Each project arrives with its purpose, milestones and first tasks written out. Here is how the first three read.
Visit dates and length agreed with the visitors
Before anyone applies for a visa or watches fares, the household abroad and the visitors back home need to agree when the visit happens and how long it lasts. Three weeks in July and three months over Christmas are different undertakings, with different leave, heating bills and visa questions. A written agreement on dates, length and who is coming stops the plan drifting and gives every later step a fixed point.
First tasks
- Message the visitors to ask who wants to come and which months suit them
- Check your annual leave balance and the school holiday dates for the period
- Compare two possible windows for cost, weather and family commitments
- Confirm the chosen dates and length in the family group chat
Entry rules checked for every visitor
Entry rules depend on the passport, not the family: a Barbadian and a Jamaican passport can face very different requirements for the same trip to London, New York or Toronto. Some visitors need a full visitor visa with an appointment and biometrics, others an electronic travel authorisation, and everyone needs a passport valid for the whole stay.
First tasks
- Ask each visitor for a photo of their passport photo page
- Look up the entry requirement for each passport on the official government site
- Note current processing times next to the travel dates
- Flag any passport that expires within a year of the trip for renewal
Invitation letter and host supporting documents
Where a visa is needed, a clear invitation letter from you and copies of your own documents help the officer see who the visitor is staying with, for how long and who is paying. A good letter is short and factual: your details and status, your relationship, the dates, where they will sleep and who covers which costs. Preparing the pack once means it can be refreshed in ten minutes for the next visit.
First tasks
- Ask the agent to draft an invitation letter from your details and the agreed dates
- Scan your passport or residence card and a recent proof of address
- Download three months of payslips or bank statements
- Sign the letter and combine everything into one PDF for the visitor
