If I have estranged relatives in the UK, what do I submit in a tourist visa application?
My parents are planning to visit the UK and Europe, and have engaged a tourism company for this. While reviewing the documents they sent us, I noticed that the field asking about friends or relatives in the UK was filled "no". As it happens my parents do have relatives there - an estranged sister and her family. But we haven't managed to contact them and get their details (messages have been ignored).
What information should we submit in this case? The travel agent is recommending that we lie and say we don't have relatives. I feel it would be best to say we do, and fill in the details as best we could (we know the city they live in, but no more), and mark the rest as unknown.
My parents have no intention of going anywhere near them.
Best Answer
Don't lie, regardless of what a travel agent says: it's an immediate family member, not some distant, tangential relation. Include what information they do have (name, city, email etc.). While your parents may not now plan to connect with them while they're in England, they did attempt contact for some reason, and were ignored.
UKVI is adept at spotting discrepancies and a potential refusal for this (deception) would be a serious ding on their immigration records. Your instincts are spot on: the tour company has little to lose, your parents have much more at stake.
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How do I prove family ties for UK visa?
Suitable evidence can include birth certificates or family books. It can also be useful to include letters from family members in support of an application setting out the family relationship, the contact that the applicant has with the family member and any other way in which the family members rely on the applicant.Can my relative visit me in UK?
Your friend or family member can apply for a visitor visa so they can visit you in the UK. Visitor visas are usually for up to 6 months.How much bank statement is required for UK visit visa?
You must submit 6 months of bank statements that clearly show your monthly salary and financial commitments. There must not be any large deposits of cash other than your salary. Total savings must be at least twice your proposed UK trip expenses.What documents are required for UK visitor visa?
You should submit the following documents to apply for a UK visa:- UK visa application form. ...
- Two photographs. ...
- Your Valid Passport. ...
- Proof you have the financial means to cover the living costs while in the UK. ...
- Proof of accommodation. ...
- Detailed travel itinerary. ...
- Tuberculosis Test Results. ...
- Biometric information.
UK Family Visit Visa for Parents, Brother, Sister, relatives Checklist to make Good Visa Application
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Answer 2
Absolutely mention them. Describe your relationship in one word: "estranged". UKVI will get it.
Lying about it is suicide. The typical punishment is not only refusal to enter, which will then make you ineligible for visa waiver, but also bias future visa applications as well. (In the harsher USA, lying is a lifetime ban.)
Also, from immigration's perspective, they are mainly looking for people who want to overstay and seek employ or collect social assistance. Their first impression of lying about a sister is "she is sneaking you in to hire you illegally under the table". They don't know you.
Of course full examination of the facts and circumstances of your lives would debunk that, but that only works for documents you actually submit, and if you send the wrong stuff it could backfire. If you send documents often faked, then that only further prejudices the matter. You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Answer 3
Coming from India you can expect your application to have careful scrutiny.
I would give a brief explanatory note describing relatives:
A.N. Other last known address 123 High Street, Anytown AN2 2BC
O.P. Other last known address 456 Another Street, Anothertown, AN3 4BC
No active contact with either
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