Master prompt
Financial maintenance evidence — Appendix Finance (28-day rule)
Builds the financial evidence bundle under Appendix Finance ST 14-22, including Indian-specific source-of-funds (joint accounts, FDs, loans, RBI LRS).
UKAppendix Finance28-day ruleSource of fundsRBI LRSIndia-specific
Appendix Finance sets out the financial maintenance requirements for UK visa routes including Student. For Student visas, the requirements are at ST 14-22 of Appendix Student + Appendix Finance. For [CLIENT_NAME] applying for a course in [LOCATION] of [COURSE_DURATION_MONTHS] months duration with tuition GBP [COURSE_TUITION_GBP]: §1 — CALCULATE THE FUNDS REQUIRED (100-120 words) Total funds = First-year tuition + Maintenance for 9 months (max) Tuition: [COURSE_TUITION_GBP] (less any deposit paid as shown on CAS) Maintenance: ▪ London (33 boroughs): GBP 1,483/month × 9 months = GBP 13,347 [VERIFY current 2026 rate] ▪ Outside London: GBP 1,136/month × 9 months = GBP 10,224 [VERIFY current 2026 rate] ▪ Cap: maintenance funded for max 9 months even if course is longer ▪ "London" defined by Appendix Finance — 33 London boroughs + City of London For [LOCATION]: maintenance required = [calculate]. Total funds = [TUITION] + [MAINTENANCE] = [TOTAL] GBP This must be held for 28 consecutive days, with the closing date no more than 31 days before application. §2 — THE 28-DAY RULE — STRICT (120-150 words) The 28-day rule is the most common refusal trigger. Mechanics: ▪ Funds must be in eligible account for 28 consecutive days ▪ "Consecutive" means the balance cannot dip below the required amount on ANY day in the window ▪ Closing balance date must be within 31 days of application submission ▪ Account statement must cover the full 28 days What kills the 28-day rule: ▪ Brief dip below threshold (even 1 hour, even due to bank reconciliation) — fatal ▪ Account closed mid-window — fatal (UKVI sees the closure, treats as broken evidence) ▪ Funds moved between applicant's own accounts to consolidate — may be fine IF source account also covered same window; documentation required Strategy: ▪ Open / consolidate funds 35 days before intended submission (buffer for bank delays) ▪ Do not touch the account during the window ▪ Print statements showing day-by-day balance for the full window §3 — ELIGIBLE ACCOUNTS (100-120 words) Acceptable account types: ▪ Personal current/savings account in applicant's name ▪ Joint account where applicant is a named holder (full balance counts if applicant is on the account; partial if signing rules require both signatures) ▪ Parent/legal guardian account + Appendix Finance consent letter (covers most Indian undergrad/PG scenarios) ▪ Education loan letter from regulated financial institution (full sanctioned amount accepted at point of letter) ▪ Fixed Deposit / Term Deposit with bank statement showing maturity within usable timeframe Indian banks accepted by UKVI: ▪ Public sector: SBI, PNB, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank (all generally fine) ▪ Private: HDFC, ICICI, Axis, Kotak (all fine) ▪ Foreign: Citi India, HSBC India (fine) ▪ NBFCs (Bajaj Finserv, Tata Capital): some restrictions — check the UKVI list of acceptable institutions Indian banks NOT accepted historically: small cooperative banks, micro-finance institutions, certain regional rural banks. §4 — PARENT/GUARDIAN-FUNDED SCENARIO (120-150 words) Most Indian applicants are parent-funded. Appendix Finance ST 22 requires: ▪ Bank statement from parent's account showing required balance for 28 days ▪ Birth certificate showing applicant-parent relationship (Indian birth certificate from municipal corporation; if not available, school leaving certificate + affidavit) ▪ Parent's signed consent letter authorising applicant to use the funds (template:) "I, [PARENT NAME], holder of [BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER], hereby confirm that the funds held in this account are available to my [son/daughter] [APPLICANT NAME] for the purpose of meeting the financial requirement of his/her UK Student visa application under Appendix Finance. I have read the financial requirement of GBP [AMOUNT] and confirm that these funds are intended for [APPLICANT NAME]'s study expenses. Signed: [parent signature + date] Witnessed by: [name, address, contact]" ▪ Original signed letter scanned for submission (UKVI accepts scanned originals) ▪ Some applications: notarisation of consent letter requested by ECO; Indian notary stamp acceptable §5 — EDUCATION LOAN PATH (100-120 words) Indian education loans from major lenders (HDFC Credila, SBI, Avanse, Axis, ICICI Bank, Bank of Baroda) are accepted under Appendix Finance ST 21A. Requirements: ▪ Formal sanction letter (not just "in-principle" approval) ▪ Letter must specify: borrower, total sanctioned amount, disbursement schedule (annual / per term), interest rate, repayment terms ▪ Loan sanctioned amount accepted in full at the date of letter — applicant does NOT need to have drawn down the loan ▪ Letter must be dated within 31 days of visa application Hybrid funding (loan + parent + self-savings) common for Indian PG/MBA applicants — combine all letters; UKVI sums the totals. Sanction letter format must show: Indian bank letterhead, loan officer's signature, branch stamp, contact details for UKVI verification. §6 — RBI LRS COMPLIANCE NOTE (80-100 words) RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) caps outward remittance at USD 250,000/year/PAN. For most students, this is adequate. Considerations: ▪ 20% TCS on remittances over INR 7 lakh in a financial year (collected by remitting bank; refundable as income-tax credit) ▪ Form A2 + bank declaration for each remittance ▪ For 2-3 year courses with high tuition, may need staggered remittance across two PANs (father + mother) ▪ TCS receipt evidences source-of-funds + tax compliance — useful supplementary evidence UKVI does not require LRS compliance proof, but having Form 26AS + TCS receipts strengthens the source-of-funds narrative if queried. §7 — DOCUMENT BUNDLE (80-100 words) For submission: □ Bank statements covering the 28-day window (printed + bank-attested) □ Bank letter on official letterhead confirming account holder, balance, and account-opening date □ Education loan sanction letter (if applicable) □ Parent/guardian consent letter + applicant-parent relationship documents □ Source-of-funds narrative (1-page summary explaining each fund source — optional but strongly recommended) □ Form 26AS / TCS receipts (if remittance has begun) Documents in regional Indian languages must be translated by a certified translator + accompanied by translator's affidavit. End with: "DRAFT — for OISC/IAA-registered adviser or solicitor review. The 28-day rule has zero tolerance. Do not submit a visa application if there is any uncertainty about a balance dip during the window — restart the 28-day count instead. Indian bank account statements from very recently opened accounts (less than 6 months old) attract extra scrutiny; have parent/guardian primary account ready."
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