In this article, we discuss the following questions in details:
1. Should you include a cover letter with your UK Immigration application?
2. What should be in the letter and how should it be presented?
Cover letter needed or not?
A cover letter is a document that presents your application to the caseworker. It is not usually necessary but is very important if your case needs an explanation or you do not meet some of the visa requirements in the usual way.
So the short answer is, if you meet all the requirements in the usual way and there is no need for an explanation then it will be preferred that you add a short cover letter but can proceed without it.
So, what exactly is a Cover Letter?
The cover letter should take the form of a formal letter. It should be concise, precise, and unambiguous.
This means you try to keep your letter 1.5 to 2 pages long. As a guide, paragraph one should state what the application is for, at what stage you are at, and what you want the caseworker to do.
Example of paragraph one of Cover Letter
I am making this application for Leave to enter as a Parent of a Tier 4 child, as my son is studying at a privately funded UK independent school. I would like to accompany him to the UK.
Then, you should have a paragraph just briefly stating your background information. Next, you should go through each item from the requirements, paying more attention to items where you do not meet the requirements in a straightforward manner.
If you have a complicated work arrangement, explain.
It is advisable to be concise and precise, so avoid long sentences, collect all the relevant information, and present it in this one document.
If you will furnish some of the documents at a later date, in this case, you should try to be precise as possible and actually provide the document by the agreed date.
Once you have gone through the various requirements and how you meet them, you can then conclude the letter with a summary and invite the caseworker to write to you. if further documents are required to arrive at a positive decision.
Finally, thank them and sign off. Remember, identifying risks and trying to provide an explanation and supporting evidence increases your chances of success. Ignoring problems usually makes the problem bigger, the Home Office is not just an agency, it can make or break your future.
Be polite and not too heavy, you want something [from them], for the caseworker, it is just another file they need to consider, as part of their job. Nothing more. Make their life easy by presenting a good cover letter that takes them smoothly through your case bundle.
