Visitor Application Refused, Help !!!

Hello Guys,

I need your help to analyse and advice about my friend's nephew application for a UK visitor visa to attend a training to be sponsored by his company.

He was given a letter of introduction detailing his position, type of employment, salary per year and also stating that they they will be sponsoring him to the one week course and the benefits of the training to him and the company. This is an IT organization.

But here are the wordings of the refusal:

In order to be able to make a decision on whether or not to grant you an entry clearance in this category I have taken into account your stated circumstances in Nigeria, the reasons for your visit and your proposed travel arrangements. You stated that you are employed as a software developer with XXXX limited earning N99K per month and that you have no family commitments. you also state you propose to travel alone to attend a course and have no friends or family in the UK. Given the statements you have made and the documentary evidence you have presented to support you application I am not satisfied that your circumstances in Nigeria, coupled with your reasons for wishing to travel to the UK, are such you have shown your intentions are stated or that you intend to leave the UK at the end of your proposed visit. I am therefore not satisfied that your application meets the requirements of paragraphs 41 (i) and (ii) of the immigration rules.

You have submitted a hotel booking for so so and so hotel via booking.com as evidence of accommodation in the UK. According to the website booking.com the hotel reservation has been cancelled. This leads me to doubt that your arranged accommodation is as claimed. therefore on the balance of probabilities, i am not satisfied that you will be maintained and accommodated in the UK without working or having recourse to public funds or are able to meet the cost of return or an onward journey as required by paragraph 41 (vi) and (vii) of HC395.

I have therefore refused your application because I am not satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, that you meet all of the requirements of the relevant paragraph of the UK immigration Rules.

I agree that the ECO has a point about the cancelled hotel bookings though but I would have thought that should have been the only ground for refusal but to start to make decisions based on the person's circumstances in Nigeria who is working and the company is sponsoring him...how can that be...I am fed up with this UK ECO's judgement.

Just before you ask me though...he submitted the following documents:
1. Letter of introduction from his company
2. Letter of awards of training from the training organization
3. To who it may concern letter from the training organization
4. Receipt of payment for the one week training

According to him he submitted his payslips, 6 statement of accounts and also financial statement form the company.

What should he do or what other documents should he need to re-apply, the training school has agreed to shift training to another date?

So why was the booking cancelled? why if your friend has a nephew did the applicant say they had no friends and family in the UK?

Thanks for your response ... the booking being cancelled was a mistake from the HR, there was a an issue with the credit card as they were unable to take out money ... that is about the info i have got.

My friend is not in the UK so hence his nephew, more so this person cannot claim to have known me either as I haven't met him personally before. hence no family or friends.

The Company has decided to let it go for now as they don't want to be seen as being desperate to push him to the UK ... They will be looking forward in the nearest future to get it.

Already a sponsorship letter and original financial statement documents from the company have been advised to be part of the supporting documents ... hopefully they will get it right next time.

Thanks for your contribution once again.