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The short answer
The UK visitor visa has no published minimum balance. The Home Office asks you to show you have enough money to cover all reasonable costs of your visit, and suggests bank statements that show where your funds came from. What matters is a clear, believable pattern of income and spending that fits the trip you describe.
What the Home Office actually asks for
The official guide to supporting documents for visiting the UK sets one financial test: you must show you have sufficient funds for yourself and any dependants to cover all reasonable costs in relation to your visit. It then lists documents you might want to provide, and it says plainly that the list is not exhaustive. There is no fixed balance, no fixed number of months and no list of approved banks.
The financial items the guide suggests are:
- Financial documents showing you have sufficient funds, which must clearly show that you have access to the funds.
- Bank statements that detail the origin of the funds held.
- Building society books that detail the origin of the funds held.
- Proof of earnings, such as a letter from your employer confirming your start date, salary, role and the company's contact details.
Notice the repeated phrase: origin of the funds. A caseworker is not only checking that money is in the account today. They want to see where it came from and whether it is really yours to spend.
How many months of statements should you send?
The guide does not set a period. It does say that bank statements or letters issued more than one year before the date of application are less useful. Many Nigerian applicants send six months of statements because it shows several salary cycles, but that is a habit, not a rule. The useful test is whether your statements cover enough time to show your normal income and spending, and to explain any large movement of money.
What a caseworker reads in your statement
Think of your statement as a story the caseworker reads without you in the room. These are the points that usually matter:
- Regular income that matches what you put on the form, for example a salary that matches your employer's letter.
- A balance that fits the trip. Enough to pay for the visit without leaving you unable to meet your costs at home.
- Spending that fits your life. Rent, school fees and bills going out are normal and help show ties to Nigeria.
- No unexplained lump sums. A large deposit a few days before applying raises the question of whose money it is.
If a large sum arrived recently
Do not hide it; explain it. If you sold a car, received a gift from a relative or were paid a bonus, include a short cover letter and the document behind it: a sale agreement, a letter from the person who gave the gift with their own statement, or a payslip. The guide's focus on the origin of funds is exactly why this matters.
Worked example: does the balance fit the trip?
Example figures only. Ada earns ₦850,000 a month and plans a 10-night visit to her sister in Manchester.
| Item (example) | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Return flight | ₦1,800,000 |
| Accommodation (staying with sister) | ₦0 |
| Daily spending, transport and gifts | ₦1,200,000 |
| Travel insurance and sundries | ₦250,000 |
| Total trip cost | ₦3,250,000 |
Her statements show six salary credits, steady rent and school-fee payments, and a balance that has grown from ₦2.1m to ₦4.6m through savings. The trip is affordable, the money's origin is visible, and she still has funds left for home. If her sister were paying for accommodation, Ada would add her sister's evidence as well (see using a sponsor's bank statement).
Sponsors, translations and documents of limited use
- If someone else pays, the guide asks you to show what support they give, how they give it, that they can support themselves and their dependants, your relationship to them, and, where relevant, that they are legally in the UK.
- Translations. Documents not in English or Welsh need a full translation that the Home Office can independently verify, with the translator's confirmation of accuracy, date, full name, signature and contact details.
- Less useful evidence. Credit card statements and photocopies of bank cards are listed as of limited use.
- More may be requested. A decision maker can ask you for additional information.
Where Pryme fits
If you hold money in a Pryme account, you can generate a regular or a verifiable statement from the app. Pryme partners with VerifyDoc.ai, so anyone you share a verifiable statement with can check that it is genuine and has not been altered. The Home Office does not ask for any particular bank or format, and nothing here changes how it decides; a verifiable statement is simply evidence that is easy for a reader to trust. If you keep savings in pounds as well as naira, a multicurrency account shows both on one record. For the student route, which has strict rules, read the 28-day rule and our guide to holding foreign currency in Nigeria.
Questions people ask
How much money should I have in my account for a UK visit visa from Nigeria?
There is no official minimum. You need enough to cover all reasonable costs of your visit, and your statements should show where the money came from.
How many months bank statement for UK visa Nigeria?
The Home Office guide does not set a number of months. It says statements issued more than a year before applying are less useful. Many people send six months to show a clear pattern.
Can I use my sponsor's bank statement for a UK visa?
Yes, if someone else is paying. Show what they will pay for, how, that they can afford it, and your relationship to them, with their own financial evidence.
Do I need my bank to stamp my statement for a UK visa?
The visitor guide does not require a stamp. It asks that financial documents clearly show you have access to the funds and their origin.
Sources
- Visiting the UK: guide to supporting documents (GOV.UK) · accessed Oct 2026
- Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.