How Much Money You Need for The UK Visit Visa
Perhaps the biggest query people have regarding securing a UK Visit Visa is the issue of bank account balance. It is standard procedure for you to present your bank account statement at the embassy while you're applying for your visa. Mind you, this is not the same as the visa application fee, as the purpose is not to check if you can pay the visa fees.
Why You Need to Present Your Statement of Account
Apparently, the embassy officials aren't exactly over the moon with the fact that you can afford the visa fees. They have to know that you have just about enough to sustain you for the duration of your visit to the UK before they can sign off on your visa.
How Much Money Should Be in Your Account
First off, there isn't exactly a stipulated amount that is the go-to number to match up or beat. There just needs to an amount that the officials can ascertain will be just about enough (or, even better, more than enough) to cover your expenses and prevent you from being destitute for the duration of your stay.
The cash flow into your account and the source are more important than the current account balance though. So, you can't just turn up with a statement to an account with a ton of money and expect to walk right through. Also, having a statement that shows that there isn't a lot of money in the account presently doesn't automatically mean that you will be denied the visa, so long as your cash flow is assured.
An excerpt from the UK Government Immigration Rules page reads that that the applicant:
"...will maintain and accommodate himself and any dependants adequately out of resources available to him without recourse to public funds or taking employment; or will, with any dependants, be maintained and/or accommodated adequately by relatives or friends who can demonstrate they are able and intend to do so, and are legally present in the United Kingdom, or will be at the time of their visit...
Usually, estimations around the cost of your accommodation and living expenses for the duration of your visit will be matched against your account balance. If you do have accommodation already sorted out - assuming you'll be visiting family or friends, you will have to clarify that with the officials so estimations won't be done for that.
You have to be able to assure them that the money is yours or that you have access the money.
Time Frame For Bank Statement
Usually, you'll be required to provide a bank statement that covers transactions carried out on your account for a period of at least 6 months. This is to check against fraudulent one-off deposits made into the account for the purposes of beating the process. In any event that further investigations need to be made to ascertain credibility on your account, you will very likely be required to provide a statement that covers a period of not less than 12 months.
