If you have a family member in the UK who is already a resident, you can use your relationship with them to travel and stay in the UK. This is possible even if we’re talking about your child, parent, sibling, grandparent, or anything similar to an immediate relative.
How exactly can you do this, you ask? This is where a family visa comes in. This is probably one of the most straightforward ways to go to the UK since it won’t be necessary to have a job offer, a university acceptance letter, or even a business meeting to attend to. Your family member just needs to agree to be your sponsor.
If you’re interested in taking this route, this article is for you. In the following sections, we’ll walk you through some of the best tips on how to get your family visa approved.
- Know and Prepare Every Visa Requirement
The most basic yet still the most helpful tip that you should know is to know and prepare all the requirements of a family visa. In fact, you have to be knowledgeable about the whole process of applying for a family visa before you fill out your forms. Doing so will let you know what to expect once you start.
For a quick overview, some of the requirements that you need to prepare for a family visa include having a family member in the UK, a valid ID, passport, knowledge of the English language, and more. The lack of even one document can lead to rejection, so make sure to double-check everything before your appointment in the immigration office.
- Take the Time to Accomplish Your Application Forms
Another one of the most common reasons why visa applications get rejected points to incomplete application forms. An immigration officer will reject your application if you leave anything black. This is the same if some details are inconsistent or proven false.
That said, it’s just right that you pay enough time and attention when filling out your application forms. If you have the budget, you can even ask a professional to do it for you. Some can even check and revise what you already wrote for better chances of approval.
- Research Visa Interview Questions
Interviews play a big part in your visa journey. Despite how credible your documents and evidence are, expect that your application will get rejected if you fail to answer the immigration officer’s questions properly and consistently.
To prepare, research visa interview questions in advance. You can look up common questions on Google or watch videos on Youtube. There are a lot of resources you can refer to online.
- Collect Evidence That Can Support Your Claims
Your immigration office will require you to present evidence in order to prove that you’re really qualified for a family visa. These usually included official documents, files, and even photos, depending on each case.
Because of this, you will be able to make better use of your time if you collect all the documents that can possibly pass as evidence in advance. Specifically, prepare birth certificates, documents that can prove your relationship with your family member in the UK, an ID, some photos, and likes. You can also ask the legal professional you’re working with for help.
- Work With An Immigration Lawyer
The last tip on our list involves working with an immigration lawyer. Investing in them will definitely be one of the best things that you can do.
Now, an immigration lawyer’s role is to help expats with the whole immigration process. This means that you can rely on them to fill out your application form, prepare evidence, process documents, orient you about interviews, and whatever else you may need. They also specialize in legal matters, so you can expect them to be experienced in handling immigration cases.
Having a lawyer by your side while you process your move to the UK will make the whole process much easier and more convenient for you. Your chances of getting your visa approved will also rise significantly.
Summary
Getting your visa approved requires effort, time, strategy, and a little bit of luck. You’re going to need to give it your all, so make sure that you’re applying for the right visa and that you have all the resources to do so.
That said, it’s evident that you will need all the help that you can get. To further ensure success, we highly recommend looking into availing of professional help. Immigration lawyers, most especially, will be able to help you with all your legal and immigration needs. Having them on your roster will also drastically increase the chances of having an approved family visa.
Of course, you shouldn’t work with just anyone. You should always evaluate what a lawyer has to offer to ensure that you will get the best quality of service possible.
Head over to Australian Migration Lawyers if you’d like to know more about the migration process.