Common questions about
UK immigration documents

A Skilled Worker visa application requires several key documents: a valid passport or travel document, a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number from your licensed UK employer, proof that your salary meets the minimum threshold (£41,700 per year as of July 2025, or the going rate for your occupation, whichever is higher), an English language certificate (unless exempt), a tuberculosis test certificate if you are from a listed country, and evidence of your qualifications if required by your job. Missing or incorrectly formatted documents are one of the most common reasons for refusal — DocsCheck reviews your full document pack before submission to identify any gaps UKVI caseworkers are likely to flag.

The most common reasons for UK visa refusal include: incomplete or missing supporting documents, failure to meet the financial requirement, inconsistencies between the application form and supporting evidence, failure to meet the English language requirement, incorrect or expired identity documents, and overstaying a previous visa. For Skilled Worker and spouse visa applications, salary evidence must precisely match the Certificate of Sponsorship details. DocsCheck cross-references every document in your case file against current UKVI requirements, flagging discrepancies before you submit.

AI document checking analyses every supporting document against current Home Office rules and caseworker guidance. Unlike manual review, AI simultaneously cross-references dozens of data points — checking that bank statements cover the correct period, salary figures match the Certificate of Sponsorship, English language certificates are from approved providers and have not expired, and all documents are in the correct format. This catches the subtle inconsistencies that cause refusals — the kind that are easy to miss when reviewing a large case file under time pressure. Start a free trial to see how DocsCheck works on your next case.

To meet the financial requirement for a UK spouse visa, the sponsoring partner must demonstrate a gross annual income of at least £29,000. Acceptable evidence includes: 6 months of payslips showing employment income, 6 months of corresponding bank statements, an employer letter confirming employment, job title, salary and permanence, and a P60 if available. If relying on savings, you must show at least £16,000 held for a minimum of 6 consecutive months. All bank statements must clearly show the account holder name, account number, and transaction history. Documents in a foreign language must be accompanied by a certified English translation.

The OISC (Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner), now operating as the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) since January 2025, regulates immigration advisers in England, Wales and Scotland. Anyone providing immigration advice or services for profit must be registered with the IAA or be a solicitor regulated by the SRA. Using document checking software does not constitute providing immigration advice — the software assists regulated professionals, not replaces them. DocsCheck is designed to be used by OISC-registered advisers and SRA-regulated solicitors as part of their compliance workflow.

Standard UK visa processing times vary: Skilled Worker visa applications typically take 3 weeks; spouse visa applications typically take 12 weeks; ILR applications can take up to 6 months. Priority services are available for an additional fee — £500 for 5-working-day priority, £1,000 for next-day service on eligible applications. The biggest cause of delays is the Home Office requesting further documents after submission. A thorough document check before submission dramatically reduces this risk, ensuring all documents are correctly formatted, cover the right period, and are internally consistent.

An ILR application requires: valid passport and any previous passports, your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) or eVisa, a Life in the UK test certificate, proof of English language proficiency (unless exempt), evidence of 5 continuous years of lawful residence (payslips, bank statements, tenancy agreements, utility bills), a complete record of absences from the UK, an employer letter and recent payslips confirming ongoing employment (Skilled Worker route), marriage certificate and proof of ongoing relationship (spouse route), and the application fee of £3,029 per applicant. Any documents not in English must have a certified translation. DocsCheck automatically checks ILR document packs against the Home Office requirements for each specific route.

No. All documents submitted as part of a UK visa or settlement application must be in English or Welsh. If your supporting documents are in another language, they must be accompanied by a certified English translation. The translation must be provided by a professional translator and include their full name, contact details, confirmation of their competence, and a signed declaration that the translation is accurate. Machine translations such as Google Translate are not accepted by UKVI. Submitting untranslated foreign language documents is a common reason for applications to be rejected without substantive review.

A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is a unique reference number issued by a UK employer that is required for a Skilled Worker visa application. It is a digital record assigned through the Home Office Sponsor Management System — not a physical document. The CoS must contain: the job title and Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code, the gross annual salary, the start date of employment, the employer's sponsor licence number, and confirmation that the role meets the skill and salary thresholds. The CoS is valid for 3 months from the date it is assigned. The salary stated on the CoS must exactly match all salary evidence provided — any discrepancy is a frequent cause of refusal that DocsCheck specifically checks for.

DocsCheck is an AI-powered document compliance platform built specifically for UK immigration professionals. It automatically checks every document in a case file against current UKVI requirements for each visa route, producing a compliance report in minutes rather than the 1 to 2 hours a manual review typically takes. It flags missing documents, formatting errors, expired certificates, salary mismatches, and coverage gaps. This allows solicitors and OISC advisers to focus on legal strategy and client advice, while routine document compliance is handled by AI. Start your 14-day free trial at DocsCheck — no credit card required.