6 Sure Signs Your Visa will Be Denied (And What to Do about Them)

Rejection is the last thing you want to hear after investing time and your hard-earned money in a visa application process. Here, Africa’s largest online travel company, Wakanow, shares 6 major factors that could dim your chances of getting a visa.

It doesn’t matter what stage of the application. If you notice any of the following red flags in your visa processing, chances are you are up for rejection. That doesn’t sound so nice, isn’t it? But there’s a way out. So, ensure you read till the very end.

#1. When you have a history of visa refusals

If your visa has been refused more than once in the past, avoid the temptation to apply for a new one until you have spoken to a visa expert. Otherwise, you stand the risk of damaging your travel profile forever. You don’t want this to happen. Most embassies are always reluctant to grant a travel visa to an applicant with such history. It gives you away as someone who is desperate to leave the country without any plan to return.

#2. When you misrepresent the facts

“Honesty”, they say, “is the best policy.” Nowhere is this saying truer than when applying for your visa. It can be tempting to present fake documents when you know something does not add up. At all cost, don’t fall for this. Fake documents and falsification of personal information or travel history only increase your chances of being denied a visa.

Proven dishonesty during a visa application could earn you a lifetime travel ban. If you are unfortunate to get a US ban, this could last forever while the UK ban lasts as long as 10 years, depending on the severity of the case.

#3. When your lifestyle is inconsistent with a visa category

This may sound ridiculous, but truth is some visa applicants burn their own fingers by choosing a category that does not tally with their lifestyle. You narrow your chances when you opt for a holiday that costs you an arm and a leg when your annual take-home can’t justify that luxury. It’s even worse when such a person has no travel history to back up their new taste for such luxury.

#4.  When you have a lean bank account

Your bank statement is one of the most important factors that can decide the fate of your visa. Every embassy wants to be certain that you have enough in your account to sponsor the trip. So, your application could be denied if the visa officer is not satisfied with your statement of account.

Now, some applicants try to beat the system by getting relatives or friends to top up their account with huge sums. This is a grave mistake, especially when the “sudden cash deposit” seems unreasonable.

#5. When you lack sufficient visa information

Everywhere, you find people who claim to know a thing or two about visa processing. This often results in misinformation. For instance, the fact that a person knows UK visa laws doesn’t mean such persons have specific solutions to your visa issues. You need to talk to a visa expert, not some random adviser.

#6. When you have no ties at home

Many people hide on the guise of a vacation to run away from their home country. The visa officers wants to be sure you will return home after the trip, not disappear into thin air, like these people. So, a few ties like a good job, family and properties can help to neutralize such fears.

The interesting thing is that most of these visa issues can be better managed by experienced professionals. So, why would you want to complicate the mess instead of speaking to a visa expert?