Top 10 Tips on How to Fill UK Immigration Forms – Completing Immigration Forms – Part 1 of 2

UK Visas and Immigration
Read Time 4 Minutes, 20 Seconds

How to Fill UK Immigration Forms – Top 10 Tips Part 1 of 2

Over the years I have seen many UK Immigration Forms produced by the Home Office, that have been completed either incorrectly, lacking details or invalid. I have set out below my Top 10 Tips on how to fill UK Immigration Forms. Struggling to Complete UK Immigration Forms? Here are my Top 10 Tips.

UKVI Home Office Immigration Forms Top TipTop 10 Tips – No 1: what do you want?

Before completing an Immigration Form, you must know what you want the UKVI to do for you. Are you applying for the first time? Do you need a visa extension? Are you applying for permanent stay / indefinite leave to remain? Without knowing what you want the UKVI to grant you, you will not know what UK Immigration Form to use.

It used to be quite simple task earlier on, but as the UK Immigration Rules and Requirements have become complex and some of the Rules have become quite confusing, so did the UK Immigration Forms.  The Forms now have various sections to navigate through depending on individual circumstances. 

You now have the current UK Immigration Rules which are always evolving. You have the Appendixes which have either re – written certain UK Immigration Rules / Categories or they have added additional Rules and Requirements to those in the main UK Immigration Rules. You will also have transitional Rules and Requirements. What I am saying is check, check and check … what do you want?

Top 10 Tips – No 2: What are the Immigration Rules and Requirements?

You now know what you want, which UK visa is correct for you your situation but how do you get that visa? It may be that you have a very long and difficult road ahead of you before you are granted what you actually want. Or it may be the case that your journey is short and simple. Not many of those around now.

For example a child living abroad who has a British parent living in the UK may want to join their parent here in the UK. In this case the child would complete one form to be granted Indefinite Leave to Enter or Remain. On the other hand if you are switching from a different Immigration category to a spouse category or partner of settled or British person then it is 3 UK immigration Forms. This will be over 5 years before you are granted indefinite leave to remain / permanent stay. For each category you must ensure that you read the correct UK Immigration Rules. If they are all too confusing then get advice from a registered organisation.

My second tip is know what you are facing, what you need to prepare. The UK Immigration Forms may not set out each Rule or Requirement for you or explain exactly what is required. It is up to you to check, read and understand and provide what is required.

Most UK Immigration Categories will have an accommodation and maintenance / financial requirement. But what is actually required from you to provide and send to the Home Office / UKVI. This is a crucial question as it could mean the difference of being successful in your application or being refused.  There is no point paying and spending money if the UK Immigration Application you are making is lacking in essential information or documents or worse you just do not meet the UK Immigration Rules or Requirements. Know the Rules that apply to you so you can prepare your UK Immigration Application Form in the best possible way.

How to Fill UK Immigration Forms – Top 10 Tips
How to Fill UK Immigration Forms – Top 10 Tips – Completing UK Immigration Forms

Top 10 Tips – No 3: Correct UK Immigration Form?

You now know which visa you want and which UK Immigration Rules and Requirements apply to you. Now, you need to find the correct UK Immigration Application Form to complete that applies to you.

Sometimes the UKVI website may assist you in bringing up the right UK Immigration Application Form for you.  At other times you may need to search and look at all the Application Forms to see which one fits best.

Do not assume that if you used a previous UK Immigration Application Form before that it will be the same one again. The Home Office / UKVI do and have changed the Application forms by name or producing more forms for different Immigration categories. Check you have the correct form.

Top 10 Tips – No 4: Is the form still in date?

You have the UK Immigration Application Form that you need. You printed it off and you have started to read through it and prepare all your documents. All your documents are ready and you have finally managed to complete the Application Form. The bank statements you ordered finally arrive and you are now ready to post it off in a few days just before your visa is due to expire.

It has been posted and behold, you receive a letter from the Home Office / UKVI saying the Application is invalid. Now what has happened? The UK Immigration Application Form you printed off 3 months in advance to help you get everything ready was out of date!

My next Top Check that the Application Form is still valid when you are ready to submit it to the Home Office / UKVI. This will save you the stress of the invalid letter and you having to complete a new Form and getting all the documents ready up to date again. Hoping that your visa has not expired and your boss at work is not demanding proof that you are still entitled to work! Not to mention the landlord now!

Top 10 Tips – No 5: Complete the Immigration Payment Page Correctly

Check that the details of your bank card are correct on the Application Form. Check that the funds in your bank account are ready and available not a pound short. Remember that the Home Office / UKVI take your money first and then your Application is placed in a queue to be considered. If the payment does not go through the Application Form is likely to be returned as invalid as payment was not made or could not be taken.

You may need to speak with your bank beforehand and inform them of the lump sum going out. How to Fill UK Immigration Form – Top 10 Tips – Completing UK Immigration Forms

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