A cover letter for UK visa is instrumental in persuading the ECO that you meet the visa requirements and have no intention of overstaying your visa. It gives you the opportunity to convince the ECO that you are a genuine visitor and you will promptly return back to your country.
A cover letter is a document to convey additional information that wasn’t asked in the UK visa application. It’s not a mandatory document but by far the most helpful document in increasing your chances of UK visa approval.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Why do you need a cover letter for UK visa?
- Is a cover letter mandatory for UK visa?
- What should you write in the cover letter?
- Format of the cover letter
- Sections in the cover letter
- Section 1: Your previous UK visa refusals
- Section 2: Your travel purpose and itinerary
- Section 3: People traveling with you to the UK
- Section 4: Your current employment/business or university details
- Section 5: Your current financial situation
- Section 6: Your sponsorship information
- Section 7: Your travel history
- Section 8: Any family members staying back at home
- Section 9: Your intention to return back
- Section 10: Any miscellaneous information
- Summary
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Why do you need a cover letter for UK visa?
The information asked in the UK visa application isn’t enough to convince the ECO that you will return back to your home country after your trip.
Most questions on the UK visa application are close-ended. They don’t give you an opportunity to explain.
A cover letter allows you to explain in your own words and be as descriptive as you can. You can use your own format and even use illustrations if needed.
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Is a cover letter mandatory for UK visa?
No. A cover letter is not mandatory for UK visa. It’s not even a document in the documents checklist for UK visa.
When I applied for my UK visa, I did not submit a cover letter. At that time, I didn’t know the importance of a cover letter for UK visa. I didn’t feel the need to explain anything additional, so I didn’t submit one. My visa was still approved.
That’s not the case for everyone. A cover letter will not hurt your chances of approval, it can only help. It gives you an additional opportunity to convince the ECO.
If I apply again for my UK visa, I would definitely submit a cover letter.
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What should you write in the cover letter?
A cover letter is not a mandatory document for UK visa. So obviously, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) does not provide any guidelines on what to include in the cover letter.
As you all know, I started this website in 2016. Since then, I have been helping my readers with their visas. I figured that a cover letter was the most helpful for UK visa.
I have been writing cover letters for my readers. Over time, I learned that a cover letter with a certain format worked the best for UK visa.
I would like to impart all my knowledge in this article, so you can write the most compelling cover letter for your UK visa. It will not only impress the ECO, but will greatly improve your chances of visa approval.
So without any further delay, let’s get started.
***
Format of the cover letter
The goal of the cover letter is to convince the ECO that you are a genuine visitor. You must do this in a simple, short and clear manner. ECOs rarely will have time for anything other than what’s asked.
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Simple
Write your cover letter in simple words as if it’s meant for a 5th grader. If the language is too complicated to read, ECO will not bother to read it.
Do not use words that people from your country can only understand. ECOs are from the UK and they can only understand the terms that they use in the UK.
Example: It’s common for people in India to say something like “please do the needful and revert back to me“. Even though it’s still understandable, saying something like “please let me know if you need anything else from me” will help the ECO understand better.
Remember, a cover letter is not a mandatory document. ECO is doing you a favor by reading it. So, make it easy for the ECO.
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Short
Your cover letter should never be longer than two pages. ECOs rarely have time for things other than what’s asked in the application. If you present them with a booklet, they will toss it in the trash without even looking at it.
Again remember, a cover letter is not mandatory. It should not consume too much of ECO’s time.
—
Clear
To further simplify your cover letter, format it with subheadings, bullets and highlights. This helps the ECO to quickly glance over the letter and read any section that interests them.
Example: Instead of writing like this –
“I intend to travel to the UK for tourism from 20 June 2021 to 24 June 2021 and I plan to visit various attractions in London such as Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, London Eye, Madame Tussauds, National Gallery, etc.“
Write like this –
- I intend to travel to the UK for tourism. My travel dates are from 20 June 2021 to 27 June 2021.
- My planned day-by-day itinerary is as follows.
