Who needs to provide financial documents

How to meet financial requirements automatically from inside the UK

If you are applying from inside the UK and have been living in the UK for at least 12 months with a valid visa/immigration permission (and LESS than 3 months total absences from the UK within 12 month period by date of application), then you should meet the financial requirements automatically.

In this case, you won't require any financial evidence for your visa application.

Find out what other documents you need

If you cannot meet these automatically from inside the UK, or are applying from outside the UK, you must prepare your evidence to meet the financial requirements by date of application (see below).

How to meet financial requirements for all other applicants

If you are applying from outside the UK (entry clearance), or are applying from inside the UK but have nor been living in the UK for at least 12 months, you'll  need to prepare your financial documents ready to meet the visa requirements by date of application. 

However, depending on your nationality, you may not need to submit this evidence with your initial visa application (see below)

Find out how much money you need to evidence

Are any nationalities exempt from submitting financial documents?

There are a list of 'low risk' nationalities (such as China) that are not required to submit financial evidence with the visa application. This is known as the ‘differential evidence requirement’. 

However, if you are a low risk national applying from the UK or your home country/usual legal residence, you must still prepare and hold financial documents ready by date of visa application. UKVI may carry out a random check to request these financial documents at a later date, before a visa decision is made. 

Find out which nationalities are classed as 'low risk'