The Global Exposure will explain to you all the details in this blog post about 20 most common reasons for Visa Rejection.

Read the following list of common mistakes one makes due to which his/her Visa gets REJECTED.

When a person is called for passport verification, he/she naturally becomes apprehensive. When a person is called for a face-to-face interview round for Visa issuance, he/she becomes more nervous. Yes, this normally happens. It may be one of the most intimidating meetings of your life. So let us understand how to make the scenario a bit calm and easy. Are you wondering how that can be done? Well, you have to make all-out efforts to ensure that you do not make the following blunders that most of the applicants make at the time of filing an application for an International Visa.

List of various common mistakes made:

1. Not following the Visa rules strictly 2. Showing an Incomplete Itinerary 3. Late submission of application 4. Leaving various columns empty on your form 5. Having an expired passport or no blank page on your passport. 6. Making errors in writing (improper writing format in the statement of purpose) 7. Having criminal records 8. Having insufficient bank balance 9. Approaching a travel agent for your Visa application 10. Inconsistent Signatures 11. Age factor 12. Providing unnecessary details 13. Not communicating properly 14. Feeling nervous during the Visa interview 15. Having no funds to pay for Visa 16. Using a sponsor for your Visa application 17. Mentioning about volunteering, digital nomad or any Other remote work 18. Mentioning hitchhiking and couch-surfing 19. Not using the correct sized picture 20. PO box number is another cause of the trouble. Let us now analyze these mistakes in details:

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1. Not following the Visa rules strictly

Kindly understand that rules are not meant to be broken. Hence, make sure you follow all the rules in the guidelines while filling up your Visa application form. Please note that many applications get rejected simply because of incomplete/incorrect information provided in the application form by the applicant. BTW, even if your application gets accepted, Consulate may request additional documents in order to verify the information given by you. For example, generally, countries grant Visa maximum for 30 days, so never show an itinerary more than the days of Visa validity.

2. Showing an Incomplete Itinerary

This is one of the very silliest mistakes that many visa applicants make. Remember; wherever you may be going, a Consulate would definitely ask you a complete itinerary of your trip which must be said like Home – Destination–Home. For example, if you are visiting Australia from India, just show your itinerary as India – Australia – India. In case you are planning a multi-country trip then the itinerary must include the home destination which would be the starting and destination point as well as the country which you will be visiting. To avoid any chances of Visa rejection, it is better to just show them the tickets and itinerary for that particular destination where you are going from your home country. For example: If you are visiting New Zealand from India and you are applying for a New Zealand Visa, it would be better to show an itinerary from India – New Zealand – India. In the same way, you should show the itinerary India – Australia – India for an Australian visa.

3. Submitting your application at the last moment

Your casual approach towards your Visa will certainly land you up in troubles. Hence, instead of waiting until the last moment to submit your Visa application form, it would be prudent if you submit it as soon as possible. As hundreds of people file applications every day, there will always be a long queue of the applicants. This is an important point to look into if you are already in some other country. Suppose, you are in some country for some business or other purpose and want to extend your duration of stay in that particular nation, in that case, you must file your Visa extending application before the expiry date of your current Visa. Waiting till the end often gives you no chance to rectify the mistakes or to submit the missing paper to reconsider your application which eventually may result in visa rejection. For example: If you have gone to Indonesia on a 30-day Visa for some business and are required to extend your stay duration for 30 more days then, you must ensure that an application for extension is filed before the 25th day of stay in Indonesia. By doing this you will get a chance to rectify your mistakes if any or to provide the missing information/document in your Visa extension application before the expiry of the 30th day of your stay there.

4. Leaving Information Columns Empty on Your Form

Always make it a point to check and re-check your Visa application form. Sometimes by oversight, we leave some important columns unfilled or just simply forget to sign the form. This gives a Visa official some reasons to reject your application. A good way to avoid such problems is to do a detailed rechecking after filling your Visa application. Also, ensure that all the required documents are attached to the form.

5. Owing to an Expired Passport or Your Passport Having No Blank Page

Sometimes even after carefully filling up your application and providing all the required information and documents, your visa application can get rejected because of the silliest and ignored mistake such as having an expired passport. If you feel and think that your application would not get rejected because your passport is still valid for 4-5 months then you are wrong. Please note that a passport needs to have a minimum validity period of 6 months and at least two blank pages. Otherwise, your application will be rejected.

6. Making Writing Errors

One of the most common and the thoughtless Visa application mistakes are done by numerous applicants is, misspelling their names. Visa officers are very much strict when it comes to the spelling of your name. It does not matter if your actual name is Michael, but if it is mentioned as Michal in your Government IDs then ensure that the named matches with the name in your Government IDs. Kindly, double-check the spellings of all the major information provided in the form.

7. Having Criminal Records

This is the most important point which is to be strictly taken into consideration by all applicants. In case you have any criminal records then there are many chances of your application getting rejected. Please note that those with criminal records in the past are not eligible to get a Visa. Only those who have a clear record are the ones who can apply for Visa to any country.

