Global Visa Applications – Improving Your Chances

Whichever way you look at it, nobody fills out a visa application with the intention of being rejected. In terms of the precise reasons for applying some will always be more urgent and life-changing than others, but at the same time, you only ever apply if you want to succeed.

Each day, millions of applications are submitted for infinite reasons and to hundreds of countries all over the world. And while many are successful, vast volumes are turned down without ever really having stood a chance. Of course, if you don’t tick all the right boxes in terms of criteria and eligibility, you have no chances at all of getting in. But even if you are an ideal candidate for any given visa, it’s still seen as something of a lottery as to whether they rubber-stamp your application or not.

Still, the good news is that there are at least several ways and means by which you can at least improve the chances of your application being accepted. 100% guaranteed are always out of the question, but if you want to give your application and its chances a shot in the arm, there are certainly one or two tried and tested ways of making it happen.

1 – Do Your Homework

For example, the most important and effective rule in the book is that of making sure you do your homework. It doesn’t matter if this is your first visa application or your hundredth – you cannot take for granted that you know all you need to know about the process. Not only does every country in the world follow a very different set of rules and procedures when it comes to visa applications, but the goalposts are being shifted quite literally every day. So rather than assuming that last week’s rules still count for something, do some research and find out for sure.

2 – Hire a Legal Professional

The value of high-end London immigration lawyers for those looking to make any kinds of visa applications really cannot be overstated. When you take on an experienced professional, it’s a little like having a member of your target country’s border force right there by your side to tell you everything that you should and should not do in order to be successful in your application. By contrast, going it alone means to a large extent guessing what they want from you and trusting the advice of non-experts sharing their tips online. If you want to get in, the best way of doing so is under the watch of a legal expert.

3 – Take Your Time

No matter how much of a rush you may be in, the single worst thing you can possibly do with your application is to rush it. The reason being that when it comes to attention to detail, overlook even 1% of the visa application form’s requirements or fail to tick one box and you might be hanging around several weeks or months for nothing more than a rejection letter. And of course, fees are never refunded. If possible, have a trained legal professional give the form a quick once-over prior to going ahead and mailing it off.

4 – Be Prepared for Follow-ups

Never forget that when and where your application is complete, it may in fact represent just the first and perhaps even the easiest stage of the process. In some instances and depending on where you’re looking to head, you might be called in for any number of interviews either in-person or remotely. This can happen at any time and with little notice, which is why you need to be well and truly prepared to plead your case. Know what you want to say, know how you’ll justify every argument you put forth and never, ever include anything that’s not 100% true in your applications.

5 – Be Patient and Persistent

Last but not least, it’s not uncommon for applications to be turned down even if the candidate ticks all the right boxes and fits all necessary criteria across the board. As such, there’s nothing to gain whatsoever in giving up and walking away as the second, third or even fifth time can be the charm. In some instances is can be trickier to gain acceptance with each failed attempt prior, but with the help of an immigration lawyer who knows the ins and outs of re-applying and filing appeals where necessary, there’s always at least one more avenue to explore. And should the time come where giving up really is the best way to go, they’ll be the ones to tell you as such.