NewStats: 3,264,178 , 8,182,876 topics. Date: Tuesday, 10 June 2025 at 04:07 AM h295k

9wkgb:


Thanks for you input, chief. Just to be sure I understand you correctly, I'll go with this dumbed down example - Say, I've had the money in my for at least 28 days, then I make my visa application. You mean, I can take out some of the money for a major expense and that will not affect my visa decision, right?

Thanks in advance.

In the UK visa processing guidance for visa officers, they are clearly told that students may deplete some of the funds for additional payments towards their studies, including for outstanding tuition payments, accommodation, etc., which are all expected to be huge payments.

The VO 100% expects you to eventually deplete some of the funds, esp when the processing is being prolonged and you have deadlines to make outstanding payments to your school.

GoAbroad25:


They're intentionally causing this delay not to beat quota numbers.

I do not think so!
The UK has no quota numbers or caps for visas.
Australia does, though.
It's just bureaucracy, if you ask me.

As at the time of writing, the UK doesn't use caps to regulate immigration flows.
They regulate it by tightening or loosening eligibility criteria, depending on the needs of the economy and political climate at a given time.

.

JulieObungu:


Oh I see, they asked for recent bank statements including the date of the first bank statement I presented (which was from October 1st to January 23rd) plus the one I first presented. Let me share a screenshot that will assist.

Thank you so much for sharing this screenshot.
Somebody recently came here to argue with me that UKVI can come to ask for another bank statement for any reason.

No, they absolutely will not.
The requirement is crystal clear, and the visa officer is repeating it.
You must show that as at the date of application, you had the funds for at least 28 days.
The end date of the statement must be WITHIN 31 days counting back from when you apply for your visa.
This is very straightforward.
Yes, sometimes they do ask for the origin of the funds, if in doubt.

But they absolutely will not ask for, and will not accept or consider an statement outside these very clear rules.
This is why I feel sorry for people spending money to renew POF for 2, 3 months because of visa processing delays.
What a waste of money because UKVI will not ask to see, or even consider, any statement outside the stated period.

castins:
Please can I use a t I have with my wife as proof of funds?

My name and my wife's name are both written as the s name.

We have been running a t since we got married.

Of course!

Please for those who got visas already, how long did it take after visa approval email before you got mail from VFS Global for either pickup or delivery?
I'm for pickup.

VISA ALERT!!!
Biometrics: 12th Dec @ Abuja (Standard).
Paid mail: 7th Jan

Empty NSF mail: 8th Jan
2nd NSF mail: 18th Jan (asked me to send a scan of my educational certificate[s])

Approval: 24th Jan @ 00:07hrs

Resumption Date: 27th Jan

The God who did it for me, will do it for y'all still waiting.
May all still seeking find.
While you wait, stay alive, stay sane and stay healthy!

endy231:
Is this needed by university of sunderland as well?

Every school/program has a late arrival policy.
It is very important you yours to find out beforehand.

ogify1:
Do you think it’s right to use a domiciliary pounds without any transaction for a visa application?

Yes. Absolutely.
In fact, the naira's volatility means USD/GBP/EUR are the ideal currencies to present your financial evidence in.

Granted, the exchange rate used by UKVI will be the rate at the date of application, but you'd have lost money if the currency depreciates significantly during processing.

There is no number of transactions requirement for your .

I did my biometrics since 25th November and is yet to recieve a decision till now, my school resumes Jan 27th. Worse come to worst, I hope my school offers me an updated CAS for May intake so that I wouldn't have to start afresh

Have you requested late arrival permission from your school?

Neyopumpin02:






I submitted my application to UKVI on December 13th and haven't heard back yet. School starts Last resumption today the 20th January 2025, and they've asked me to defer to April. They say they'll withdraw my current CAS and that I won't need to reapply for a visa because they'll update the UKVI SMS portal and issue me another CAS.

I'm confused because I haven't received any information about this new CAS.

And please do you have idea why Application is taken longer

This sounds very strange, as, per UKVI, once your visa processing starts, your school cannot make changes to your CAS, or change the CAS itself.

