Between 1999 - 2005, I lived in Nigeria but travelled in and out of the UK numerous times. In 2006 (I was 21 years old), I overstayed my visa by a month and left voluntarily (was not deported or forced to do so).
In 2006, when I arrived in Nigeria, a Nigerian immigration official backdated my arrival date in Nigeria to appear as if I did not overstay (fraud). When I went to renew my visitor visa at the UK Embassy in Nigeria, I was called for an interview. The official who interviewed me called the airline to confirm if I had arrived back in Nigeria on the date stamped on my passport and they said I didn't and the visa was refused.
In 2016, 10 years later, I applied for a UK visitors visa to visit my brother who is a British citizen. On the section where it asked if i have ever been refused a UK visa, I was quite vague about the 2006 event. It was refused due to previous travel history (they didn't elaborate), because I used a private bank statement while self employed, and for lack of ties to home country.
Now, in 2018, I want to re-apply in order to visit my brother and his family. My circumstances have changed significantly. My business is now formal with company bank statements for 2 years, I am married with children, and I bought a property outright and have title deed in my name (value £100,000). I also run a thriving business with a bank balance of more than £250,000 at any time and have travelled to a Schengen country and came returned to my country.
What are my chances of getting a visa again? Will an apology letter for the incident in 2006 help? Is there a way to motivate a new application?