- 20 June 2021: Arrive at Heathrow International Airport at 3 PM. Check-In and dinner.
- 21 June 2021: Visit Buckingham Palace and Tower of London
- 22 June 2021: Visit Tower Bridge and London Eye
- 23 June 2021: Visit Madame Tussauds and National Gallery
- 24 June 2021: Depart from Heathrow International Airport at 10 AM
***
Sections in the cover letter
It’s important to break the cover letter into different sections. This helps the ECO quickly glance through the letter and understand the gist of it. If needed, the ECO can read specific sections. Your cover letter for UK visa must contain the following sections.
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Section 1: Your previous UK visa refusals
In the UK visa application, there is a question on previous UK visa refusals. It asks about your previous UK visa refusal and its details. This question asks you to explain why your UK visa was refused but doesn’t ask why it shouldn’t have been refused
There is no other place in the application to address your previous visa refusals either. There is the “additional/extra information” area, but it’s only for text and not suitable for formatting or pictures. Therefore, the cover letter is the most appropriate place for addressing your previous UK visa refusal.
If you are re-applying to challenge your UK visa refusal, include a section in your cover letter specifically for your previous visa refusal. Address your previous visa refusal with evidence, additional information and documentation.
Keep this section as the first section in your cover letter. Having this section at the beginning of the cover letter will help the new ECO get straight to the point. Otherwise, they may overlook and your efforts of re-application may go waste.
Here is an example.
Previous UK Visa Refusal
My previous application for the UK visitor visa with GWF number GWF12345678 was refused on 16 March 2021.
I would like to address the reason for the refusal with additional information and documentation.
Reason for refusal: The sources of the deposit (£850) were not demonstrated by the documents provided.
Explanation: The deposit in question was made on 05-Dec-2020 for the amount of £850. This amount was the yearly bonus from my employer. Yearly bonuses are deposited in the first week of December every year. Please find the attached documentation to prove that these funds are available to me.
Additional Documentation: (1) Bonus slip, (2) bonus announcement email and (3) letter from my employer with details of bonus, amount and dates.
—
Section 2: Your travel purpose and itinerary
In this section, mention your purpose of visit and proposed itinerary in the UK. The itinerary must be detailed enough but not too descriptive to confuse the ECO. Format it with bullets and/or a table.
Here is an example.
Proposed Travel Itinerary
- I intend to travel to the UK for tourism for a total of 7 days. My travel dates are from 14 Oct 2021 to 20 Oct 2021.
- My planned day-by-day itinerary is as follows
| Day | Date | Activities |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 14 Oct 2021 | Arrive at Heathrow International Airport at 5.30 PM Check-in at the hotel and dinner |
| Day 2 | 15 Oct 2021 | Visit Buckingham Palace and Tower of London |
| Day 3 | 16 Oct 2021 | Visit Tower Bridge and London Eye |
| Day 4 | 17 Oct 2021 | Visit Madame Tussauds and National Gallery |
| Day 5 | 18 Oct 2021 | Visit British Museum and Tate Modern Museum |
| Day 6 | 19 Oct 2021 | Visit Camden Market and Portobello Market |
| Day 7 | 20 Oct 2021 | Departure from Heathrow International Airport at 8.30 AM |
—
Section 3: People traveling with you to the UK
In this section, mention the people that will travel with you to the UK. If you are applying for the visa with your family members, mention their details such as name, passport number and GWF number.
Each individual must submit one UK visa application. Say if a husband, wife and child are traveling to the UK together, each of them must submit a separate UK visa application. There is no easy way to tie these applications together.
There is a question in the application asking for travel companions, but mentioning them again in your cover letter will help tie them all together.
Here is an example.
Travel Companions
I will be traveling to the UK with my wife and son. The GWF numbers of my wife’s and son’s UK visa applications are as follows.
| Name | Relationship | Passport Number | GWF Number |
| Jane Doe | Wife | K1234567 | GWF123456 |
| John Doe | Son | K7654321 | GWF654321 |
—
Section 4: Your current employment/business or university details
In this section, mention your current employment details. Include details such as the employer name, how long you have been working and your current salary.
