Genuine but Fake Bank Statement

[ruskcake]

Just want peoples opinions on this topic.

Here in Pakistan tier 4 students who do not have the required funds often resort to consultants who than arrange the necessary 28 day bank statement. Currently the cost for such a statement is in the region of 35 to 40,000 PKR and for that amount you can get a genuine bank statement showing 15 to 20,00,000 PKR.

The requirement as far as I understand regarding the submitted paper work is that you show that you have sufficient funds in a bank statement not more than 28 days old, there is no question regarding its source.

Does the ECO routinely check the source of funds are genuine and the student will have access to them in the UK?

Thanks

[Greenie]

The UKBA is well aware of scams such as this, hence why they have introduced a declaration in tier 4 applications to confirm that the funds you are showing are genuinely available to you for your studies. They can and do check that the funds are genuinely yours both when considering your application and upon arrival in the UK, and are starting to do so when considering applications for further leave after arrival. If they consider that you are making false representations in declararing that the funds are available to you when they are not, you could face a 10 year ban.

[ruskcake]

The UKBA is well aware of scams such as this, hence why they have introduced a declaration in tier 4 applications to confirm that the funds you are showing are genuinely available to you for your studies. They can and do check that the funds are genuinely yours both when considering your application and upon arrival in the UK, and are starting to do so when considering applications for further leave after arrival. If they consider that you are making false representations in declararing that the funds are available to you when they are not, you could face a 10 year ban.

Let me explain to you what they do here in Pakistan and its very simple. Suppose I need a statement of 10,00,000 PKR I will contact a consultant who will than arrange with a bank manager for an account opened in my name with the requested amount. I will not have access to any bank card or cheque book. I will not be able to access the funds because i will not even know the name of the bank the account has been opened at. Once the 28 days are up, I get my genuine bank statement and hand over the 35,000 PKR. It is simple as that.

"declaration in tier 4 applications to confirm that the funds you are showing are genuinely available to you for your studies" does not mean anything, its just like an affidavit and un-enforceable when the student gets entry into the UK and disappears into the black economy!!

The ECO or immigration officers do not have the authority to check what the balance of a bank account is even if he has a copy of a statement. To my knowledge no such authority or waiver is signed by the student visa applicant. Commercial banks are covered by data protection laws which do not allow banks to disclose information even to foreign governments.

Could you please confirm this point. Does the ECO or a immigration officer have legal authority to contact and obtain the bank details of a visa applicant from a commercial bank covered by data protection laws in a third country??

[Greenie]

The UKBA is well aware of scams such as this, hence why they have introduced a declaration in tier 4 applications to confirm that the funds you are showing are genuinely available to you for your studies. They can and do check that the funds are genuinely yours both when considering your application and upon arrival in the UK, and are starting to do so when considering applications for further leave after arrival. If they consider that you are making false representations in declararing that the funds are available to you when they are not, you could face a 10 year ban.

Let me explain to you what they do here in Pakistan and its very simple. Suppose I need a statement of 10,00,000 PKR I will contact a consultant who will than arrange with a bank manager for an account opened in my name with the requested amount. I will not have access to any bank card or cheque book. I will not be able to access the funds because i will not even know the name of the bank the account has been opened at. Once the 28 days are up, I get my genuine bank statement and hand over the 35,000 PKR. It is simple as that.

"declaration in tier 4 applications to confirm that the funds you are showing are genuinely available to you for your studies" does not mean anything, its just like an affidavit and un-enforceable when the student gets entry into the UK and disappears into the black economy!!

The ECO or immigration officers do not have the authority to check what the balance of a bank account is even if he has a copy of a statement. To my knowledge no such authority or waiver is signed by the student visa applicant. Commercial banks are covered by data protection laws which do not allow banks to disclose information even to foreign governments.

Could you please confirm this point. Does the ECO or a immigration officer have legal authority to contact and obtain the bank details of a visa applicant from a commercial bank covered by data protection laws in a third country??

When you apply, you sign to confirm that the funds are genuinely yours, and to give your authorisation to the ECO checking with the bank to verify that the statement is genuine/the funds are genuinely yours. If the bank refuses to verify this, they will refuse your appliation.

[ruskcake]

When you apply, you sign to confirm that the funds are genuinely yours, and to give your authorisation to the ECO checking with the bank to verify that the statement is genuine/the funds are genuinely yours. If the bank refuses to verify this, they will refuse your appliation.

The bank manager is already in cahoots with the applicant so obviously he will verify to the veracity of the bank statement. I cannot see how an ECO can get around this issue.

[Greenie]

What is the name of the bank?

The IO on arrival can ask to see bank statements.

Why have you bothered to ask a question if you believe you already know the answer?

[PaperPusher]

When you apply, you sign to confirm that the funds are genuinely yours, and to give your authorisation to the ECO checking with the bank to verify that the statement is genuine/the funds are genuinely yours. If the bank refuses to verify this, they will refuse your appliation.

The bank manager is already in cahoots with the applicant so obviously he will verify to the veracity of the bank statement. I cannot see how an ECO can get around this issue.

Then you lack imagination.

[ruskcake]

What is the name of the bank?

The IO on arrival can ask to see bank statements.

Why have you bothered to ask a question if you believe you already know the answer?

The bank statement is genuine but the funds are not available to the student.

Money has been placed in the account for 28 days to provide a genuine bank statement. Thats all. The bank statement does not mean the student will travel to the UK with the money he or she has shown in the bank statement! This is my point! Neither the ECO nor the IO can verify if the student is travelling to the UK with the funds they have shown or will transfer the funds over to a UK bank account when they arrive in the UK to use to pay for fees and maintenance.

The introduction of a "declaration in tier 4 applications to confirm that the funds you are showing are genuinely available to you for your studies" is just a "smoke screen"!!

This is a genuine loophole in the student visa system which many students especially here in the indian subcontinent take advantage of.

The only way to close this loophole in my opinion is that when the student arrives at the point of entry the IO checks either the student has a bank draft in pound sterling, has the cash or has deposited the money in a UK bank account for their maintenance.

Before forum members start harping on that its not possible to open a UK account from abroad, yes it is possible check these sites:
http://www.lloydstsb-offshore.com/inter ... -accounts/
http://www.hsbc.co.uk/1/2/personal/curr ... nt-account