Getting Valuations Right for Your Visa File

What embassies actually want when they ask for proof of your property in India, and how to avoid the query that delays your file.

Why they ask

A visa officer wants to know two things. Can you support yourself, and do you have reasons to return. Property in India answers both. But the officer has no way to judge what a flat in Delhi is worth, so they ask for a valuation from an approved valuer.

Two documents, two signatures

Most files need both, and people often do not realise they come from different professionals.

• Valuation report or certificate. Says what each property is worth. Signed by a registered valuer.
• Net worth certificate. Adds property to bank balances and investments, subtracts loans, certifies the total. Signed by a chartered accountant.

The query that delays files

The property shows at one figure in the valuation and a different figure in the net worth certificate. The officer sees two numbers for the same flat and raises a query.

It is entirely avoidable. Have the valuer and the accountant work from the same figure, which means having them talk to each other. We do this routinely.

Timing

Most offices want a valuation from within the last three to six months. Too old and it is rejected. Too early and it may go stale while your file waits.

Get it once your other paperwork is nearly ready. It takes 48 to 72 hours, so there is no need to rush it months ahead.

Multiple properties

List them in one certificate, each shown separately with its own value and a total at the end. It reads better than several separate documents and it is what most offices prefer.