Here is an example.
Employment Details
- I currently work for Samcore Logistics, LTD, Dubai as a product manager.
- I have been working as a product manager at Samcore Logistics, LTD since Nov 2014.
- My monthly salary is 7,000 AED after taxes.
- An original letter from my employer, leave approval letter and bank statements indicating the salary deposits are attached.
If you are a business owner, mention the details of your business such as your business name, your role in the company, yearly revenue, etc.
Here is an example.
Business Details
- I own construction business in Dubai since 2016. I’m the founder and president of the business.
- The business has been in positive cash flow since its inception with yearly revenue of 300,000 AED.
- A copy of my business registration, business license, bank statements and tax returns are attached.
If you are currently a student in the university, mention your university details along with the program, major and semester details.
Here is an example.
University Details
- I’m a full-time student enrolled in the undergraduate program at the University of the Philippines.
- I’m currently in the second semester of my second year with another four semesters remaining to graduate.
- A letter from my university and the fee payment receipts are attached.
—
Section 5: Your current financial situation
In this section, mention your source of income, savings and the bank statements for your UK visa.
If you have multiple bank accounts, this section is a good place to talk about it. Explain why you have multiple bank accounts and how they are connected.
Here is an example.
Financial Solvency
- I currently have 300,000 INR (approx. 2,900 GBP) in my bank account.
- The source of my savings is my salary from my employer, WinTech Corporation.
- The last 6 months bank statements and payslips are attached.
It’s quite common for many to work in a foreign country and send all their earnings back home for family maintenance or savings. In such cases, you will have to submit bank statements from both countries, but most importantly, mention that clearly in this section.
If you use a broker or third party to send cash back home, errors can occur and transactions may not match. I highly recommend using a money transfer service such as Wise to transfer cash back to your home country.
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Section 6: Your sponsorship information
If you are paying for your trip yourself, this section does not apply to you. Have this section in your cover letter only if someone else is paying for your trip.
In this section, mention your sponsor details, your relationship with the sponsor, what expenses they will bear, etc.
Here is an example.
Sponsorship Details
- My brother is sponsoring my trip to the UK.
- He will bear all my travel expenses while I’m in the UK including accommodation, food and transportation.
- A letter from my brother, his UK residence permit, employment proofs, bank statements, his apartment lease contract and the document to prove our relationship are attached.
—
Section 7: Your travel history
In this section, mention your travel history. Travel history is very important and highlighting it will only help with your UK visa. Your travel history can include all your previous travels to the UK and other countries. If you have traveled to a country multiple times, mention that country only once.
Here is an example.
Travel History
- In the last 5 years, I have traveled to 8 countries for both tourism and business.
- The countries I have traveled to are Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, UAE, Turkey and Denmark.
- A copy of my visas, and entry and exit stamps from all the above countries are attached.
—
Section 8: Any family members staying back at home
In this section, mention any family members remaining at home during your UK trip. This helps prove your family ties with your country. Family ties indicate that you will return back to your country after your trip.
Do not include this section if it does not apply to you.
Here is an example.
Family Remaining at Home
- I currently live with my wife and two children.
- My wife and children will remain at home during my trip to the UK.
- A copy of my wife’s employment proof and children’s school receipts are attached.
—
Section 9: Your intention to return back
In this section, mention that you will promptly return back after your trip and the reasons for that. Reasons can be employment, business or attending to family needs.
Here is an example.
Intention to Return Back
- I intend to return to Pakistan after the end of my UK trip on 27 Oct 2021 as I have to report back to my employer and continue at my job on 28 Oct 2021.
- An original leave approval letter from my employer is attached.
—
Section 10: Any miscellaneous information
If you want to add something that didn’t fall under any specific section above, you can include it here. This could be something about properties you own (economic tie), your rental situation, covid safety precautions, etc.
Here is an example.