Once your visa processing starts, the only action your school can take from then on out is withdraw the CAS, which will result in automatic visa refusal.

CAS cannot be changed mid-air!

Pearlcom:
Bio dec 2nd
Several paid calls from Dec. Ending to January 13
Extra documents for study gap Jan 15
Resumption too is 20th.
Till date, nothing from them. Though I submitted what they requested for just few days ago but don't know how long that is going to take them again. These people no dey even reason Resumption dates. Na wa o. I will try to reach out to school this week if they can give me additional time to resume as my visa is still being processed. I don tire

Yes, urgently reach out to them NOW.
Most schools have a regular deadline, and a late start deadline, which is only granted on request, based on exceptional circumstances (such as visa delays).

Not reaching out to them in a timely fashion can result in your CAS being withdrawn which will cause UKVI to refuse your visa.
Buy yourself the time NOW!!!

endy231:
Bio was Dec 23rd
additional document Dec 31st
Till date nothing.
school is resuming Jan 20th

Did you pay for priority or super priority?
What extra docs were you asked for?

Osasuonaghinor:


But the dependant living and working there for 5 years will get ILR. That's what I was told by a colleague.

Not true.
Dependant spouse will qualify for ILR the same time as the main skilled worker.

Can you imagine rewarding the person most likely contributing the least work and taxes into the system first?
Wouldn't make sense.

wahleay:
let,s approach this strategically, first off , in of business expansion , the travel plans itself would take your business beyond borders and avail you the opportunity of introducing your business to a new set of people as well and directly increasing your market potential thereby enhancing your business growth trajectory.....

That said and done , YOU dont need to apply for two student Visas all you have to do is apply for one visa in, apply for a research based course from a reputable school, this courses are generally referred to as MRES, with this program , you would be able to take your whole family to the UK , i'll advise going for the two years option of this course if available , with this option , your spouse can work full time while you work part time during study periodss , if you've got kids , your kids would have access to free education and health care .......after the program, you just go ahead and apply for PSW (Post Study Work Visa)....... this is another two years visa , after that , go for skilled worker Visa , after 5 years , apply for your ILR ...Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)

Years 1–2: Complete your MRes program on a Student Visa. ( 2 Years)
Years 3–4: Stay in the UK on the Graduate Route Visa. (PSW Visa)
Years 4–5: Transition to a Skilled Worker Visa and start accumulating time toward ILR. (Skilled Worker Visa)
End of Year 5: Apply for ILR after completing 5 years of qualifying residency. (ILR)

and definitely there are documentations you'd need to start off and its advisable that applicant for the MRES program has good grades (Second CLass Upper Preferably)...other CGPAs have chances too though

As you've already been told, please note that time spent on Student visa and Graduate visa do not count under the 5-yr route

[deleted]

Sakol4life:
Good Day all. Please I need an urgent advice about my situation.

I am a student visa which will run out in the next 8 days. I got a COS from my company, and I applied for my visa on the 11th of December but to my surprise my visa is not yet out. I've seen couple of friends and even two people in my company who applied for the visa after me and the main applicant application got approved within 24hours and they are only waiting for their dependants visas to come out.

After 3 weeks of applying the home office got back to me that it's taking them time to make decision on my application that they have requested more documents and action from my employer.

I ed my employer and they said the home office are requesting them to make corrections on my COS that the minimum threshold is not enough to sponsor me. Funny enough it's the same £23200 stated on my colleagues COS that was also on mine.

I'm very confused because I don't know why the visa officer said the money was not enough. My visa will be running out on the 20th of January and I don't know what might be the out come of the decision. Meanwhile my wife is heavily pregnant and the EDD is very close.

Should I just apply for PSW and terminate the skilled work application?

Please I need your advice!!!!

While I do not think this is the right thread for this, I'll still throw in my two cents.
Salary thresholds were recently increased, if you wish to bring along dependants.

Do your friends who got approved also have dependants?

Care workers are not allowed to bring dependants on that meagre salary.
Last I checked, the threshold if you want dependants on your skilled worker visa is now like £38k, or £30k if you're in some exempted shortage occupations.

