This page explains how we check the facts on our visa and immigration pages.
Official sources first
High-risk factual claims — eligibility, fees, financial thresholds, processing times, validity, permitted activities, appeal rights, dependant rules, application methods and document requirements — are checked against official primary sources: the responsible government authority, ministry, embassy or consulate, official visa portal, or an officially appointed application service provider. Third-party sources may add context but are never the sole source for a high-risk claim and never override the official rules.
Recording what we checked
Time-sensitive figures are stored with the source name, a link to the official page, and the date the figure was verified. Each page records when its information was last verified and when it is next due for review, so you can see how current it is.
When sources are unclear
If official guidance is ambiguous, incomplete, or two official sources conflict, we do not resolve it by guesswork. We describe the uncertainty, link the official sources, and — where the point carries legal or immigration consequences — hold the page for specialist review before publishing.
What we do not do
We do not infer current legal requirements from old copy, generic knowledge, third-party blogs, search summaries or forum posts. We do not publish a specific fee or processing time that an official source does not give.
Corrections
If you believe a fact is out of date or wrong, please report a correction.