I have seen many people struggling with visa applications and from my experience applying for a UK visa; I came up with the following practical tips:
Opt out of paperless bank statements:
– If you plan to apply within the next six months or a year, opt to receive paper bank statements for all your checking and savings accounts.
– Find out your bank’s policies on printing original statements (with the bank’s logo, address and your account number). Some banks can only go back a few months without having to place an order. These orders may take several weeks to complete.
Time is everything:
– Do not apply for a visa or visa renewal too early. The UKBA have recommendations on when to apply for visas, and these recommendations should not be exceeded. Applying for and receiving your visa early will mean that your visa will also expire sooner. This could cause problems when applying for permanent residence in the future.
– Remember, the ‘application date’ is the date you mail your application. To ensure it reaches the UKBA in a timely manner, invest in first class postage or Royal Mail next day delivery which currently costs around £6.22 per parcel up to 500g with tracking information.
Hang in there:
– The UKBA is notoriously slow when it comes to processing applications, so please understand that you could be waiting anywhere from a few months to a few weeks. Since your application will require your passport, you will not be able to travel during the processing period.
– The UKBA speeds up some visa applications. If you find that your life is hanging by a thread (for example, an employer is waiting for proof of your right to work in the UK), you can fax a request for issuance to the office that is processing your application. Please note that all requests to expedite applications MUST BE SUPPORTED BY EVIDENCE. This can come in the form of a letter from your employer, letter from the doctor, etc.
Rest in case you want a final review on whether your application is in order or not, consult an immigration lawyer. I found a few, but Wisestep.net seemed the best out of all the ones I consulted. They gave me 100% correct information when I was stressed in applying for my visa, even though all my documents were in order.