Proving you will leave the UK and are not living here through repeated visits
Evidence that the applicant is a genuine visitor who will leave the UK at the end of their visit, will not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, and will not make the UK their main home (Appendix V, genuine visitor requirement).
The genuine visitor requirement is the central test of the whole application. Ties evidence — stable employment with approved leave, property or business ownership, ongoing studies, or dependants at home — helps show you have reasons to return. But caseworkers also look directly at your travel pattern: a history of very frequent or near-continuous UK visits can itself suggest you are using the visitor route to effectively live in the UK, even where individual ties look strong on paper.
Generic "to whom it may concern" letters without specifics carry little weight. Caseworkers evaluate the overall picture — ties, purpose, funds, and travel pattern together — not any single document.
Frequent visits can work against you
If you have spent substantial time in the UK across recent visits, be ready to explain the pattern and show a clearly temporary, genuine purpose for the current trip. Strong ties at home do not automatically offset a pattern that looks like de facto UK residence.
Common Problems
Pro Tips
Typical uploads: employment letters, property or tenancy documents, business ownership evidence, family or dependant documentation, and school/university enrolment confirmations.