UK Visit Visa: Should I Submit My Bank Statement Even When Someone Is Paying For Me?

Introduction
Kwame is a graduate teacher stationed in Kumasi. He earns a monthly net income of GHC 1542.11. He is married to Joyce, a personal banker at Bank of Africa. They have a three year old son. Kwame has a closing balance of GHC 13,345.00 in his bank account. Besides, he also has an investment with a net value of GHC 2,780.00 with Databank Ghana Ltd.

Kwame’s father is a British citizen. His 60^th birthday is just around the corner. He plans on celebrating it with his family both in the UK and elsewhere. Kwame has just taken delivery of a set of documents from his father inviting him to attend his birthday party in the UK. In the invitation letter, the father stated: “…I will fully pay for the cost of my son’s travel to the UK including his food, accommodation and living expenses for the two weeks he will be in the UK”.

Does Kwame need to provide his personal bank statement?

Does Kwame need to submit his bank statement in support of his application despite assurances by his father that he will pay for all costs in relation to his trip? The answer is a “yes”. This is so for two reasons.

Personal ties to Ghana
First, to be eligible for a visa, Kwame must establish that he has sufficient personal ties to his home country. This is determined by reference to his personal, social, economic and financial ties. It is for Kwame to submit his financial documents including his bank statement to enable the ECO assess whether he has sufficient financial ties.

“Financial documents” are used in a sense to include all documents necessary to prove one’s financial and economic circumstances. These include bank statements, bonds and shares certificates, fixed deposits, etc. So in our hypothetical case, Kwame’s financial documents will be his bank statement and his investment certificate from Databank Ghana Ltd.

Kwame’s ability to show that he has sufficient financial circumstances is a requirement for proving his eligibility for the visa. The ECO is likely to refuse his application if he fails to establish that he has sufficient economic and financial ties. This will be the case even if the ECO is satisfied that Kwame’s father has the means to fully pay for Kwame’s trip.

Additional claims of maintenance
Another reason why Kwame must attach his bank statement is for him to establish that he has the means to pay for his own maintenance independent of assurances made by his father.

For the ECO to accept the claims of maintenance, Kwame’s father must show that he has enough funds available to adequately support not only himself but anyone normally dependent on him. It is not sufficient for him to merely provide his bank statement and pay slips to show his ability to pay. He must state the number of dependents he has, if any; the amount of money he usually spends on them per month, the amount of money he proposes to spend on Kwame, and a statement that he has sufficient means to maintain himself, his dependents as well as Kwame.

Yet, there is always a possibility for the ECO to raise concerns with the claims of maintenance by Kwame’s father and may refuse the application on the grounds that he is not satisfied that Kwame will be adequately maintained in the UK. This is where Kwame’s bank statement kicks in. By submitting his bank statement, Kwame has the chance to explain that though his father proposes to pay for his trip, he has himself made arrangements to pay for his maintenance despite assurances of maintenance by his father. Kwame must further state that should the ECO have concerns with his father’s claim of maintenance, his financial documents are proof that he has the means to independently pay for his maintenance.

Conclusion
The rule is therefore clear. Always attach your bank statement even if someone else is paying for you. This will be the case if your trip is being paid for by your friend or family in the UK, your employer, spouse, parent, etc. This rule however may generally not apply to students.

Emmanuel Opoku Acheampong
Disclaimer: This article only provides general information and guidance on UK immigration law. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. The writer will not accept any liability for any claims or inconvenience as a result of the use of this information. The writer is an Immigration law advisor and a practicing law attorney in Ghana. He advises on U.S., UK, and Schengen immigration law. He works for Acheampong & Associates Ltd, an immigration law firm in Accra. He may be contacted on [email protected]