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After a refusal

Refused under V 4.2(a), approved eight weeks later. What I actually changed

AOAmara O.Traveller2026-07-14

Outcome

approved

Route

GBUnited Kingdom

Standard Visitor

Turnaround

19 days

UKVI, Sheffield

First refusal said they were not satisfied I would leave at the end of the visit. I had a good balance and a job, so I thought I was fine. What I was missing was anything showing what pulls me home. Second time I added the tenancy agreement, my son school fee receipts for the year, and a leave approval on company letterhead with a phone number the officer could ring. Same job, same balance, same trip. Different outcome.

The thing nobody tells you: the balance is not the ties. The balance is the funds. They are two separate boxes and I was filling one twice.

34 replies

IS

Ibrahim S. Agent

61 found this helpful

This matches what we see. The three that move the needle are approved leave on letterhead, a dependant with an ongoing commitment, and something immovable like property or a business registration. One of the three is thin. Two is workable. Three is strong.

KM

Kwame M. Traveller

28 found this helpful

The phone number on the letter is underrated. Mine was called. HR confirmed the leave and the visa came four days later.

Posts here are other travellers describing their own experience. Treat them as experience, not as advice or as a rule.