pounds in it. And they claimed, the 4k was not up to the 7k savings I claimed. For Gods sake, I submitted 3 personal bank accounts and 1 company account. They claimed I submitted 2 accounts, 1 for company and 1 personal with the 4k savings.

Also, I did write a brief but comprehensive cover letter detailing everything and the supporting documents attached.

I registered my company in May, and prior to that all business transactions have been going through my personal account. All these was explained, with proof of earnings and the source, but they obviously did not check and of that and only cherry picked what they want and made a decision that does not add up. They claimed I was self-employed, I am not self-employed. I am employed by my company and payslip of monthly salary of 360k per month was attached.

Also, they mentioned they are not satisfied my sponsor will provide financial support to me during my stay. I never said she would. My mom is only contributing 800pounds to the budget of 2k pounds. The 800 was only for my flight (which isn't a cost I can't even handle myself, she only planned to do that as a gift). I also included in my cover letter than the rest of the travel expense (1.4k pounds) will be covered by me for accommodation and feeding as I planned to rent an hotel close to where they live.

Now, the thing is I am not desperate to go to the UK, I really don't care as it was just to visit my family, however, all the reasons they refused me for were incorrect.

Do you guys advise me to reapply immediately to contest the decision?

I am thinking if I leave it and apply at a later time, it may confirm their thinking that their decision was right and that I and mom really do not have the funds.

Secondly, if I reapply now, how can I ensure that they check all the documents I submitted especially since it is obvious that they do not check a lot of the supporting documents and cover letter? Where should I put the details they failed to check? If I put all this in another cover letter for the new application, what's to say they will check or not even refuse again?

SKRSKR
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    I don’t mean to sound unsympathetic but honestly, you’ve presented quite a complicated array of financial information. Notwithstanding a succinct cover letter, do you really expect ECOs to wade through 6 bank accounts? For example, why did you need to provide bank statements to show your parents are married, if your mum is only paying for your flight? – Traveller Oct 16 '19 at 17:53
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    Hello. All bank accounts were provided in order to show legitimacy. The joint bank account was to show my mom is married to my step dad, this was provided alongside their marriage certificate. As for my 3 personal bank accounts, I have my savings totalling 7000+ pounds in all 3 bank accounts but they only checked and mentioned one which has 4000 pounds... Also, prior to starting my company, all transactions went through my personal accounts and this was stated and proved with receipts. What would you advise to do? I am almost certain that they didnt check through all documents – SKRSKR Oct 16 '19 at 18:18
  • Please note, my payslips and my moms payslips plus her personal savings account was included, but they made no mention of that and simply assumed she had no money. Also, i mentioned she was paying for my flight only and I will be handling every thing else, but they also assumed she will be handling my expenses in the UK. What do you advise I do as I am not willing to let the error slide without trying to correct it. They state to provide all possible documents to support an application, you provide it, then they still cherry pick. Even if I reapply, what's to say they wont do the same again? – SKRSKR Oct 16 '19 at 18:27
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    "I registered my company in May [...] I am not self-employed. I am employed by my company and payslip of monthly salary [...] was attached" -- that is called "self-employed". – mustaccio Oct 16 '19 at 18:44
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    @SKRSKR Why on earth would you need to provide your parents’ marriage certificate? I would get a friend to review your original application and supporting documents objectively to see if it really is as clear as you seem to think it is. I would drop any documents that don’t directly relate to a) the premise of the visit b) your personal circumstances (including ties to home) and c) proof your sponsor is able to fulfil their commitment. Read https://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/71874/what-details-should-a-good-cover-letter-contain-to-back-up-a-uk-visit-visa-appli – Traveller Oct 16 '19 at 18:46
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    Before reapplying, try to contact the Entry Clearance Manager of the UKVI visa issuing center. My friend's visa was refused for similar reasons and the decision was overturned upon review. – uberqe Oct 16 '19 at 19:31
  • Thank you @Traveller. Funny enough, I did read the thread you just sent before submitting my application. Maybe it is important to note that I am a 27 year old Nigerian. It could be that there is a higher level of scrutiny. – SKRSKR Oct 16 '19 at 19:53
  • @uberqe how can i contact them? Via mail or phone? How long does it posssibly take to get a response? – SKRSKR Oct 16 '19 at 19:54
  • @Traveller Thank you. Funny enough, I did read the thread you just sent before submitting my application. Maybe it is important to note that I am a 27 year old Nigerian. It could be that there is a higher level of scrutiny. With regards to the 3 things you mentioned: The marriage certificate was to prove I am visiting my family (mom, stepdad, brother). 2. Personal circumstances was also provided, business, 3 bank accounts with sufficient funds, they only checked 1. Lastly, my moms payslip and personal savings was included, they made no mention of it and claimed she has no funds. It's tricky. – SKRSKR Oct 16 '19 at 20:01
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    @SKRSKR Try by email first. Contact the paid UKVI email service and send a copy of the email to your British Embassy and CC the email to the visa section. If you don't hear back within two weeks, try using regular mail. If that doesn't work, then you should make another application highlighting why you believe their decision was wrong and clarifying any issues raised. The decision is clearly flawed and not to the mark expected from a paid service. – uberqe Oct 16 '19 at 20:16
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    @uberqe Thanks so much. I am not sure of how to send the mail to the right email address of the British Embassy and the visa section. I found the link for the paid email service however. Do you have any suggestion on how I can get the right email addresses for the other two? Thank you so much. – SKRSKR Oct 16 '19 at 20:26
  • @uberqe Read the answer to the potential dupe target concerning ‘try contacting the ECA/ECO’. – Jan Oct 17 '19 at 11:57
  • @Jan What do you mean? – uberqe Oct 17 '19 at 14:36
  • @uberqe To quote from that answer: Since 2006, ECO's have been ring-fenced against engaging with the public and they are not permitted to reverse a decision anyway. – Jan Oct 17 '19 at 14:37
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    @Jan My friend's refusal was overturned by an ECM in 2013 after she complained. You can read the independent inspections of worldwide UK visa sections to get an idea about how many decisions have been reversed since 2006. – uberqe Oct 17 '19 at 14:39
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    @mustaccio actually, in the UK being an employee of a company in which you have a controlling interest doesn't count as self-employment. See, eg, this guidance: "if you own a limited company ... you’re not classed as self-employed by HMRC.". – MadHatter Oct 17 '19 at 16:17
  • @MadHatter That may be true for tax purposes within the UK, but not for the source of income purposes -- which is what I presume ECOs are looking for. – mustaccio Oct 17 '19 at 16:45
  • You’re probably self-employed if you:

