A weak passport can keep you from living your dream of traveling all across the world. If you want to travel to the United Kingdom from countries like the Philippines, Nigeria, Sudan, and more, you will need to apply for a visa first.
A Bank Statement or a Bank Certificate is a common UK visa requirement. It helps the UK embassy to assess whether or not you have enough funds to travel to and afford your stay in the UK. It also assures them that you wouldn’t be working illegally in the UK if your funds deplete after a while. It shows them that you have the spending power to contribute to the economy of the United Kingdom.
In this article, we are going to discuss everything you need to know about the bank statement required for the UK visit visa. So, without further ado, let’s get into the details.
Bank statement requirements for the UK visit visa
To apply for the UK, visit visa you need to submit your bank statement of six months. This statement must include your monthly salary along with your financial commitments. Large deposits of cash other than your monthly salary should not be included in your bank statement. The sum of your savings should at least be double your expected UK trip expenses.
There are a few things that your bank statement or bank certificate must satisfy to avoid UK visa refusals. let’s see what those are.
UK visitor visa financial requirements
- You should be able to meet the daily budget requirement, that is, £100-150 per day per visitor.
- Your monthly salary should at least be half of the expected expense of your visit.
- Your monthly disposable income should make a good percentage of your net monthly income.
- Your funds should be twice your expected UK trip cost.
Your bank statement should also show that your savings are growing consistently with time. If that’s not the case, your Entry Clearance Officers will believe that you have borrowed the money to show it as your own savings.
What if your funds are insufficient?
If your funds are not sufficient to make a trip to the UK, you should:
- Postpone your visit until you have sufficient funds to travel. Start saving at least a year before you visit the UK.
- If you want to manage your trip within the funds you currently have, you should shorten your visit.
- If you don’t have sufficient funds, you can rely on a sponsor to pay for some of your expenses. Make sure your sponsor is a part of your family or an immediate relative. Sponsorships from friends or distant relatives don’t work while applying for a UK visa.
What if your salary is too low?
Don’t give up on your dream of visiting the UK if your salary is too low. There are a few things you can do to fulfil your dream to travel to England including
- Try to postpone your trip until you get a raise. The majority of employers offer annual salary hikes. You can also ask for an early pay raise if you don’t want to delay your trip.
- If you don’t want to delay your trip to the UK, you can manage it within your salary limits. All you need to do is to shorten the duration of your visit.
- You can also use sponsorship from a family member or blood relative to make your trip to London possible within your salary limits.
There are various countries where the UK visa refusal rates are higher than the rest of the world. To avoid refusal, you must provide a certified bank statement while applying for a UK visa.
ECOs find certified bank statements more authentic. This type of bank statement is printed on the letterhead of the respective bank. Bank authorities issue these signed and stamped statements which make them more convincing. In certain cases, these statements are provided with a cover letter signed by the head of the bank branch.
You can avoid a UK visit visa refusal by keeping the above-mentioned points in mind. Make sure your bank statement meets the above-mentioned criteria before applying for the UK visit visa.