Miscellaneous
- I currently live in a rental apartment. A copy of my rental contract is attached.
- I own farmland with my wife. A copy of my property ownership document is attached.
- I assure you that I will follow COVID safety precautions throughout my trip.
***
Summary
A cover letter is not a mandatory document for UK visa. But in my experience, it’s the most helpful document. The goal of the cover letter is to convince the ECO that you are a genuine visitor. Your cover letter must be simple, short and clear. Break the cover letter into sections, paragraphs and bullet lists. Use pictures and screenshots if necessary.
That’s it, folks! Now you know how to write a compelling cover letter for UK visa. This will greatly improve the chances of your UK visa approval. If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments below.
How to challenge UK visa refusal
Is travel history important for UK visa
How much bank statement is required for UK visit visa
Sue says
Hello Thirumal. Thank you for the support and advice in your articles. Please how do I prove that I am related to my brother I am Inviting? I do not have a birth certificate, Is a baptism card sufficient enough as our parents never processed our birth certificates and we are in our 40’s now.
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Sue! Any document that shows your names along with your parents’ names should work. Or any documents that show both your names with matching last names can also be used. But yeah the baptism cards should work too.
Tushar Shah says
Thanks, your write-up is more than useful. I am applying for a UK visa thru VFS from Pune. To whom should the cover letter be addressed?
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Tushar! You can address your cover letter to the following.
The Entry Clearance Officer
The Consulate General of the United Kingdom,
Pune, India
There may not be a consulate of the UK in Pune. Your application might be sent to the consulate of the UK in Mumbai or New Delhi. But just using the city where you are applying is fine. Many readers have done that and none of them faced any issues. What’s important in the cover letter is the content, so you will be fine.
Pujan Sinha says
Hi Thirumal, I intend to apply for UK tourist visa. I have traveled to other countries before however last time there was a refusal from the Netherlands. Do I need to mention the refusal reasons and justify them? Also I had withdrawn my UKVI application once, due to change of travel plans. Should I include these points in the cover letter?
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Pujan! Yes. You must mention your Netherlands visa refusal and the reasons for its refusal in your UK visa application. You don’t have to mention your UK visa application withdrawal. It’s are not a refusal, so no need to mention.
shalini says
Hi, I have been to the UK before and came back. The year 2001. Then 2005 I applied for a student visa, I got the visa and went for studies. After a successful year of studying, I apply for leave to remain which it got refused. The reason is the college was closed down. I appeal again. They refused. Then came back home. Now after 10 yrs, I am applying for a visit visa to see my friend. my friend is sponsoring me. Am I supposed to mention that 12 yrs before history in my cover letter. Please advise.
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Shalini! If you are re-applying immediately after a refusal, it helps to mention it in your cover letter so you can address it. But there is no need to mention a refusal that happened 12 years ago in your cover letter. However, you will have to mention all visa refusals, even if they happened 12 years ago, in your visa application form.
saidi adeleke says
I am self employed with very good travel history – USA, UAE and 6 European countries. As a self employed is it important that I should submit my personal bank statement while applying for UK visitors visa or I can only submit my company bank statement since I will be sponsoring myself for the trip? PLEASE ADVISE.
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Adeleke! If your self-employment is registered as a business, then you must submit both business and personal bank statements. Your salary deposits must match those bank statements. If you only submit your business bank statements, then you must write a letter on your company letterhead that your business funds are available for personal use.
Foster Osei Bonsu says
Please thank you very much for your education on travelling application. I want to know how lengthy or how many words must the cover letter be on a visit application.
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Foster! I recommend keeping your cover letter to one page or two pages max. A cover letter is not a mandatory document so keeping it to one page has a higher chance of ECO reading it. If it’s too many pages, the ECO may skip reading it.
Mike says
Hello, thanks for the great write-up, it’s super useful! Which category should we upload the cover letter to when uploading documents for self-service?
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Mike! It depends on whether you are using VFS or TLS. It should probably go into the “other” category.