Which are you in?
Don't argue with the visa officer.
If he thinks your job does not meet the salary threshold then pursue the graduate route.

Vianey23:

Yes, I had two UK refusals. Study visa in 2023 and dependent visa in 2025 and I declared both.

What was the specific reason they gave for refusing your study visa in 2023?

martineverest:
why not use investment certificate instead bank pof...u don't need to wait for 28days...

Read the rules; this is not allowed for UK.
Maybe for Canada or other countries, but not UK.

Perryshow:


They probably won't need to ask for new statement if it is not authentic....no need ,na automatic refusal. Having said that , I am not sure if there could be need to ask for updated statement or not o...but even if they would ask for it, not because the one submitted is not genuine , that alone would attract a ban

Your logic is pure.💯
Thanks for weighing in.

MrSoftlife:


I have someone who was asked to submit an updated statement.

It's good for one to tread carefully.

Shalom!

If you're one of these PoF agents looking for more business through PoF renewals, just say so.

The funds I used for my application are 100% mine btw - no PoF agent involved.

Now, let's say, after keeping your funds for the 28-day minimum period, you apply for visa.
One week after application, in anticipation of visa approval, you convert your money to pounds or dollars for easy access in the UK.
Because schools will stress - your money must be accessible to you for timely fee payments while in the UK, no excuses.

A few days after converting and depositing into your foreign currency acct, you get asked for a new statement?

How will your new statement meet the new 28-day requirement?

Please, stop conflating the forum with additional rules beyond those stipulated by UKVI.

You will be assessed based on the statement you submitted at time of application.

They may the statement if they have doubts.
According to UKVI Guidance, the verification exercise with your bank will produce one of three outcomes:
- Document is genuine
- Document is not genuine
- Authenticity of document is inconclusive.

Shalom?
Good gracious. The person who was asked for new statement would have to post the message verbatim or screenshot before I can believe them.
Otherwise I don't think you're accurately representing what they were supposedly told by UKVI.

Headward:
Good afternoon everyone, please I need a clear understanding on this issue I'm being told by one agent.
I intend to travel with my spouse, which I have been searching for an MRES program but I haven't been able to get one. Later the agent called to tell me that doing a research program is bit stressful over there and that I should consider the other alternative which is the part where the government will sponsor me so I can come in with my spouse, I argued with him due to information I have been able to gather here that it's not possible, but he was telling me we can do it.
Note, I'm not associated with any government neither do I know anyone in power at all but please is this actually real because he said he can help me run that so far I'm ready to spend some cash.

Please, help me out on this, is this possible because I haven't heard of anyone meeting a Minister or commissioner for a letter and we regard it as government sponsorship.

Any explanation on this will help me alot please My Ogas

Just go for the MRes program.
Yes, you can bring dependants if on a govt-funded scholarship. Not personal scholarship from the Commissioner.
Major scholarship programmes like Commonwealth, Fullbright, PTDF, Chevening.


The idea of bribing a politician to facilitate a scholarship like this...
You may end up wasting money without getting what you want.
So I'd just suggest you keep the whole endeavour straightforward from beginning to end and just do the MRes.
Don't give any agent room to forge a scholarship letter and just give you and earn you a 10-yr entry ban.

ogify1:

It was naira I sent from my first bank to the Wema they provided. They should pls oooo ha!!

Okay, I see. My comment was in relation to international foreign currency transfers through SWIFT.
Nairas on Flywire are instant so in this case it will be returned to your acct.

ogify1:

I got this mail now. I’ve sent the payment since 24th, now when I track it’s showing cancelled. I guess the holiday messed things up

I'd suggest you primarily follow up with Flywire, not your bank.
They'll still receive it and will acknowledge it.
Wire transfers are usually irreversible, once completed.
This is why payment methods offering instant settlement are usually ideal for these sorts of payments. I've personally experienced wire transfers taking as much as 2 whole weeks to settle, so it's highly discouraged as a payment method when you don't have boatloads of time.

Take note, for future payments.
Get a foreign currency card or send Flywire nairas.

malachai89:
Thank you for your response.

