Original Bank Statements

[toryboy1979]

There have been so many posts on this subject that I was unsure where to put this, so I decided a new post and if I am wrong for doing this, I apologise.

I understand completely that where a Visa officer is unsure or suspects a document, he/she has the right to refuse or at least query, but given the pressure of work, I suspect that it will just be a refusal.

My situation is that my bank account is an on-line account and is paperless. All monthly statements are archived by the bank and can be called up and downloaded when required and when printed will have the word 'Duplicate' shown across the statement and as far as the bank and I are concerned they are 'original'.

I queried the bank on this and asked - some may say a stupid question - why does it have 'Duplicate' on it and not perhaps 'Original' because I have not had a particular statement prior to the request. The answer was your on-line account is digital and once the particular month has passed, the statement which is on magnetic tape, is archived and any request for data from a particular month has to called a 'Duplicate'. You should note (this is to me) that it is not a copy because a copy can and often is, taken from another copy or even another copy, whereas a duplicate is always taken from the original which in this case is magnetic tape.

Okay I get to the point soon. On learning this I asked them to let me have either a full set of statements signed by the bank or a letter/certificate confirming that the 'duplicates' that I could download were in fact 'genuine'. Yep they said, can do but it will take up to 10 days to generate and get to your UK address. I am not living in the UK but in Thailand so that is a further 10 - 14 days even by Post Office International Tracking - DHL etc far too expensive for this exercise - so when I get this paper work it is going to be at least 3 weeks old and I will want to receive it in good time to submit with the application, so it could be as much as 5 - 6 weeks old.

The other option is to have it sent to my UK address - so 10 days and then my son would scan and send - so say 11 days in all to me and maybe 14 - 21 days before it gets to the UKVI

Fast becoming paranoiac on this subject. Am I worrying too much but then again I have put much time and effort into preparing all the other documentation and don't want the application to fail just because I have not done due diligence on the bank statements.

I would appreciate words of wisdom from the three wise men - they know who they are - who regularly comment on the subject of visa for the UK.

Many thanks from the Notsowiseone.

[toryboy1979]

To continue............

Just a thought but maybe it would be better and easier all round if I ignored my UK account and submitted details of my day to day Thai account which has over a million and half baht in it and say that the visit will be financed from that account. Do they care where the money is so long as you have it?

[theoldgit]

Remind me what type of visa is being applied for?

If it's a settlement visa I wouldn't cut corners, I would wait for the originals.

If it's a visit visa, then the applicant just needs to satisfy the ECO that the trip is affordable. If you are sponsoring the applicant and there is consistently a balance in your Thai account of the amount you state, and it's a trip of a reasonable length, then you should be fine just submitting your Thai bank details.

When my partner applied for her latest visa last year I, as her sponsor, submitted evidence of the funds held in Thailand, as did she. I mentioned in my covering letter that I had funds in a UK account but as they would not be needed for our trips evidence of these funds wasn't submitted, but could be obtained if necessary.

Keep in mind that finances are only one part of the equation, in the case of a visit visa reasons to return are just as important.

[toryboy1979]

Very re-assuring reply - thank you.

Application is for a Visitor/Tourist visa of six weeks duration with dates. I am satisfied that other criteria will be satisfied and by that I mean:

'Is the Relationship genuine'

Reason for the visit'

Will/Does the applicant have a reason to return to Thailand'

'Is the trip affordable'

Based on your reply I will use my Thai account - which does contain the amount quoted - but do as you did and tell then that I have five pension providers all being paid into the UK account and include the original letters from the providers and that I hope will keep hem happy and they will know where my funds come from.

The 'Notsowiseone" is know a little more knowledgeable. Than you.

[theoldgit]

Yes, provide your pension details, that's what I also do, even though I only have two.

[OJAS]

Out of curiosity might the original of an Embassy income confirmation letter (as obtained for satisfying Immigration requirements for a retirement extension here) do the trick in the ECO's eyes, in circumstances such as the OP's? These days the Embassy are (in my experience at any rate) prepared to issue such letters on the basis of copies (rather than originals, as used to be the case) of supporting evidence.