Bankole says
Thank you very much for the opportunity to learn from your wealth of experience. My organization, that is my office is set to sponsor me to a conference in the UK in August 2022. All expenses as regards the trip are being paid by my office. In this case, what other documents do I attach to my application sir? I do not have a fat net pay because larger percentage of my salary is being deducted to five (5) cooperative societies that I belong to for the purpose of saving for raining days.
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Bankole! From your side, you must show that you have sufficent income and savings to support your trip incase your employer decides not to support you after you land in the UK. Your income and savings doesn’t have to conform to £150 a day requirment since your employer is sponsoring you. So if you have savings enough for a flight back home should work fine too.
Sue says
Hello, my brother is due to apply to come and visit me in the UK. I am a British and will be sponsoring his trip. But he lives in the village and he is a farmer (a cash business and he deposits the money in his bank). He has money in his bank statement equivalent to £1000. how can we prove this source of income please. He is a village man farming and selling in the village and Saturday markets. What documents should he submit?
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Sue! If he can prove that he is a farmer and sells his yield/produce at certain markets, then that should be sufficient. Also, if he owns the farming land, that would really help with his visa. What about his travel history? Has he ever been outside the country?
Susan says
Hello Thirumal. Thank you, how can he prove that he is a farmer, please? Also yes he has been outside the country since 2012 ( 10 years ago). The land he is farming on is our inheritance and the land title is in his name but as an administrator, pending the transfer to his name. Is this sufficient. The letter of administration from the court mentions him as the son of the late.
Thirumal Motati says
Yes. That should be sufficient to prove that the land belongs to him. It also needs to be properly explained in the “extra information” section within the UK visa application and also in the cover letter.
ML says
Hi, I am a single parent travelling with my son to UK on a tourist visa. I have the consent form, divorce decree and cover letter for my travel. I have also included other docs as per your article above. What other documents should I include in my application considering the single parent bit? My appointment is day after tomorrow and I happened to see this page only today.
Thirumal Motati says
Hi ML! Apart from those documents, submit the following for your application.
– Cover letter with details of your employment, financial, family and economic ties
Submit the following for your son’s application.
– His birth certificate (to prove your relationship)
– Consent letter from your son’s father
– A sponsorship/cover letter with details about you, your employment, financial, family and economic ties, etc. (since you will take care of his expenses during the trip)
Oladimeji says
Please I forgot to include my visit to the Republic of Cyprus when I was asked in my visa application what countries I’ve visited! I wasn’t refused a visa neither was I deported! But the stamps in and out are on my passport! Do I need a cover letter?
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Oladimeji! If you have considerable travel history, for example, 5 or more, then you don’t have to worry about not mentioning Cyprus. If you don’t have good travel history, then cancel your application and fill out a new one. You can get a full refund of the visa fee if you haven’t given your biometrics yet. And the cover letter is necessary either way.
Alec says
Hi, thank you for your helpful subject. I am a Ph.D. student in Canada, and I want to visit the UK over the summer holidays. Also, I have to come back to Canada again to continue my Ph.D. program. What documents do I need to include in my file to show that I am coming back after visiting the UK? Is that sufficient to include my admission letter from the university and my home lease contract? Thank you!
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Alec! An admission letter will not be sufficient. You need proof that you still have a certain number of semesters left and you have pre-paid your tuition for the future semesters. At least 1 or 2 semesters would be fine. A home lease contract also helps.
Sam says
Hello, thank you for such effort you’ve put into this blog site to help lots of people like me. I must confess I have learned alot from the post and reactions after it. I have a couple of questions though.
1. What is the sequence of UK online application for family of 5 going together to the UK for holiday .i.e. who’s application comes first?
2. What is the visa approval success rate for a spouse that is not working at the moment and going with her husband and kids to the UK for holiday?
3. Can the husband sponsor wife’s UK visa application/trip even though she’s employed?
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Sam! I appreciate the kind words!