We're considering relocation majorly because of the level of uncertainty in Nigeria currently. The country economy can run a successful business down, there has been such cases.

Also, we believe raising our kids in the UK is much better than Nigeria here.

In short, if we relocate, our business may no longer thrive as it used to because we basically handle most parts ourselves and before we take the risk, we just want to be sure we're not making a mistake.

I appreciate all contributions and advise.

People choose to relocate for lots of reasons.
The kids is one of them.
It's a very valid reason to want to move - to afford your kids another citizenship.

Ultimately, the decision is yours to take.
Whichever one you choose is ok, provided you give it your best shot and effort for maximum success.

Again, nobody can choose for you.
We can only weigh in with hot takes and factors to consider.

If e too hungry you just do am. Damn the consequences lol.

Everybody is on a totally different trajectory - it may be that you might never really make it in Nigeria, or you might never really make it outside Nigeria.

that often the greater the uncertainty and risk, the higher the potential reward.

Run your numbers and follow your heart!
Some move, make a ton of money, then come back to invest.
If you move and home starts calling, you can always come back, whether coming back big, or coming back small.
At the end of the day, home will always be home.

malachai89:
I started considering japa last month and it has been great following this thread for over a week now.

Actually what I'm looking for is a more secured future for my family. We make enough money to live great in Nigeria but currently we're in between expanding our business and relocating to the UK via the study route.

I've read some quite discouraging things online especially about how UK is slowing turning into a third world country.

I sincerely need honest advise so we can make the right decision between expanding our business here in Nigeria or start the UK relocation plan.

Is the UK still worth it in 2025 considering we have to apply for two students visa.

Also, I'll appreciate other countries recommendations too. Going for UK because I was told it's the easiest to get study visa.

Thanks everyone.

This is a very intersting discussion.
If Dangote Refinery manages to bring down fuel price to, say, 500 naira per litre and inflation goes back to single digits, emigration would not be worth it for most people already doing well here.

The japa wave was never this intense when the economy was doing reasonably well and inflation was low, if memory serves.

If you're moving abroad to do something very specific with your life and career that cannot be achieved from Nigeria at this time, then go for it.
But if it's just the general "move abroad for a better life" when you already have a very good life here, I'm afraid it's the wrong move to spend so much just to move abroad and suffer a DROP in your living standards as a result.

Migration experts project that a combination of improving economic conditions in the Global South and collapsing birth rates in the West mean that in the very near future Western nations would literally have to pay immigrants to come over.

I'd say give or take in ten years' time.
You could wait till then and I'm sure you'd get a sweeter deal than those migrating now, if you still wish to do so by then.
Ultimately, the decision would be yours to make.

ETA: Just saw you'd need to apply for 2 student visas.
No, it's not worth it.
That's just far too much suffering. If you can find a program that would let you bring her as a dependant then it would be a bit more manageable.

Kimkoarda:



I’ve gotten decision (yesterday)
No interview
No addition document
And NSF came in 12th Dec

3 UK refusals declared also
2012, 2016, 2024

Never give up

Quick question: those times you were denied UK visa, were they all for student visa or they were all for visitor visas?

BAZZZZZZ:
Good Afternoon everyone please I am stuck here I can't make payments for appointment

Can we all message them aggressively about this issue until they act on it.
VFS via their twitter handle here:
https://x.com/vfsglobalcare?t=cGENc8UpVbFHmbg-fNQK4A&s=09

Let's give them no rest until they resolve this.

seniorOlu:


Maybe you should use another device/browser or change to Wi-Fi, same thing happened to me but I was retrying and it later went thru

I have already tried lots of browsers devices, cleared cache and cookies, done all that to no avail.
Even just now I just tried again.

seniorOlu:

Just check by midnight

I did several times and the issue is still persisting.
Also messaged vfs but no response.

seniorOlu:

Try it by midnight, I also experienced the same thing, their website is too poor

For how long did you keep getting that error message and when did it finally go through?

This is really distressing for me as for a program starting early January, it's too bad to be having these glitches at this time.