Category: Entry Clearance Applications

This category provides an overview of the UK Entry Clearance Visas by country, especially for those who are applying for the tourist, family and business visitor visa for the very first time. Accordingly, the posts in this category provide the details of application charges in the respective local currencies, US Dollars (US$) and British Pound Sterling (£). And also try to answer country specific faqs relating to the UK visa requirements for visitors, processing time and refusal rates and the usefulness of priority and added-value premium services.

Apparently, millions of people apply for UK entry clearance visa for visiting, working, studying and settlement every year. However, due to lack of information and understanding, quite a few are unable to make a successful application. Therefore, the focus of the posts in this category is to provide detailed guidance and insight for making a successful application. Nevertheless, if you intend to seek professional advice for fresh application, reapplication or appeal after refusal, administrative review or judicial review then may contact immigration specialist solicitors London. Moreover, for study abroad in UK, USA, Australia, Canada, New Zealand etc. you may fill the online form to start the admission process.

UK Entry Clearance Visa Applications by Country

Indeed, the requirements, fees and service standards for UK entry clearance applications are quite same. However, applicants like some country specific details such as refusal rate, fees in local currency, processing time etc. Therefore, in order to facilitate the applicants, the posts provides details of UK entry clearance applications by country.

Fees in Local Currencies

In fact, apart from a few exceptions such as India and Pakistan, the UK visa fees are mostly paid either in GBP or US$. However, most of the applicants like to know an approximate amount in the local currencies. Therefore, the posts in this category provide the details of the UK entry clearance visa application fees relating to:

  • Standard Visitor Visa Applications
  • Marriage Visitor Visa
  • Permitted Paid Engagement Visa
  • Short Term Study Visa
  • Family Settlement such as Spouse, Fiance, Dependent Family Members
  • Startup and Innovator Visa under Appendix W
  • PBS Tier 1 for High Value Migrants
  • PBS Tier 2 for Skilled Workers
  • Tier 4 Student Visa Fees
  • Tier 5 Temporary Worker
  • Other work-related applications

How to Apply?

Indeed, apart from North Korea, applicants can apply for UK entry clearance visa applications online. Therefore, no paper application form is required. Moreover, applicants can read questions in languages other than English. However, can only fill the UK visa online application form in English. Moreover, usually, a UK entry clearance visitor visa application process consists of the following steps:

  1. Specify the Purpose of Visiting the UK
  2. Gathering Supporting Documents
  3. Filling the Online Application Form
  4. Scheduling an Appointment
  5. Paying the Application Fees Online
  6. Uploading/Preparing the documents bunch
  7. Attending Appointment at UKVAC for Biometrics and Application Submission
  8. Awaiting the decision
  9. Passport Collection from UKVAC

Please note, If required, only in a very few instances, the ECO may schedule an Interview.

Supporting Documents

Indeed, depending on the purpose and type of UK entry clearance visa application, an applicant needs to furnish the appropriate supporting documents. For instance, the required documents for UK visitor visa are usually:

  1. Print out of the online application form
  2. Current valid travel document, mostly means a passport
  3. Previous passport, if applicable
  4. Translation of documents, which are not in English/Welsh
  5. Invitation letter, if applicable but not necessary, especially for tourist visa applications
  6. A UK address for staying during the visit
  7. Residential address in country of residence or home country
  8. Telephone or mobile number
  9. Marriage certificate, if applicable
  10. Family certificate, if applicable
  11. Business/Employer details
  12. Tax registration certificate
  13. Tax returns
  14. Bank statements
  15. Salary slips (for employed persons)
  16. Conveyance/Mortgage Deed or Rental Agreement of the residential address
  17. Evidence of assets, only if available

Processing Time

In fact, information relating to processing time is quite handy for applicants to correctly plan the submission of their application. Moreover, nearly all the applicants after submitting their UK entry clearance application, quite anxiously await for the decision. Therefore, this category provides the details of the country-specific processing times for different types of applications. Indeed, in nearly 90% of the instances, the UK visa processing time is usually within 10-15 workings days for non-settlement visa applications such as visitor, short term study, student etc. However, 70-75% of the UK settlement visa applications are decided within 60 working days. Furthermore, the priority visa service is available in most of the countries. However, the 24 hour super-priority service is only available at a very few application centres and countries.

Statistics

The country-specific posts also provides statistical such as number of entry clearance applications, decisions, grants and refusals. And also the details of the visa grants under major routes i.e. work, family, visit etc. Please note, the UK visa and immigration statistics indicate that every year more than 3 million entry clearances are made from outside the UK. Perhaps, a couple of years ago (i.e. till 2016) the number of entry clearance applications were less than 3 m. During 2005-16, the number of entry clearance applications hovered in the range of 2.5-2.8 million. Therefore, the applications for UK entry clearance visas are showing an upward trend as the number of entry clearance applications have increased to 3m, 3.3m and 3.6m in 2017, 2018 and 2019, respectively.

Perhaps, the UK visa refusal rate for entry clearance applications is usually 10-15%. However, the UK visa refusal rate by country greatly varies. Indeed, for some country such as Saudi Arabia, Russia, United Arab Emirates and USA, it is not more than 1-3%, but for others such as Ghana, Iraq, Nigeria, and Pakistan it is more than 35-40%. Nevertheless, for a great majority of countries such as Egypt, India, Jordan, Lebanon, Philippines, Turkey, the refusal rate is 10-20%.

Furthermore, the visa rejection rate is different for different type of applications. For instance, in 2019, the UK visitor and family settlement visa rejection rates were 12.33% and 19.61%, respectively. In fact, there could be a number of different reasons for UK visa rejection- even a 10 year re-entry or deception ban under general grounds for refusal.

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