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I showed bank statements of around £20000 in total in my own account and my father's account. I also Included a sponsorship certificate affidavit of support from my father which tells that he will be financing my studies.

After I was granted the visa I thought it would be better if I open an bank account with an international card to make transactions during my stay in UK easier because my previous account didn't have an international card. I required £5000 to do that so I transferred £5000 to my father's account in another bank to open a new joint account of me and my father.

Will having less funds in the accounts I showed money from cause any problems at airport and with UK immigration officers?

Would I be fine If transfer those £5000 back to my accounts and bring latest bank statements with me to airport which shows the proof they were only sent to my new account and after that I sent them back in case they have a doubt that I no longer have enough funds?

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  • 1
    Do the border officers (or whatever they are called in the UK) re-check funds available at passport control?
    – CGCampbell
    Sep 8, 2020 at 13:44

4 Answers 4

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This should not be a problem.

Bring statements for both the account you used to apply, and the new account. Make sure that the £5000 transfer appears on both statements so that the transactions can be matched.

If asked you can explain exactly what you explained here.

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  • Now I am thinking I should use the money I sent to my new account to pay rest of my tution fees from the account that I sent money to.I was only required to pay fees of 6 months and If pay fees for the full year that way I will have proof that the money I sent to my new account was used to pay rest of my tution fees and they can also directly confirm from University about this.Is this my best option?
    – jass s
    Sep 7, 2020 at 8:16
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    You're overthinking things. Leave the money you've transferred in the new account, bring the statements and if you're asked, explain. What you've done is perfectly reasonable. If you start moving money around willy-nilly it will be more complicated to explain and it will start to look as though there is something odd going on when there isn't.
    – user105640
    Sep 7, 2020 at 9:27
  • Wouldn't it be more simple to just say I used that money to pay rest of my Tution fee and show the payment receipt provided by university to visa officer as a proof if they ask rather than saying it was transferred to other bank I own to make transactions in UK easier?Just want to make things simpler and less complicated as possible.Although I do tend to overthink things.
    – jass s
    Sep 7, 2020 at 12:58
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    @jasss: No, it would not be more simple to say that. You appear to talk yourself into (unnecessary) trouble. The facts are OK. Answer just the questions that are asked. Do bring proof of the bank transfer. The important part here is (IF ASKED) that you still are in control of the £20000.
    – MSalters
    Sep 7, 2020 at 13:54
  • Alright,thanks for the advice.
    – jass s
    Sep 8, 2020 at 17:30
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What they're worried about is what we call "funds parking", which is a scam applicants use against VIUK to appear richer than they really are. They borrow money, park it in the bank account during the visa application, and then give it back to the lender once they have secured their visa.

As long as you were honest about the sources of the money, and isn't not being taken away, then it is not funds parking.

Stick with the move you made, and just have documents to prove it.

It is perfectly reasonable to move some funds into an account more easily spent in the UK; just bring along paperwork that shows the value is there, on the off-chance they ask.

Do not move the money again, because that just looks suspicious.

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  • Wouldn't it be better If I send the money back to the accounts I showed proof of funds from or that really complicates things further?Also I wanted to ask can I spend some of the money to book flight tickets and in arrangement of accommodation?
    – jass s
    Sep 6, 2020 at 16:00
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    @jasss As I say, I think moving the money was fine (just document it)... and moving it back looks suspicious. Yes, they expect you to spend some of that money on flights and accommodation.
    – Harper - Reinstate Ukraine
    Sep 6, 2020 at 16:04
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    If your visa has already been approved, then moving funds from an account you control to another account you control is perfectly fine. For instance, you might move funds from an Indian bank to a British bank so you can spend them in Britain with a debit card, ATM etc.
    – Harper - Reinstate Ukraine
    Sep 6, 2020 at 16:18
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    If anything, moving funds to an account that better supports the OP's travel demonstrates that the money really is available for that purpose.
    – Patricia Shanahan
    Sep 6, 2020 at 19:24
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    @jasss You are overthinking this. Your visa is approved, and it sounds like everything you have done so far is normal and expected for someone moving to the UK to attend university, and it doesn't sound like you are participating in a fund parking scam, so if they do look into your finances again, they won't be troubled by what they see. You should pay fees and accommodation in whatever way makes your life easiest.
    – James_pic
    Sep 7, 2020 at 8:54
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What you did sounds perfectly reasonable to me and different from a funds parking kind of scheme.

If asked at the border, give a short explanation of what you did: You needed your funds in an account with an international card and you can move more funds from the original account into your new account.

Don't tell a whole story as if you did something wrong and were trying to talk your way out of it.

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  • Now I am thinking I should use the money I sent to my new account to pay rest of my tution fees from the account that I sent money to.I was only required to pay fees of 6 months and If pay fees for the full year that way I will have proof that the money I sent to my new account was used to pay rest of my tution fees and they can also directly confirm from University about this.Is this my best option?
    – jass s
    Sep 7, 2020 at 8:15
  • I would not pay a full year of tuition in advance, unless the University has a refund policy. There are too many unknowns regarding how things will develop.
    – Quora Feans
    Sep 7, 2020 at 12:17
  • They do have a refund policy.What do you mean by unknowns regarding how things will develop?
    – jass s
    Sep 7, 2020 at 12:23
  • Classes could get suspended due to Covid or things get to bad you want to leave the UK.
    – Quora Feans
    Sep 7, 2020 at 12:24
  • I see,not really worried about that scenario and my university is only going to take online classes for the first year.
    – jass s
    Sep 7, 2020 at 12:28
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Nothing will happen

Border police doesn't know the regulations pertaining the visa process. They don't even know the basic ones, let alone a complicated phrase like documenting finances for one year of university fees + 1035 per month for 9 months.

Border police doesn't need to know these regulations either. Their duty is to make sure you are the person stated on the vignette. They will ask you a few questions like which university or course you follow, where you will stay, how you will finance yourself but they will never ask for proof. They usually focus on younger people coming to visit family, i.e., the majority of the population who tend to overstay their visa.

I suggest you the following:

  • Print out your ATAS clearance if you have one. It contains every single information regarding your university and your course.

  • Print out your CAS. It includes all vital information pertaining to your visa.

  • Carry the financial statements with you but never show them unless challenged very directly. You are not a suspect but over-cooperation would make you look like a suspect.

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