8. Having Insufficient Bank Balance

Before granting a Visa, the concerned official checks your bank statement to ensure whether the balance would be sufficient to sustain the student in a country for a particular length of time. This is one of the most important aspects which are taken into account by the visa office to ensure that you will not become a liability for the country. Hence securing a Visa would be easier if you have sufficient balance.

9. Approaching Travel Agent for Your Visa Application

Often a travel agent turns out to be a fake one or he gives up and leaves you alone if any critical situation develops. Having a travel agent is an asset since you don’t have to stand in long queues, but be sure of your choice. So, it is suggested that you must research well and make a list of several authentic travel agents and finally choose the best out of them

10. Inconsistent Signatures

It is often observed that an officer points out your inconsistent signatures. So ensure that there are no errors while filing your application for an international Visa. Make sure that your signatures match with each other or else your application will be rejected.

11. Age Factor

In spite of taking all due care in filling all the information correctly and submitting all the valid documents, there may still be a chance of your application being rejected because of your age factor. The significant reason behind considering age as an important factor is that there have been chances that a younger person did not return to his home country. Some people visit other countries with wrong intentions, like indulging in illegal activities such as prostitution and drug trafficking. So, to avoid such situations you must either travel with your family or provide suitable documents like a letter from the employer or from your school certifying your age.

12. Providing Unnecessary Details

During your interview kindly do not speak until and unless you are asked to. Sometimes giving too much/unnecessary information in your application, can result in rejection. Unnecessary information may be like attesting/attaching some documents that are not asked for. Unnecessary talking is one of the major mistakes observed during a visa interview.

13. Not Communicating Properly

This is observed to be one of the most common reasons for rejection. So please be a proficient communicator during your interview. If you do so then you will not find any difficulty while communicating with the visa officer. Please note that the Visa Officer must understand what you say. You also must ensure that your answers are not below dignity. So, be calm and stay focused always

14. Feeling Nervous During the Visa Interview

A visa interview is very much like a job interview, so ensure that you do not feel any discomfort. Be sure to be ready with your spontaneous answers to each and every question. It is also important to carry yourself in the most presentable manner. Being dressed in formals is the best option for both men and women to wear during the Visa interview.

15. Having No Funds to Pay for Visa

Make it a point to carry some extra cash with you while going for your Visa interview. In case you fail to provide cash at that particular time, it could result in rejection Therefore, it is suggested that you must always have cash in hand to pay the Visa fees. Another important thing is to ensure that you should have the exact required amount as getting change can be a problem. Further, never try to bribe the Visa officer, since doing so could lead you to permanent suspension of Visa for that country.

16. Using a Sponsor for Your Visa Application

In case you are using a sponsor then the chances of your application to get approved would depend on his previous track record. You are taking a huge risk if you do not know much about your sponsor. Several factors like the sponsor’s legal status, prior visa denials, tax obligations, etc are also considered while approving the visa. It is always easier if you just apply for the Visa on your own because if you have all the required documents and employment proof etc and also enough funds to sustain you there, then there is no logic behind going for a sponsor.

17. Mentioning about Volunteering, Digital Nomad or any Remote Work

Please understand that there are several types of Visa like Student Visa for those going abroad for studies, Business Visa for those who want to travel to some other country for business purposes and Tourist Visa meant just tourism. So, in order to fill your Visa form properly, you must be very clear about the visa categories. Since Tourist Visa is just for tourism purposes, indulging in any type of remittance activity is considered illegal in this case. Therefore, in your Tourist Visa application form, you should never ever mention the work away, house sitting, volunteering, and a digital nomad. These are considered as illegal or red flags, hence, mentioning these points would definitely result in Tourist Visa application rejection. Many incidents have been reported where people on a Tourist Visa have been fined/deported/rejected at the immigration office because they had mentioned that they are visiting the country for a particular remuneration work or as a volunteer.

18. Mentioning Hitchhiking and Couch-surfing

If you are going on a Tourist Visa, you should never tell the Visa officer that you will be couch-surfing or hitchhiking in that particular country. According to norms, these activities are not allowed at all and hence your Visa application will be rejected. The BEST way is that do a refundable hotel reservation so that you can show proof of residence to the officer. 

19. Not Using the Correct Sized Picture

Just as it is in all Government documents, the Visa application requires the correct sized picture of yours. To ensure that the image you are providing must be in the correct size and also should be a well-clicked passport size photo with a plain background. Note that fancy photos, selfies, cropped and blurred pictures are not allowed in the visa application. In the application form, authorities clearly mention the specific photo size requirements which must be followed by the applicants. Moreover, as per new and stricter immigration rules, embassies also focus on not using a photograph that is older than 3 months. So be very careful about this.

20. PO Box Number Can Cause Trouble Too

Please note that even a minor thing as Post Office Box number can cause a visa refusal. APO Box number is not the exact and whole part of your residential address but Visa official needs correct and precise details in every column including the column for address. It is suggested that before writing anything in the PO Box number column, confirm it from your regional authority so that there is no risk of your application being rejected. We are sure with the above guidelines; there are no or little chances of your Visa application getting rejected. ALL THE BEST!

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