1. Even though you all apply together, each application is assessed individually. You will have no control over whose application will be assessed first and in which order. The only thing you can do is to mention everyone else as their travel companions in each of your applications, and also in the cover letter.
2. The approvals are high as long as the husband can sponsor her application, prove the relationship and prove that she and her husband have strong ties with their country.
3. Yes, the husband can sponsor his wife’s UK visa application. There is no need for the wife to be working or employed.
Jamie says
Hello, with regard to mentioning the Travel History in the Cover Letter. What if my previous passport already expired and got misplaced, hence, I am not able to provide a copy of the stamps for these. Do you think it will still add value or just completely leave out the travel history section? Grateful in advance for your response.
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Jamie! If you can’t prove your travel history, don’t mention it in the application.
Julie says
Hello, I’m employed and I’m a business owner, my bank statement reflects both my salary from my job and profit from my business. My question is what should I attach as proof? Payslips, business license, etc.? Thank you!
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Julie! You must attach both, your payslips and business license. Also, explain clearly in your cover letter. In the future, separate your accounts otherwise you will continue to face problems with your visas.
Mills says
Hi sir, I’m mills a police officer and I intend to travel to the UK for a conference on safety and security by next year. I need guidance on what documents I should attach to it apart from the mandatory requirements. Will it be necessary to add my marriage certificate, car and house paperwork?
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Mills! Documents proving any kind of ties with your country are essential to make a strong case. Your marriage certificate will prove your family ties and house paperwork will prove your economic ties with your country. So yes, make sure to provide those two. Mentioning your car is not necessary.
navid says
Hello, I am applying for a UK returning residence visa to regain the status of my lapsed ILR. My question is should I write a cover letter with the application, if yes then to whom should I address the cover letter. Please quick response will be highly appreciated.
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Navid! Unfortunately, my knowledge and experience are only in tourist visas. So I’m not sure if a cover letter is necessary for an ILR application.
Esther says
Dear THIRUMAL, I applied for a tourist visa to the UK and was approved. The next again I tried and was refused because the first information says I don’t have dependents and that’s because they don’t live with me. Now they live with me and depend on me but I didn’t realize then I should have included a cover letter. And we were all denied. What must I do because the children want to visit the UK on tourism? Thanks.
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Esther! You already know your refusal reasons. Make sure to fix them in your re-application. Provide proof that you have dependents (family ties) and provide a detailed cover letter. Follow the instructions from this article for the cover letter.
Bruna says
Hi Thirumal, I’m doing the application for a UK visa for my parents, both retired, and they live in Albania. Their pension is not a great amount of money and my siblings and I, we all contribute monthly to their financial situation of their living there. I’m covering all their expenses from the start to finish of their visit to the UK. I’ve prepared a cover letter from my part explaining their intention of coming in UK for Christmas and that I’ll be covering everything.
Their visas have been refused 2 times before. Now my concern is “On their cover letter should I explain their pension as an income and that their children give financial support on their living, or should we live this out of the cover letter.
I understand that their pension money only is not enough, and there is a section on the application asking about their salary and other forms of income and how much they spend monthly. this is a bit tricky for pensioners as they will have to spend all their money for their living in my country, and also the extra they get for us. Do we have to explain this in the cover letter? Will this still be an issue for the application?
Just to mention again I’ll be covering their expenses while travelling. They have savings as their own 4000Euro, which they have accumulated while they had worked previously, My mom had a small tailoring shop. Will this be enough for them? Thanks!
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Bruna! The UK visa application is mainly meant for employed individuals. The questions are not quite relevant to retired, students, housewives, children, etc. That’s where the question “extra information” and the cover letter come in handy.
In their cover letters, yes, mention that they rely on both their pension and support from their children. This is quite normal in most countries, so I don’t think it would be difficult for the ECO to understand.
For employment questions, they can mention that they are retired. If that option is not available, they can select unemployed. For the question on other income or savings, they can mention their monthly pension and support from children. It’s ok for the living expenses to be equal to their pension and support. This won’t hurt their visa approval as you will be sponsoring their trip.
