Hi,

My parents are sponsoring my boyfriend's visit to the UK next month. They have given me a single statement of a cash ISA account with £10,000 +. Is this enough to prove "evidence of sponsor's finances" or do I need more in the way of statements from the same account (or a current/business account... they are both self-employed)?

The embassy website suggests that we provide bank statements from the last 6 months. As you can only add about £3,000 to a cash ISA account each year there must have been plenty of money in the account for several years. But will the British Embassy realise this or do I need to make it more clear for them?

Thanks in Advance!

The money you are using to finance the visit needs to be immediately available, which if it is in an ISA it is not!

I know of one person who only provided statements of his high interest savings account. As this was an account that required notice of withdrawals the application was refused for insufficient finances. The irony was that his current account was healthy enough to have got the visa if only he had bothered to show it! He did this on a second application which was granted.

Best to show the last 6 months current account statements plus any savings accounts with instant access. One does not need a lot of money in the current account, as long as there is a regular income coming in which exceeds the outgoings. You can even be overdrawn, as long as the overdraft is agreed and serviced.

6 months statements.

The money you are using to finance the visit needs to be immediately available, which if it is in an ISA it is not!

Cash ISA's have an instant withdrawal facility, don't they? you are just unable to fill up over your limit in any one year, once you have withdrawn an amount.

Mine do anyway.

Moss

Just a note to say, you can have easy withdrawal, but could have interest and bonus payments issues, others do not, check which type you have.

Moss

My apologies; Moss is absolutely correct.

From Money Saving Expert

A common mistake is to think an ISA needs to be held for a set length of time in order to reap the tax-free benefits. Luckily, that's wrong! Providing the rules of the individual product allow it (there's loads that do!), you can have full, instant access to your money without losing the tax benefits on the rest of your savings in the wrapper.

However, I still think it best to do as the embassy ask and provide 6 months current acount statements, plus any other instant access accounts you may have. Better to show that you have too much money than too little!

If they have asked for the statements then it is always going to be a very good idea to provide them, don't take the chance of annoying them by ignoring their request.

Moss is absolutely correct.

That makes a change then You did make me check though

Moss

Give them as much info as you can dont cut any corners it may put doubt in the ECO mind and lead to a refusal of entry clearance.

Hi,

My parents are sponsoring my boyfriend's visit to the UK next month. They have given me a single statement of a cash ISA account with £10,000 +. Is this enough to prove "evidence of sponsor's finances" or do I need more in the way of statements from the same account (or a current/business account... they are both self-employed)?

The embassy website suggests that we provide bank statements from the last 6 months. As you can only add about £3,000 to a cash ISA account each year there must have been plenty of money in the account for several years. But will the British Embassy realise this or do I need to make it more clear for them?

Thanks in Advance!

Thanks for all the replies. As I suspected the embassy are probably arbitrary about asking for 6 months' bank statements (from a current account), so it is best to assume they will be!