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- Required Documents
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. For example, it can be difficult to confirm
that a mobile phone number belongs to a particular person, whereas
it is easier to confirm that a landline number belongs to that
person. Although, 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, an official at the visa application centre 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 UK visa requirements by visiting www.britishembassy.gov.uk/ethiopia
or by contacting a VFS official.
What if I want to apply for a visa for my child?
If your child is under 18, as part of the immigration rules, they
must also 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 12th 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 its own, or with another adult, you
must apply for a new visa.
How do I make my application?
You must make your application in person due to the requirement
to collect biometric data from all applicants. 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 either side
of the page
- Two recent passport-sized colour photos, on a white background,
45 millimeters (2 inches) in height and 35 millimeters (1.5
to 2 inches) in width. This should be glued, not stapled,
to the application form.
- The correct fee.
- 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
Ethiopia, 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' itemized bank statements,
pay slips 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 Ethiopia,
for example, letters of employment, six months' itemized bank
statements, and evidence of your assets.
- If you are visiting the UK, you could show evidence that
you have a place 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 a place 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
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
expires. We cannot accept photocopies or expired work permits.
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.
- 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 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 organization which tests English ability. Two such
organizations 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 included
on the Department
for Education and Skills (DfES) Register of Education and
Training Providers.
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 millimeters (2 inches) in height and 35 millimeters (1.5
to 2 inches) in width. This should be glued, not stapled,
to the application form.
- The correct fee.
- 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 recognized 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 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 not
under 18: 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 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' itemized 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 family, 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.
Checklist
for Settlement visa
Checklist
for Employment visa
Checklist
for Student visa
Checklist
for Visit and Transit categories
Checklist
for Right of Abode
Checklist
for Family Reunion
Genuine
Declaration Form
Bank Form
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