For any trip expenses related questions, make sure they put zero for them since they will not personally spend anything on the trip.
Yes, it’s essential to mention all of these in their cover letters and a summary of them in “extra information”.
Yes, 4,000 euros of savings should be enough for them since they will not personally spend anything from their side on the trip. You will bear all their trip expenses.
Lastly, a couple of important things.
– Most of the time, UKVI will not scrutinize retired applicants. So, no need to worry about their pension and savings. ECOs will mostly focus on your income and savings as you are sponsoring them. Make sure you have all the documents needed. Also, if you know the reasons why their previous visas were refused, let me know, so I can give your more accurate advice based on that.
– Even after explaining everything in the cover letter, a lot of time ECOs make decisions based on the numbers like salary, savings, etc in the application. This is unfortunate, but when this happens, a lot of times, the applicants see success either with a PAP or reapplication.
H Ali says
Hi, I am from Srilanka, which is a red list country. I intend to apply for a UK visa to drop and settle my one and only son who is starting uni. Do you think a visit visa will be issued?
Thirumal Motati says
Hi H Ali! If your country is on the red list, your UK visa application will not be accepted by the VFS. Even if they accept your documents, UKVI will put your application on hold till Srilanka comes out of the red list.
PRADEEP JALAN says
For Canada tourist visa applied online; where does the cover letter fit in. Is it necessary only when we apply on paper?
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Pradeep! A cover letter is not mandatory for a Canada visa. But I usually recommend one since it’s the easiest way to convey information that’s not asked in the application. You can provide a cover letter for both online and paper applications. If applying online, you can upload the cover letter for “Letter of explanation of your trip”. Letter of explanation of your trip will be one of the items in document upload.
Quincy says
Hello. Nice articles. I’ve been visiting here for more knowledge but I still have some doubts.
1. I am planning to apply for a visit visa, I have my employment contract (25 pages) and also a leave letter from my HR. Do I need to submit both documents or just the leave NOC letter from my HR is fine?
2. Is it also necessary to submit my house rental agreements?
3. Also I have been refused a US visa some years ago which I declared in my application. But do I have to submit a copy of my refusal letter in my UK application and specify this in the cover letter also?
I really need some clarity here and I would appreciate your response. Thanks.
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Quincy! 1. Both the Employment letter and leave approval letter are necessary. Employment letter will have details such as how long you have been employed with them, your salary, job duties, etc. Therefore, you need an employment letter too, not an employment contract. You can have your HR write a one-page employment letter for you. If you need a template, email me.
2. Yes. It will demonstrate your economic ties with your country.
3. No. You do not need to submit your US visa refusal letter. You also do not need to mention your US visa refusal in your cover letter.
Muhammad Sameer says
Hey dear, I have a couple of questions to ask related to the UK visit visa application. Considering my family is applying where my father is the head, my mother is a housewife and I am a student. All my queries are stated below.
1) There is a question in the application which says how much money you intend to spend on this trip personally, so what should I write for my father, me and my mom. I cannot put zero in mine and my mum’s because it doesn’t allow it.
2) My father was refused a UK visa back in 2012, The application asks for it but he doesn’t have the refusal letter so what should I write in the application.
3) Me and my mum applied and got the visa last December but we couldn’t go due to red list issues and increased corona cases. So should I mention that in my application on why we didn’t travel even though we had the visa then?
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Muhammad! 1) Even though you are not personally spending on your trip, you must still enter the amount per individual. You can divide the total expense by 3 and enter that amount for each of you.
2) You can simply enter “ECO discretion” or “Do not remember the refusal reasons”. This will not hurt your visa result in any way.
3) Mentioning that you had a visa and could not use it will only work towards your benefit. So make sure to mention it in the “additional/extra information” within your application and also in your cover letter.
Muhammad Sameer says
So for instance, if my father is staying there for two months and me and my mom are going for twenty days so around how much money should I write for me, my mom and my father.
