How to Demonstrate “Strong Ties” to Your Home Country
Ezinne Kingston found tears ebbing freely down her face as she drove home from her disastrous visa interview. It was not how she planned this day to end, but her freshly minted passport had suffered a scare from the interviewing officer's denial stamp. She couldn't provide a clear answer when asked about her plans after graduation.
Do you want to travel abroad? While the process could be nerve-wracking and stressful, you must demonstrate that you will return to your country before your visa expires. Many applicants get thrown into the rejection pile when they see why they were denied their visas.
In this post, we’ll take you one step closer to getting a visa with an easy way to show strong ties to your home.
What is lack of strong ties to your home country?
A visa officer can deny an applicant a visa when no intention of returning home is established. To avoid this, an applicant has to show close family ties, property ownership, and a steady job.
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What Does “Rootedness” or “Strong Ties” to Your Home Country Mean?
"Strong Ties" to your home country means that you have a connection to your homeland, family, job, property, and financial prospects that you will invest, inherit, or own.
Insufficient family ties can deny you a visa because you are perceived as a potential flight risk. You don't have a reputation of likely coming home before your visa expiration.
Interviewing officers can ask specific questions about applicants' future employment, educational objectives, long-range plans, family, career prospects, etc.
Additionally, applicants with a history of staying in other countries for long periods or travelling frequently can be regarded as a potential flight risk. For instance, insufficient financial support and no employment could clog your travel abroad dream.
“Ties” to your country simply means the bonds and relationships connecting an applicant to their current place of residence: children, properties, investments, spouse, job, business, etc.
What can be used as ties to home country?
Here is a list of things you can do to show you have strong ties to your home country on your travel visa application
1. Professional/Business Ties.
2. Financial Assets/Real Estate Ties.
3. Family/Social Ties.
4. Community Ties.
Professional/ Business Ties
Do you own a business or a job? You may use it as proof of strong ties by providing the following:
1) Documentation is used to establish your business, like articles of incorporation.
2) Statement from an employer specifying the length of employment, your job duties, and salary.
3) Letter written by employer permitting you to take paid time off.
4) Pay stubs to prove your income.
5) Statements showing revenue for business owners.
Financial Assets/Real Estate Ties
If you have significant financial assets or own property in your country, you can provide:
1) Homeowners insurance in your name.
2) Property deeds.
3) The contract signed when you purchased your home.
4) Bank statements showing large sums
5) Mortgage payment.
6) Property tax receipts.
7) Investment papers.
Family/Social Ties
You may provide the following evidence:
1) Marriage certificate.
2) Birth certificates of spouse and dependents.
3) Photos showing a sincere connection to family and friends.
4) Signed letters from family and friends indicating a close bond.
Community Ties
Applicants can demonstrate strong ties to their local community with the following evidence:
1) Any documentation showing that you’re integral to the organization.
2) Student ID if currently enrolled.
3) Letters from members of the organization stating your importance to the community.
4) Official documents to prove your current status as a political figure in the community.
How to Prove Intent to Return Home
Many applicants erroneously believe that when they submit their bank statements with enough funds or a round-trip flight ticket demonstrates that they can return to their homelands.
Although these two documents are mandatory, they don't prove intent to return home. You must prove beyond doubt that you are not running away from your country after a visa approval.
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Submit proof of property ownership
If you have a property under your name, you have to include it during your visa application or interview. You can add a house deed, land title deed, car registration documents, stock certificate, etc.
Submit your marriage certificate
Some embassies allow applicants to submit their civil status certificates to prove their marital status. With a marriage certificate, it becomes easier to prove you have ties to your home.
Prove that you have multiple streams of income
You have to prove that you have a steady income source or are employed and earning enough money. You can submit documents such as your Certificate of Employment (COE), employment contract, payslips, and No Objection (NOC) Letter from Employer.
Prove you’re participating in useful activities
Have you built worthwhile activities that contribute to a sense of belonging or help you build social bonds? If you have volunteered or actively promoted causes, it can work as proof of ties to home.
Submit your children’s birth certificates
You can submit your kid’s birth certificates to prove your deep-rootedness in your home country.
Write a detailed cover letter
Some embassies may request an optional or mandatory cover letter during your visa application. A well-detailed cover letter can help you prove you are returning home before your visa expires.
Conclusion
No magic recipe proves you can return home during a visa interview. The interviewing officer determines whether you have proven beyond doubt that you have strong home ties to your home. We recommend you provide every document that can help prove you are credible.