Visit visa for mother in law refused

[dazzle]

Good morning
Looking for a spot of help please, on how to fill in the financial sections of a uk visit visa application.

We are trying to sponsor my mother in law to come for a visit. My father in law will stay at home.

They are both retired and receive pensions, but the husband receives a pension that is about 50% more.

So typically they share their monthly expenses from both pensions.

In the first visa application I think the mistake was focussing on the wife's finances. Only stating her regular pension income, and only stating what she contributes to her monthly expenses. After all, the form asks for "your" regular income, and what do "you" spend.

We also did not include her husband's yearly support, thinking that it is not "regular", but more on an as needed basis.

We are now preparing a second application. Please could anyone advise?

Example:
Wife pension 450 per month
Husband pension 800 per month

Wife's expenses 550 per month (400 from wife's pension, 150 from husbands pension)
Husbands expenses 550 per month ( 550 from husband's pension)

The questions are:
Do you have any other yearly income? With separate check boxes for pension and family support

What is the total amount of money you spend each month?

In the first application, using the example above, she stated 5400 as her yearly regular income from her own pension. And 400 per month being her own spending from her own pension. UKVI were not happy with this

Many thanks in advance.

[meself2]

What's the exact wording in refusal letter?

[dazzle]

Thanks for the reply. The wording is below. We did provide her pension award document and pension transactions (although this was appended to the back of my bank statement - I thought they wanted documents grouped together as per the document checklist).
But the refusal says they can't see how she affords to live. At no point did we say that my finances are connected to hers, whilst she is at her home country. We only supplied my finances to show we could sponsor this trip.

The original application did not mention her husband's pension, or any husband's documents as we didn't realise this was needed.
In the new application we will supply husbands pension, husbands bank statement, and a supporting letter from him confirming his support for the trip and that he is financially responsible for her whilst at home. The letter is witnessed and stamped by the authorities that deal with legalisation.

............................................................

I have refused your application for a visit visa because I am not satisfied that you meet the
requirements of paragraph(s) 4.2 of Appendix V: Immigration Rules for Visitors. I
acknowledge all documents that you have submitted in support of your application for entry
clearance. In assessing your application, I consider your personal and financial
circumstances in your country of residence separate to that of your sponsors. I am not
satisfied as to your circumstances in your home country which you have outlined in your visa
application and supporting documentation.

You state that you spend xxxx per month on expenditures. However you
state that you are retired, and the documents submitted do not show how you support
yourself on a daily basis. I am not satisfied your intentions are as stated and that your
personal and financial circumstances are as declared.
The documents provided do not demonstrate the circumstances or current whereabouts of
any immediate family members, who may be remaining in your home country upon your
departure. Given this, I am not satisfied you have shown that your strong personal and
economic ties to your country of residence provide incentive for you to leave the UK at the
end of your proposed visit. I am therefore not satisfied that your personal circumstances are
as stated

[dazzle]

They also own 2 properties and receive some income from lodgers in their old home, but it's proving difficult to evidence with documents - All we can find is:
- purchase confirmation for a plot of land from 40 years ago
- a planning application to build
- some recent copies of receipts given to lodgers
- incoming transactions from lodgers, but they don't exactly match the receipts due to part payments and late payments. Difficult to reconcile.

So I'm reluctant to mention any of this income as it may just complicate things. They have enough to live on from their pensions.

[bestestcase]

IMHO

Show a joint account if they have one.
Mention monthly expenses in INR
In additional information mention that Mother-in-law will travel alone for xx days and will return back to her husband.

Also, a NOC letter from Husband stating all the cash available in bank to him is accessible by her wife name xxxx without any objection.

Also mention that you will bear 100% cost of her travel and stay in UK.

Ensure your 6 months payslips and 6 months bank statement with P60 is enclosed as sponsor and mention you job tile and company name. Ideally you should have 8-10k in GBP savings.

Hope this helps.

[lolo2]

You state that you spend xxxx per month on expenditures. However you
state that you are retired, and the documents submitted do not show how you support
yourself on a daily basis. I am not satisfied your intentions are as stated and that your
personal and financial circumstances are as declared.

Did she submit bank statements reflecting her income?

Remember that the role of the sponsor is complementary, it's the main applicant who needs to demonstrate credibility of their application: reliable finances, assets, etc. under their name. UKVI always remark this:

I consider your personal and financial circumstances in your country of residence separate to that of your sponsors

[dazzle]

Thanks both.
They don't have a joint account. The husband has a bank account that his pension goes into.

The wife stopped using a bank when she retired (no branches anywhere near them). She receives her pension via mobile phone wallet. She provided a 6 month statement from the mobile provider, but it wasn't very easy to read (ordered by transaction number instead of date of transaction). For this attempt, we're providing the original mobile wallet statement, then I am also printing, highlighting and scanning to point out the pension payments. Two identical documents but one is highlighted - hopefully that's accpeptable and helps.

Husband's letter is in French, but it translates to say that he "authorises" her travel to the UK to visit the granchildren she's never met , and he gives the same specfic dates that we have used on our letter and the visa form (6 weeks from now). Part of the letter says "Elle est sous ma charge financiere", which translates into "She is my financial responsibility", so I hope this is sufficient.

I've provided payslips and bank statements and have 13k in the bank. Have said we will cover visa, flights (£700 quoted), accomodation at our house, sustenance and any expenses on the trip. I've mentioned up to £3500, but more if necessary.

Fingers crossed

[lolo2]

It seems they didn't accept those mobile wallet statements as a financial evidence.

I will leave the room for others to comment on this, but as far as I understand those statements from electronic wallets are disregarded as financial evidence for a visa application to the UK.

Regarding the letter from the husband, this has been commented several times on this forum, visiting the UK to meet/look after grandchildren is not always a good reason to include in the application and we should avoid mentioning this. It's an important family occasion but UKVI don't see it in the same way. They will not explicitly mention this as a reason of the refusal but several rejected applications with such statements included prove so.

Also have a look at the accepted documents to support a visitor visa application. Take a look at section 13 with a list of documents that should not be used as evidence.

[dazzle]

Thanks again.
Just to touch on the grandchildren issue - I take it this is because they think we will want grandma to be a childminder of sorts?
Is it worth highlighting that our children are not small kids - they are 13 and 10. Childcare has never been an issue because my wife is self-employed, works from home, at hours that suit her.
Or would this somehow negatively draw attention to it?

[THO]

No, don't say that. 12 and 13 year old kids need supervision too. Just say visiting to see them. Nothing wrong with wanting to meet your grandchildren.

[dazzle]

Thanks for all the input. The second attempt was successful

[THO]

Good, pleased for you.