Thirumal Motati says
I see. That’s a bit complicated. I suggest dividing the total expense by the amount of time spent in the UK by each. From your example, since your dad will spend 60days, you will spend 20days and your mom will spend 20days, divide the total budget by 60%, 20% and 20%. That should work.
Muhammad Sameer says
Actually I am confused on how much should I write for budget of my trip as my sister and brother-in-law in UK would be taking care of our accommodation, food and transport in UK.
Thirumal Motati says
If someone is sponsoring your trip, you will only enter the amount that you personally spend on your UK trip. For example, if they cover your accommodation, food and transportation and you will pay for shopping and souvenirs. Then you will enter the amount you will spend on shopping and souvenirs.
Mari says
Hi Thirumal, my UK visa application was refused. I want to apply again, but I have some doubts, could I contact you in any way, please? I would like to receive advice and help from you. Thanks.
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Mari! Sure. Please send me an email with your questions to thirumal@visatraveler.com.
Michael says
Hi, my graduation ceremony is in September and I intend to travel for it. Can you help me with how I should tailor my cover letter to the British embassy?
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Michael! Since you will be applying for a visitor visa, you must prove that you have strong ties with your country and you will return back after your trip. Therefore, most sections in this article will apply to your situation except the travel purpose. In the travel purpose section, you will mention that you will be traveling to the UK for your graduation ceremony.
Fathia says
Good evening sir, I really like your articles and it has really helped me. My father is about to apply for my visa again. My question is that how do I explain the deposit in my account were gifts from family members. My visa was refused because they were other deposits in my account aside from my father’s deposits (he is the one sponsoring my trip).
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Fathia! If your father is sponsoring and he also deposited cash into your account, he can explain that in his sponsor letter. You can also explain the same in your cover letter. But for other large cash deposits, you must present evidence that the cash belongs to you. I have a detailed article on bank statements for UK visa. This article explains these in detail.
Ofori Bismark says
Please sir, my brother is in the UK has sent me an invite. I m in Ghana now so what documents do I need before I can apply for the visa?
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Ofori! There is a distinction between INVITATION and SPONSORSHIP. To know what documents you need for the UK visa, you would first need to understand that your brother is simply inviting you to visit him or sponsoring your trip. Below are the documents you will need.
Invitation
– Your brother’s UK passport (or his home country passport)
– Your brother’s UK residence permit (if he is not a UK citizen)
– An invitation letter from your brother stating that he is inviting you to visit him in the UK
Sponsorship
– Your brother’s UK passport (or his home country passport)
– Your brother’s UK residence permit (if he is not a UK citizen)
– A sponsorship letter from your brother stating that you will take care of all your trip expenses including accommodation, food and transportation
– His apartment lease agreement
– A utility bill on his name
Arinola says
Good morning sir, I like your articles and it has been really helpful, my question is that what if you are submitting 6 months bank statements and your employers paid you 3 months and owe you 3 months what will you do? Even if you have other transactions running in your salary account, can you still use the accounts? Or if the employer pays the 3months together, can you still use it. Thanks.
Thirumal Motati says
Hi Arinola! If you are getting paid irregularly, you need to explain this in your cover letter and provide documentary proof such as an explanation from your employer.
Nana poku says
If you own a property with your uncle can you add that in your miscellaneous with the necessary documents? And if you provided a statement from 2020-2021 in your previous application can you reduce it to 6months in the next application
Do you have to write a cover letter to prove your bank statement or get an attestation from the bank if your employer deposit is not clearly indicated in the bank statement? What do you do when there is a different department that pays salaries of workers of your employer?
Thirumal says
Hi Nana! Yes, if you co-own a property with someone, you can provide the ownership document as proof of economic tie with your country. Bank statements must be for the latest 6 months. No need for statements from the previous application. The most recent 6 months should work fine.
Bank statements in some countries require an official attestation from the bank. You will know if that’s how bank statements are used in your country for all purposes. If your company name is different from the deposit transaction in your bank statements, you can explain it in your cover letter.