For an onsite interview I want to reapply for a Standard Visitor visa after a refusal (V4.2 (a)(c))

Question

Today I received a refusal letter for a business visitor visa. I was supposed to be in London on 6th November for an onsite interview with a major IT corporation there, they funded my trip including the flight and hotel booking. My application contained:

1. Invitation letter from sponsoring company
2. HR letter for my current employer proving my salary.
3. Bank statement with an enough amount of money to fund this trip and more - if my travel wasn't sponsored.
4. Full list of reservations (plane from and to London, hotel for the whole stay and a taxi from and to the airport).

I'm quoting what's in the refusal letter:

1. "You have applied to travel to the UK for a 3-4 day visit to attend an interview. I acknowledge the from (****) which states that your associated costs will be covered by them However there is nothing before me to show the selection process or why you specifically are required to travel to the UK, or to demonstrate that they are in a position to make this offer"
2. "You state you're employed at (****) as a software developer since February 2015 earning (***) To demonstrate your circumstances you have submitted an employment letter and a bank statement in your name which shows your salary credits."
3. "In order to assess you intentions to leave the UK at the end of your visit, as required by the Immigration Rules, I have taken into consideration that you have stated you are single with no dependents or family demonstrated as remaining in (***). In assessing your ties to (****) I Consider that these are therefore limited and amounts to your employment only which you commenced less than a year ago and which you are seeking to change. As a consequence I don't consider that you have demonstrated with the evidenced that you will leave the UK Upon completion of your visit."
4. "I'm not satisfied you have shown that, on the balance of probabilities, your ties to Egypt are sufficient to provide you with an incentive to leave the UK at the end of your proposed visit. I am not satisfied that you are genuinely seeking entry as a visitor or intent to leave the UK at the end of your visit. Paragraph V 4.2 (a)(c) of the Immigration Rules.

I have added (***) for data security, where it refers to:
1. Corporation name to which I'm applying
2. My current employer and salary.
3. My country of origin.

Anyway I don't see those as very convincing honestly, but since I have no way to contact them or appeal I would like to reapply and I'd like to know what can I include in my new application that can increase my chances to get the visa the next time?

I can let the company send me supporting documents to clear the first point, but what can I do to clear the other points?

Answer 1

They thought you were painting them a picture and they refused your application because of it...

...i.e., based upon what they wrote, you apparently decided to look for work in the UK, possibly going underground in the process. So you went through the motions of arranging an interview with a UK company so as to give you a premise for visiting, but they do not believe there is a bona fide interview and/or they do not trust the company sponsoring you. Do they have a history of sponsoring 'interviewees' in that way? Do they have a license to recruit internationally so that they could make you a legitimate job offer or alternatively do they have a business presence in your country?

Picture this: From out of the blue with no explanation, somebody gets an all expenses paid offer to attend an interview in the UK at a company where there is already a mature and abundant labour market locally. This offer is extended to someone who has been working in their current role for less than a year with no particular credentials to make a company do that. Moreover, their personal circumstances are such that they could easily drop everything and relocate.

It doesn't make a lot of sense does it? I would guess the ECO spent less than a minute making her determination. From her view, you were painting them a picture, and doing that seriously undermines your credibility. They got you on Paragraph V 4.2 (a)(c) of the Immigration Rules which in this case means they think your premise is not genuine and that you will go underground once you arrive.

I'd like to know what can I include in my new application that can increase my chances to get the visa the next time? I can let the company send me supporting documents to clear the first point, but what can I do to clear the other points?

If, as you say, the company is a major enterprise and they are recruiting internationally and they are in a position to make an all expenses paid interview arrangement (i.e., deep pockets), then it stands to reason that their HR department knows what to do and how to make it happen. They would have the expertise to know what an ECO wants to see and provide all the stuff as a matter of HR policy. In lots of cases, the company has an in-house legal department who would represent your application and all you would have to do is enrol your biometrics. ECO's love it when that happens, they eat it up because they know everything is going to be spit-spot. But apparently none of this is the case, and so making a fresh application with the same premise isn't going to work.

So the answer to your question is that this isn't going to be fixed by sending more supporting documents; I wouldn't advise it because they will refuse again and then matters will be worse. You need to get the sponsoring company to follow through in a more professional way.