UK PLAB Visa Refusal due to unexplained bank deposits

UK PLAB Visa Refusal due to unexplained bank deposits - Pile of American paper money on black surface

I had applied for a PLAB (Doctors) Visa for the UK to appear in PLAB test. I got refused on the basis of two recent large deposits in the bank statement I provided (my mothers). In reality, these are my own savings which I had deposited in her account to make it more strong. The only objection I got was that I must provide evidence for the source of these deposits. Other than this, I have previously travelled to the UK and USA as well as other parts of the world and my travel history is fine. Can someone please advise on how to proceed and re-apply?



Best Answer

Update 19 July 2015

In April 2015 new visitor rules activated as a result of the on-going Simplification Project. The text cited below was replaced with text that makes the rules easier to understand. The new rules are at Appendix V, and the operative text is in Paragraph V 4.2 (e).

...must have sufficient funds...

Simpler. Easier to understand. But a whole lot more nuanced and subtle...

The press release is at Changes to the UK's Visa Services.

All of the same principles put forward in the original answer still apply, and decision-makers still use the same criteria to assess an applicant's credibility.


Original Answer

Your bank accounts suggested that you were using a 'funds parking' strategy, and the ECO challenged your credibility as a result; hence a refusal. They also consider the parking strategy to be a mild form of deception, which commensurately damages your credibility.

Briefly, the 'funds parking' strategy involves having a friend or relative inflate your account by giving you a temporary loan which you repay after the visa has been issued. But when they detect this strategy, they are entitled to refuse on Paragraph 41 (vi), which says in part

will maintain and accommodate himself and any dependants adequately out of resources
available to him

with emphasis on 'available to him'. You used your mother's bank account, which defies this rule in the first instance because you need to show the funds are available to you. Had they wanted to, they could have refused on that ground alone. Those arrangements need to be rigorously explained.

In your case, the irregular deposits came from transferring funds from another account which belongs to you. This can be overcome by simply including an explanatory note along with the other statements such that the debits from one account agree with the credits in the other account. This makes the provenance of the funds clear.

In the comments below your question, you ask if you should compound the problems by lying. At the moment, your history now contains a refusal suggesting credibility issues. If you get caught lying in a subsequent application, your credibility will be further damaged. If and when your credibility becomes depleted, you will be locked in to refusals on that ground alone.




Pictures about "UK PLAB Visa Refusal due to unexplained bank deposits"

UK PLAB Visa Refusal due to unexplained bank deposits - Roll of american dollars tightened with red band
UK PLAB Visa Refusal due to unexplained bank deposits - Natwest Atm Card
UK PLAB Visa Refusal due to unexplained bank deposits - American dollar banknotes rolled and tightened with red band



Does UK Embassy verify bank statement?

Does UK embassy verify bank statement? If UKVI suspects fraudulent bank statements, they can contact the bank to verify the authenticity of the statements. They have built relationships with banks over time and can take the help of third-party agencies to verify such information.

Does UK immigration check your bank account?

The UKVI will check your bank statement for the minimum balance in your account for the 28 days preceding the closing balance of the statement. You must have a recent document from the bank that is dated within 31 days of the day you submit your online visa application.

What are the reasons for UK visa rejection?

The most common reasons that would result in UK visa Rejection are mentioned below:
  • Incomplete Documentation. ...
  • The Purpose or Intentions to travel to the UK are not clear. ...
  • Leaving blanks on your forms. ...
  • Applying for the wrong type of visa. ...
  • Failure to meet financial requirements. ...
  • Violated visa conditions on previous visit.


How much bank statement is required for UK visit visa?

Passport which should be valid for 3 more months from the date the applicant plants to leave UK after the visit. The passport must have one blank page for the Visa. Bank statements or pay slips for last 6 months to prove that applicant is financially sound to meet all expenses during his/her stay in UK.



40+ Reasons UK Visa Applications Are Denied Refused + How to Avoid Them




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Karolina Grabowska, Karolina Grabowska, Dom J, Karolina Grabowska