    run your business for yourself and take responsibility for its success or failure. have several customers at the same time. can decide how, where and when you do your work.

     – SKRSKR Oct 17 '19 at 17:05
  • can hire other people at your own expense to help you or to do the work for you. provide the main items of equipment to do your work. are responsible for finishing any unsatisfactory work in your own time. charge an agreed fixed price for your work. sell goods or services to make a profit (including through websites or apps). Many of these also apply if you own a limited company but you’re not classed as self-employed by HMRC. Instead you’re both an owner and employee of your company. Based on the above, I am not even self-employed. But they claimed I was. – SKRSKR Oct 17 '19 at 17:05
  • But that's not even as important as the overlooking of supporting documents, anyway. – SKRSKR Oct 17 '19 at 17:08
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    @mustaccio do you have any source for that? I've found you a page from HMG's main website saying that they consider business employment to be different to self-employment, and I've never come across any arm of HMG that considers matters otherwise. I'm happy to accept I'm wrong, but I'll need more than your say so. – MadHatter Oct 17 '19 at 20:06
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    @uberqe Thank you so much. The decision was overturned and visa has been granted – SKRSKR Nov 15 '19 at 20:03
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    @SKRSKR how was it overturned? Did you complain to the ECM? How did you do it? I'm voting to reopen because we don't have enough questions on this site about how to complain when a refusal is clearly flawed. – phoog Nov 16 '19 at 04:50
  • @SKRSKR Congrats. Told you it would work :) – uberqe Nov 16 '19 at 20:06
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    @phoog I mailed the complaints department categorically stating the decisions and explaining how it was not relevant to my application. Then they had another ECO check it and they mailed me back that it has been overturned. 2 days later, they sent an apology for the misinterpretation of my application and told me it has now been granted – SKRSKR Nov 18 '19 at 07:53

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