Writing a cover letter for a visit visa

What it is for

An officer reading your file has a stack of documents and no narrative. The cover letter supplies the narrative: who you are, what the trip is, who is paying, and why you are coming home.

Structure that works

Paragraph one. Who you are, your occupation, and how long you have held it. Your CNIC and passport number.

Paragraph two. The trip. Where, exactly when, and what you will be doing. Reference the itinerary rather than repeating it.

Paragraph three. How it is funded. Your own account, a sponsor, or both. Name the figure and point to the statement.

Paragraph four. Your ties to Pakistan. Employment with approved leave, property, dependants, business. Be specific and point at the documents that evidence each one.

Paragraph five. A plain statement of your intention to return on the stated date, and your contact details.

What to leave out

• Anything emotional. It does not help and it can raise the question of why you are pleading
• Promises about future behaviour that nothing in the file supports
• Praise for the destination country
• Any explanation of a weakness that the officer had not yet noticed

The exception on weaknesses

If a weakness is unavoidable and visible, address it. A large deposit with a documented source, a previous refusal you have since fixed, a gap in employment with a reason. Explaining something the officer will certainly find is different from volunteering something they would not.

Questions