Which visa application form you should use

Applying for a UK visa can be a complicated and daunting process, especially if you decide to do it without help from an immigration adviser. The dilemmas start early on when you have to decide which specific application form to complete. It may sound like an unusual question, but there are so many different forms that it is easy for the applicants to get confused which is the right one in their case.

There is Home Office website listing the various visa application forms. It is definitely worth checking this out before submitting your application.

We often encounter situations where applicants submit their own or their dependants’ applications without assistance from an immigration lawyer and they come to seek our advice only after their application is rejected or refused by the Home Office. Frequently such applicants completed an incorrect application form.

One of the most common and simple errors in visa application process is when Applicants complete an incorrect visa application form. Yes, each visa type has specific application form assigned to it by the Home Office.

Applying for a visa using a wrong application form can have disastrous consequences for applicants. Normally such applications are rejected by the Home Office as invalid and when the applicant’s most recent visa already expired they become overstayers in the UK. Even if they subsequently resubmit a new visa application they lose the right to work in the UK and will regain it only once the new visa is granted.

Let’s not also forget that an application can cost thousands of pounds and this money may be forfeited in some circumstances when a wrong application form was filled in.

How to respond to questions on visa application form

In addition to choosing the right visa application form, questions on any visa application form need to be read carefully to ensure the answers reflect the applicant’s circumstances correctly. Sometimes ticking a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to one question may result in a dramatically different outcome for your application.

On many occasions applicants make simple mistakes or wrong assumptions that result in rejection or refusal of their visas. Much worse such incorrect answers may result in the Home Office refusing on the grounds of deception, making assumption that applicant provided the incorrect answer deliberately.

It is advisable to consult the Home Office website which has some specific guidance on how to fill in an application form.

Disclosure of information in UK visa application form  

In the UK visa application forms, Home Office asks for information about the applicant’s criminal offences, convictions, previous visa refusals, immigration history, use of NHS services, and many other matters relating to applicants and their circumstances.

It is vital to respond to the questions and complete the visa form truthfully to the best of your knowledge and recollection. Hiding information from Home Office may result in serious consequences. It may be interpreted as deception and not only cause refusal of your current application but also lead to a 10-year ban from the UK. The ban would mean that any application submitted during the validity of the ban can be refused for this sole reason.

How we can help

We offer our application checking service when we review your application form and supporting documents. However, we can also offer a tailored service when we advise and assist specifically with completing the visa application form only. For more details, please contact us.