VISAs

How to get a VISA?

Please make sure that your passport is valid and that you have a visa (if you need one) prior to your travel date. It is best to have a passport that is valid for the entire duration of your stay in London in order to avoid having to renew your passport at the embassy in London. If you are not sure whether you need a visa please check with your local British embassy or view www.ukvisas.gov.uk

Immigration officers will try to check that you are a serious student they may look carefully at all your documentation. In particular they will want to ensure that you have sufficient money to support yourself during your stay here and that you will not need to work.

You will need to show your documentation from the school and information about your accommodation in London. Nationals from certain countries will require entry clearance prior to travelling to the UK.

UK Entry Requirements

To apply for permission to enter the UK as a student you must apply to your closest British High Commission/British Embassy. They will explain the application process and ask you to prove you meet the following requirements:

You need the following documents to submit along with supporting documents:

Your passport or travel document.

A recent passport-sized (45mm x 35mm), color photograph of yourself.

This should be:

• taken against a light-colored background
• clear and of good quality, and not framed or backed
• printed on normal photographic paper, and
• Full face and without sunglasses, hat or other head covering unless you wear this for cultural or religious reasons (but the face must not be covered).

The visa fee. This cannot be refunded and you must normally pay it in the local currency of the country where you are applying.

Supporting documents relevant to your application.

Supporting Documents to include with your application

You should include all the documents you can to show that you qualify for entry to the UK as a student. If you do not, we may refuse your application.

As a guide, you should include:

• any relevant diplomas or educational certificates that you have
• a letter from the university, college or school confirming that you have been accepted on a course of study and/or a period of research in the UK, and a statement of charges for the course and/or period of research (if appropriate)
• if you are following a certain type of postgraduate study, an ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) Certificate
• evidence of government sponsorship (if appropriate)
• bank statements, pay slips or other evidence to show that you can pay for your stay and your course of studies in the UK, and
• if you are being privately sponsored (for example, by a college in the UK) a letter from your sponsor giving details of how they will support you during your studies, and evidence

Police registration

Students from the European community need not register with the police, but all other students. If you are staying in the UK for more than six months, you must register with Borough Police Station. This can be found at:

Ground floor, Brandon house
180 Borough High Street
London SE1 1LH
Tel: 020 7230 1208
Nearest underground station: Borough (Northern Line)

Embassy registration

It is good idea to register with your embassy to London in case you lose your passport or have an accident. We have all the embassy address in the second so please ask anyone in the office for this.

Useful and Important Website:

• http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk