new visa guide
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A Guide to Obtaining your Tier 4 (General) Visa OverseasTRANSCRIPT
A GUIDE TO OBTAINING YOUR TIER 4 (GENERAL) VISA OVERSEAS
For students starting a new course at the University of Bedfordshire and students continuing on a course at the University of Bedfordshire
How to use this guide:
Read this Guide along with the University of Bedfordshire’s document ‘Credibility Interviews: Information and Advice’ and ‘Sample documents’.
Contents
Section 1: Introduction - Applying for a Visa under Tier 4 of the Points-based System..............................................3
Section 2: When You Can Apply......................4
Section 3: Visa Application Process
3.1 Apply for ATAS Certificate................................4 3.2 Prepare Supporting Documents.......................53.3 Receive your CAS.............................................53.4 Tuberculosis Test...............................................53.5 Complete Application and Pay Fees.................53.6 Visa Application Centre ....................................63.7 Attend Credibility Interview..............................63.8 Visa is Granted or Refused...............................73.9 Collect Supporting Documents, Check Visa details and Travel to the UK..............................73.10 Collect Residence Permit (BRP)......................7
Section 4: Low Risk Applicants......................8
Section 5: Documents Needed to Apply for a Tier 4 Visa Outside the UK........8
Section 6: Meeting the Maintenance (Financial) Requirement
6.1 Tuition Fees.......................................................96.2 Living Expenses................................................96.3 University Accommodation..............................96.4 Submitting the Correct Document..................106.4.1 Funding Yourself or Funding from Parents...106.4.2 Using a Bank Loan.......................................116.4.3 Funding from your Government and other forms of Financial Sponsorship.....................116.5 Currency Conversion......................................126.6 CHECKLIST – Other Documents....................12
Section 7: Other Documents Required to Obtain your Tier 4 Visa
7.1 Previous Qualifications and Proof of English Language Ability................................................137.2 Translations.......................................................137.3 Passport Photograph........................................137.4 CHECKLIST – Other Documents......................14
Section 8: Other Rules
8.1 The 5-Year Study Rule......................................158.2 Academic Progression.....................................15
Section 9: Dependants.....................................15
Section 10: Tier 4 Doctorate Extension Scheme...........................................16
Sections 11: Avoiding Refusals
11.1 Maintenance...................................................1611.2 Documents.....................................................1611.3 Credibility Interviews......................................1611.4 Date of Application..........................................17
Section 12: If your Visa is Refused or Returned as Invalid.....................17
Section 13: Change of Circumstances Before Travel....................................18
Section 14: Change of Circumstances After Travel..............................................18
Section 15: Useful Links and Contacts........19
2 A Guide to Obtaining your Tier 4 (General) Visa www.beds.ac.uk/international
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Section 1: Introduction: Applying for a Visa under Tier 4 of the Points-based System
International students from non–EEA countries are required to apply for a Tier 4 visa if the main purpose of them coming to the UK is to study for more than 6 months. The University of Bedfordshire is licensed to sponsor students under Tier 4 of the points-based system and our Sponsor Licence Number is DA8AR2CH7. Your eligibility for a Tier 4 visa will be assessed using a points-based system from which you will need to gain the following points:
• 30 Points relating to obtaining a valid CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies – issued by the University)
• 10 Points for meeting the maintenance requirement
If you do not obtain 40 points, your visa application will be refused.
In addition to scoring the required points for your visa application, you will also be required to attend and pass a ‘credibility interview’, which UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) will use to assess whether you are a genuine student, or whether you are attempting to come to the UK for some other purpose.
Once you have fulfilled all conditions of your offer to study, we will contact new students to help you prepare for your visa application.
Continuing students should follow the CAS request process found here. You should request a CAS 12 weeks before you are due to recommence study. The university will help you prepare your application.
Tier 4 of the Points-Based Immigration System places responsibilities on all students and their universities across the UK. Details of these responsibilities can be found on this page.
A Guide to Obtaining your Tier 4 (General) Visa www.beds.ac.uk/international
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Section 3: Visa Application Process
What you need to do:
1) Apply for ATAS Clearance Certificate (if applicable)2) Prepare bank statements and ensure you have other supporting documents3) Receive a CAS from the University of Bedfordshire4) Take a Tuberculosis test (if applicable)5) Make your Visa application online and pay fees (including Immigration Health Surcharge)6) Book appointment at Visa Application Centre (VAC) and attend appointment Provide biometric information7) Attend credibility interview if required8) Visa decision is made9) Collect supporting documents, check visa details and travel to the UK10) Collect Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) once you arrive in the UK
Section 2: When You Can Apply
You can apply for a Tier 4 visa up to a maximum of 3 months before your course is due to start. Continuing students can apply up to 3 months before they are due to recommence their studies. The start date of your course is written on your CAS letter. For example, if the start date of your course stated on your CAS is 19 September 2016, you must not apply for your Tier 4 visa before 19 June 2016.
Please note: Applications made more than three months before the start date of the course are automatically refused.
3.1 Apply for ATAS Clearance Certificate (if applicable)
For some specialist courses, an ATAS (Academic Technology Approved Scheme) certificate may be necessary. If you do require an ATAS certificate you will need to apply for, and obtain it before you submit your visa application. To find out more, or to apply for an ATAS, please follow this link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-out-if-you-require-an-atas-certificate
You will see that in order to find out whether you require an ATAS certificate, you will need to refer to the JACS code, which is stated on your offer letter. If you are a continuing student who needs to extend your stay, you will need to apply for a new ATAS certificate if you previously had one.
A Guide to Obtaining your Tier 4 (General) Visa www.beds.ac.uk/international
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3.7 Attend Credibility Interview if Required
You must be prepared to attend an interview conducted in English as part of your visa application process. The purpose of these interviews is to assess whether the main reason for you wishing to come to the UK is to study.
If you are unable to attend the interview or the Entry Clearance Officer is not satisfied you are coming to the UK to study they are authorised to refuse you.
You must refer to our document ‘Credibility Interviews: Information and Guidance‘, and to the ‘Common Reasons for Refusal’ section of this document (Section 11.3) for more information about these interviews before you apply for your visa.
If, after reading these documents, you are at all unsure about any aspect of the credibility interview process, you should not apply for your visa. Instead, you should contact the university (see section 15 for contact details).
You will need to pay the application fee. The cost of applying for a Tier 4 visa outside the UK is currently £335.
You will also need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS).All students have to pay an IHS to use the National Health Service. This is mandatory and if you decide to take out private healthcare insurance, this is your own decision and you will still have to pay the IHS. It is currently £150 per year for the duration of your visa. You will have to pay for the whole duration of your studies as a part of your visa application process. See the following overview for further information: Healthcare Overview
If your visa application is refused, this money will automatically be refunded without you needing to take any further action.
3.6 Book Appointment at Visa Application Centre and Attend Appointment. Provide Biometric Information.
Next you should book an appointment at a Visa Application Centre and attend the appointment. You will need to have your fingerprints and photograph (known as ‘biometric information’) taken at the centre as part of your application. You may also have to attend a credibility interview (see 3.7).
You will need to submit your documents at the centre or alternatively, you may be required to post these after your biometrics have been taken.
A Guide to Obtaining your Tier 4 (General) Visa www.beds.ac.uk/international
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3.8 Visa Decision is Made
You will receive a letter confirming the outcome of your application. If your visa application is successful, you will be given a vignette (a sticker) in your passport, which is valid for 30 days. This is so you can travel to the UK. If you do not travel within that 30 days, you will have to apply for another 30 day visa. You will also be given a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) as proof of your leave and conditions of stay. This will be given to you on your arrival in the UK.
If your visa is refused, you must email us a copy of the refusal notice immediately so we can advise you. For more details, see section 12.
3.9 Collect Supporting Documents, Check Visa Details and Travel to the UK
Your supporting documents will either be returned by post or awaiting collection at the visa application centre (VAC).
When you receive your visa it is important to check it. If you have been issued a 30 day vignette then you should check that the information in the accompanying letter is correct. You should check it has been granted for the correct length of time. You are normally granted additional time on your visa. The table below will help you understand how long your Tier 4 visa should be granted for:
Course Length Visa Duration
12 months or more Course length + 4 months
6 - 12 months Course length + 2 months
Up to 6 months Course length + 7 days
Pre-sessional study only Course length + 1 month
Your visa should also state your personal details that you are a Tier 4 (General) Student and the Sponsor Licence number of the University of Bedfordshire, which is DA8AR2CH7. If this is not stated on your visa, please contact the university before your travel (see section 15 for contact details).
If you are required to register with the police on your arrival to the UK it will be written on your visa or on the visa decision letter. If it states this, you will need to register with the police within 7 days of arrival. You can seek advice on this from the International Office once you are here. Failure to register within the specified time period could result in future visa applications being refused as the UKVI will consider you to have breached visa regulations.
After you have registered, you must notify the police:
a) if you change your address, within 7 days of the change occurringb) if any of the circumstances stipulated on your certificate of registration alter, within 8 working days of the change occurring
3.10 Collect Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)
On arrival at the university, you must present your passport or travel documents with your vignette at the International Office in order to collect your BRP. This must be collected within 10 days of your arrival in the UK. Please note, if you choose to collect your BRP from a post office, you must also collect it within 10 days of your arrival. Please refer to your visa decision letter for more information.
A Guide to Obtaining your Tier 4 (General) Visa www.beds.ac.uk/international
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Section 4: A note for Low Risk Applicants
To be considered a ‘low risk’ applicant you must be applying to study with an institution with a Tier 4 Sponsor status, such as the University of Bedfordshire, and be a national of one of the countries listed below. You must also either be in the UK at the time of your application or applying in your country of nationality. The current list of low risk nationalities is as follows:
Argentina; Australia; Barbados; Botswana; Brunei; Canada; Chile; Hong Kong; Japan; Malaysia: New Zealand; Oman; Qatar; Singapore; South Korea; Taiwan**; Trinidad and Tobago; USA; United Arab Emirates; British nationals (overseas)
**(If you hold a passport issued by Taiwan it must include your residence card number)
If you are classified as a ‘low risk’ applicant you will not be required to submit documents proving your qualifications or financial status with your application. However, please be aware that you could still be required to submit them on request, so you must still prepare documents in the same way as non low-risk nationals. If you fail to provide these documents upon request, your visa will be refused.
Section 5: Documents Needed to Apply for a Tier 4 visa Outside the UK
• CAS letter from University of Bedfordshire • Documents to prove you meet the maintenance requirement (see Section 6):• Bank Statement to show funds held in a UK or overseas bank account for at least 28 days• If you are using parents’ bank statements, you will need additional documents: birth certificate, letter from your parent(s) or Scholarship/sponsorship Letter (if applicable) or evidence of loan• Current passport - you will need to have a blank page in your passport on which to put your visa• Any previous UK visas • Any previous passports • 1 recent passport size photograph (see https://www.gov.uk/photos-for-passports)
• ATAS certificate (if required) • Your Tuberculosis test results if you are from a country where you have to take the test• Qualifications used to assess your place on your course as stated on your CAS letter (see section 7.1) (this may not be necessary for continuing students)• Evidence of your English language ability as stated on your CAS letter (see section 7.1) (this may not be necessary for continuing students• Police registration certificate (if required)• Proof of parental or other legal guardian consent if you are under 18• If any documents are not in English, an official translation (see section 7.2)
Please note: All documents provided must be originals, no photocopies or scanned copies are permitted!
A Guide to Obtaining your Tier 4 (General) Visa www.beds.ac.uk/international
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Section 6: Meeting the Maintenance (Financial) Requirement
To obtain your visa you must gain 10 points for meeting the maintenance requirement. To gain these 10 points you will need to show that you have access to sufficient funds to pay your tuition fees and your living expenses. To demonstrate this you will need to show that you have had access to the amount of money required to pay your tuition fees and your living expenses for at least 28 days before you make your application. The full amount for living expenses and tuition fees (if you have not already paid them) must be reflected in the account for a minimum of 28 consecutive days. The amount must not drop below the required level during this 28 day period.
This section helps you understand how much money you will need to show that you have maintained for 28 days.
Calculating the Amount of Money you Must Prove you have Access to:
6.1 Tuition Fees
Your CAS letter will state your total course tuition fee and how much of this you have already paid to the University. It will also state whether you have received a scholarship towards your fees.
Any outstanding fee not covered by your CAS will automatically be added to the amount you have to show you have access to in order to meet the maintenance requirement. You must therefore make sure that the total amount you have paid is correctly reflected on your CAS letter at the time of your visa application.
Tip: To calculate the amount you will have to show to cover your course fees you should subtract the amount of fees you have already paid, plus any scholarship awarded to you, from the ‘course fee per year’ as stated on your CAS letter. E.g. Course fee per year = £9,900, Course fees paid to date = £7,000, Vice Chancellor scholarship = £1,400, Amount you have to show you have access to = £1,500.
6.2 Living Expenses
You are required to have access to £1,015 per month if your course is less than nine months, or a maximum of £9,135 if your course duration is nine months or longer. All University of Bedfordshire Bachelor and Master’s courses are longer than nine months and therefore require access to £9,135 to be proven.
Continuing students may need to show less if they are required to study for less than nine months. We strongly recommend maintaining £9,135 unless a lower amount is confirmed.
6.3 University Accommodation
If you have paid towards University accommodation the amount you have paidshould be stated on your CAS letter. Any amount paid for University accommodation, up to a maximum of £1,265, can be deducted from the amount you are required to show for your living expenses.
Example: If your course is longer than 9 months, you have to show access to £9,135 in your/your parent’s bank account for 28 days. But if you have paid £3,000 for University accommodation, and this is stated on your CAS, you will only need to show £7,870 for living expenses as the maximum of £1,265 from your accommodation payment will be deducted from the amount you are required to show.
A Guide to Obtaining your Tier 4 (General) Visa www.beds.ac.uk/international
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Proving you have Access to the Required Amount:
6.4 Submitting the Correct Document
6.4.1 Funding Yourself or Funding From Parents
If you are funding your own studies or if your parents are funding your studies, you can submit an original bank statement, bank letter or passbook.
The document must state your name or at least one of your parent’s names, the account number, the date the statement or letter was issued, and the financial institution’s name and logo.
You must show that the funds have been held in your account for at least 28 days consecutively (without a gap, e.g. 1 February – 28 February) prior to your application.
The 28 days will be measured as ending on the date the statement is printed.
The period covered by the statement must not have ended more than 31 days before you apply for the visa. For example, if you apply for your visa on 31 July 2016, the last date covered by the statement must be between 1 July 2016 and 31 July 2016.
Please note:
• If the balance falls even by £1 below the required level of funds during the 28-day period, your application will fail and you will be refused. • Company bank statements will not be accepted. • All bank statements that are not in English will need to be submitted with a certified translation.• Online bank statements must be authenticated and stamped on every page by the issuing bank.
• The document must prove that the funds are available to you. Therefore, fixed-term bonds and other fixed-term accounts will not be accepted. If your account is a long- term fixed-deposit account, which requires you to leave money in for a certain period of time in order to get a high interest rate, but you can withdraw money from the account instantly at any time, you must get a letter from your bank which confirms that the money is available to you at any time for study in the UK and submit that with your bank statement. • Your financial documents will be checked by the University of Bedfordshire staff to ensure they meet the UKVI requirements. You must submit the documents approved by the university. • You must leave the money that you have maintained for the fees and living expenses in your bank account after you submit your visa application. Failure to do so will result in your Tier 4 visa application being refused.
If you are Relying on Money held by your Parent, you must also Submit:
1 Your original birth certificate proving they are your parent and
2 A letter written by your parent(s) confirming your relationship and that they consent to the money being used by you for your studies in the UK.
Please note: A bank statement from any other family member such as grandparents, uncle, aunt, brother or sister is NOT acceptable!
A Guide to Obtaining your Tier 4 (General) Visa www.beds.ac.uk/international
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Approved Financial Institutions:
There are lists of both approved and unapproved financial institutions for some countries. You must check that the bank in which the money is held is on the list of approved institutions.
The list is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immi-gration-rules/immigration-rules-appen-dix-p-lists-of-financial-institutions
If the bank you are using is on the list of unapproved financial institutions you must not apply for your visa. If you do apply, your visa will be refused. Instead, you must contact the University (see section 15) . If the bank you are using is not on either list, you must contact the University.
6.4.2 Using a Bank Loan
You may be using a bank loan to fund your studies in the UK. If this is the case, you must submit an original letter on headed paper from a regulated financial institution which is dated no more than 6 months before the date of your application and which states:
• your name; and • the date of the letter; and• the financial institution’s name and logo; • the money available as a loan; • that the loan is provided by your national government, their state or regional government, a government sponsored student loan company, or is part of an academic or educational loans scheme.
The financial institution must be regulated by either the Financial Conduct Authority, the Prudential Regulatory Authority or, in the case of overseas accounts, by the home regulator (the official regulatory body for the country the financial institution is in and where the money is held) for the purpose of student loans. You cannot use loans held in the name of your parent(s) or legal guardian(s) as evidence of money held by you.
There must be no conditions placed on the release of the loan funds to you, other than your Tier 4 application being successful.
The university will check your financial documents before you make your visa application. Ensure you submit only the documents the University has approved.
6.4.3 Funding from your Government and other forms of Financial Sponsorship
Financial sponsorship is where you are given money to cover some or all of your course fees and/or living costs. This financial sponsorship can be used as evidence of money you have. You can receive official financial sponsor from the British Government, your home government, the British Council or any international organisation, international company, university or an Independent School.
You will need to submit an original officially-headed letter from your sponsor which must have the official stamp of that organisation on it. It must state your name, the name and contact details of your sponsor, the date of the letter, and the duration of your sponsorship. The letter will need to state that your sponsor will cover all your living expenses and your tuition fees. The UKVI will normally contact the sponsor so please ensure that contact details of an individual are given and that provision is made if the individual is absent.
If your financial sponsor is only covering some of your course fees or living costs, you must show that you have the rest of the money needed to meet the total tuition fee and living cost requirements (see sections 6.1 – 6.3). If your financial sponsor is only sponsoring you for a short period of your studies, or your financial sponsorship ended within 12 months of your visa application being made, you will need your sponsor’s permission to stay in or re-enter the UK until the end of your studies.For more information about acceptable ways of showing that you have this money, please refer to sections 6.4.1 (Funding from yourself or parents) and 6.4.2 (Using a bank loan), above. The University will check your financial documents before you make your visa application. Ensure you submit only the documents the university has approved.
A Guide to Obtaining your Tier 4 (General) Visa www.beds.ac.uk/international
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Section 7: Other Documents Required to Obtain your Tier 4 Visa
7.1 Previous Qualifications and Proof of English Language Ability
Your CAS letter will state the qualifications the university has used to offer you a place on your course. You will need to submit your original official certificate or transcript of results for each previous qualification mentioned, as stated on your CAS letter.
You will also need to submit the original certificate confirming your English language qualification that is mentioned on your CAS. If your CAS letter does not mention an English qualification, and states that no evidence of your English language ability is required because the University has assessed your English to be at level B2, then you do not need to provide any further evidence of this.
If your name has changed since your qualification documents were issued, you must provide proof of your name change so that the Entry Clearance Officer has proof that you are the person mentioned on the documents. This may be a marriage certificate or other legal document, along with your birth certificate.
Most continuing students will not need to show their qualifications but please check your CAS letter. If they are on your CAS letter, you will need to show them.
7.2 Translations
If any of the documents you submit are not in English (or Welsh) you will need to submit an official original translation as well as your original certificate. This must include confirmation from the translator/translation company that it is an accurate translation of the original document, the date of translation, the name and signature of the translator or official from the translation company, as well as the translator or translation company’s contact details. You must always use a translator who is officially authorised to translate documents according to the law of the country from which the documents are produced and where the documents are translated. The UKVI may independently verify the translations.
7.3 Passport Photograph
This must have been taken in the past month and be on a plain cream or light grey background. Please write your full name on the back of the photo. For more details, please see:
https://www.gov.uk/photos-for-passports
A Guide to Obtaining your Tier 4 (General) Visa www.beds.ac.uk/international
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Are the details on my CAS correct?
Have I included my previous academic qualifications as stated on my CAS?
Have I included proof of my English academic qualifications as stated on my CAS?
Have I included any necessary financial documents? (See section 6)
Do any of my documents need translating? If yes, are they translated correctly, and by an authorised translator?
Do I require an ATAS certificate? If yes, have I got the certificate that shows I am cleared for travel?
Do I require a TB check? If yes, have I got the certificate that shows I am cleared for travel? Is my passport photo in the correct format? Do I have the other necessary documents? (Current passport, previous UK visas and any previous passports, police registration certificate, consent from my parents/legal guardian if under 18)
A Guide to Obtaining your Tier 4 (General) Visa www.beds.ac.uk/international
7.4 CHECKLIST – Other Documents
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Section 8: Other Rules that may affect you8.1 The 5-Year Study Rule
Study on a Student or Tier 4 visa at Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree level (NQF levels 6 or 7) is restricted to 5 years in the UK. This means that if you have studied at degree level or above in the UK previously, the full length of the leave you have previously been granted will be added to the length of time you are granted for your new course or extension. If this exceeds 5 years you will not be granted your visa.
If, however, you previously studied a Bachelor’s degree with a minimum expected length of 4 years stated on your original CAS and now you wish to apply for a Master’s degree, the total length of time you can study on a Tier 4 (or Student) visa in the UK is increased to 6 years. Please note that any study undertaken under any other visa category (e.g. a Dependant visa or a Tier 2 work visa) does not count towards the time limit.
The 8 year Study Rule:If you have already completed a PhD, Postgraduate Research or Research Master’s Degree in the UK, the next Tier 4 Visa you apply for must not lead you to exceed 8 years in the UK on a Tier 4 or Student Visa. More details are available here:
http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/Informa-tion--Advice/Visas-and-Immigration/Tier-4-eligibility-and-requirements#lay-er-3002
8.2 Academic Progression
If you have previously studied in the UK, your new course must constitute academic progression from your previous course of study in order for you to be permitted to study the course on a Tier 4 visa. Your new course must normally be above the level of the previous course for which you were given Tier 4 leave.
If your new course is at the same level, it may exceptionally be considered to represent academic progression. If, for example, you have previously studied a Master’s degree and are coming to study another Master’s degree you must be prepared to explain how the new course is related to your previous course (part of the same group of courses or a deeper specialisation in a specific subject area) or how the previous course and the new course in combination support your career aspirations. The University will ask you to explain this before you are issued a CAS letter and you will need to do so again when you are interviewed by the UK Visas and Immigration.
Section 9: Dependants
If you have dependants and would like to know if they are eligible to join you during your studies and the documents they will need to apply for their visa, information is available via the following link: About family members
A Guide to Obtaining your Tier 4 (General) Visa www.beds.ac.uk/international
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Section 10: Tier 4 Doctorate Extension SchemeThis is designed to give students who have almost finished their UK PhD or other doctorate qualification an additional 12 months of Tier 4 (General) immigration permission in which to look for and start work in the UK. You can only apply in the UK under this scheme and you must apply before the end of your PhD course. If you wish to apply for this, you need to be on a Tier 4 visa (General) and you will need further sponsorship under the Tier 4 Points-based System. For more information, please see this page.
Section 11: Avoiding Refusals
Common reasons for refusal/avoiding refusalsBased on our experience, the most common reasons Tier 4 visa applications are refused are as follows.
11.1 Maintenance
1. The maintenance document did not meet all the requirements.
2.The correct amount of money was not maintained for a full 28 days leading up to the visa application.
We check all maintenance documents to ensure they meet the requirements. You must submit the document we have checked and approved.
11.2 Documents
The original documents were not submitted. A photocopy is NOT acceptable.
11.3 Credibility Interviews
The visa applicant did not know:
• Why they are coming to the UK to study the course instead of staying in their home country or going to another country such as the USA or Australia.• Why they chose the University of Bedfordshire instead of others and what facilities the University offers.• Where in the UK the university is.• Why they have chosen the course they have applied for.• What is taught on the course they have applied for and how it is assessed.• What they expect to learn on the course.• What their intention is when they finish the course and how their studies fit into this.• Why the qualification will help the applicant fulfil their career dreams more effectively than if they did not have the qualification.• How the applicant is funding their studies.• Why the course will be financially profitable – why it is worthwhile spending so much on the course and how it will allow the applicant to regain the money they have spent.• Why they are returning to study after a gap in studies. • Where they plan to live during their studies.
A Guide to Obtaining your Tier 4 (General) Visa www.beds.ac.uk/international
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If you are not sure you could confidently answer any of these questions when you are asked, you should not apply for your visa. You must be sure of the answer to these questions before you apply. You must refer to the University of Bedfordshire’s ‘Credibility Interviews: Information and Advice’ document for further guidance before you apply for your visa.
11.4 Date of Application
The application is submitted too late. You must allow at least 6 weeks for your visa application to be processed. If the latest start date on your CAS has passed by the time the Entry Clearance Officer processes your application, you will be refused.
By following the guidance in this booklet and our accompanying guide to Credibility Interviews we are hopeful you will avoid a visa refusal on these grounds.
Please note that if you at any time use false representation/ false documentation on your visa application, the Entry Clearance Officer may refuse your application under paragraph 320 7 (a) or 320 7 (b) of the UK Immigration Rules, which may also result in you being banned from gaining entry clearance to the UK for up to 10 years. An example of this is failing to declare a previous visa application refusal (to the UK or any other country).
Section 12: If your Visa is Refused or Returned as InvalidIf your visa application is refused you will receive a refusal notice explaining the reasons for the refusal. If you are refused you must email the refusal notice to us (see Section 15 for contact details). We can then provide specialist advice.
You can decide if you would like to challenge the decision by submitting a request for an Administrative Review. An Administrative Review involves a different Entry Clearance Officer reviewing your application with a view to either overturning the original decision and granting your visa or affirming the original decision. You will have to submit any request for Administrative Review within 28 days of the date of your refusal.
Any new documents submitted with an Administrative Review will not be taken into consideration. An Administrative Review will be based solely on the documents you initially submitted when you applied for your Tier 4 visa.
The second option may be to submit a fresh Tier 4 application. This is only an option if the University of Bedfordshire is able and willing to issue you a new CAS.
In some cases visa applications are returned as invalid. This is different from a refusal. It indicates that the UKVI are dissatisfied with the application package to the extent that they will not even consider your visa application.
The document you receive telling you that the application has been considered invalid will also indicate why it was considered invalid. It will usually be because important documents are missing from the application, or because satisfactory payment has not been made for the visa application. If this occurs, you will be viewed by the UKVI as having made no application for a visa.
If your application is returned as invalid, you must email the notice to us (see Section 15 for contact details). We can then provide specialist advice.
If, after consultation with the International Office, it is decided that you should submit a fresh application, you should ensure that you declare in your new application that you had previously applied for a visa but that the application was returned as invalid.
A Guide to Obtaining your Tier 4 (General) Visa www.beds.ac.uk/international
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Section 13: Change of Circumstances before Travel
If you are not able to arrive in time for your course, or if you will not be in a position to start studying when you arrive in the UK, or you do not think you will be able to sustain study for the duration of your course without any problems you must let us know before you travel, by emailing the email address from which you received your CAS.
We can then advise you whether travel to the UK using your Tier 4 visa is still permitted. If travelling is considered to be risky, further advice will be offered. If you are not able to study you must not travel.
If you have not yet travelled to the UK but have obtained a visa, you may be allowed to defer your studies, depending on circumstances. But if your deferral will result in you being
unable to complete the course of study within the period of time for which your visa has been issued, your visa sponsorship will be withdrawn by the university and you will be required to obtain a new visa, based on a new CAS, at a later date (in accord with paragraph 6.24b of Document 2 of the Tier 4 of the Points-based System Guidance for Sponsors Version 04/16).
It cannot be guaranteed that you will be successful in your second visa application. Therefore, we do not recommend you undertaking this process if it can be avoided.
If you experience a change in circumstances, you should also consult our tuition fee policy for information on any fees you have paid:
Fees and Scholarships
Section 14: Change of Circumstances after Travel If you have any reason to believe you will not be able to start your studies when you reach the UK, you should not travel.
However, if your circumstances change after you have travelled, you should come and see us in the International Office immediately.
You may be allowed to defer your studies, but only in exceptional circumstances. The university will withdraw our sponsorship of you with the UKVI. You must return to your home country and provide proof to us that you have done so.
A Guide to Obtaining your Tier 4 (General) Visa www.beds.ac.uk/international
The UKVI will be aware that you must return home, and they will know whether you have done so by means of your passport record. To return to the UK, you will be required to obtain a new visa, based on a new CAS, at a later date. It cannot be guaranteed that you will be successful in your second visa application. Therefore, we do not recommend you undertaking this process if it can be avoided.
If you experience a change in circumstances, you should also consult our tuition fee policy for information on any fees you have paid: Fees and Scholarships
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Section 15: Useful Links and Contacts
UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) website:
Student Visas Overview
UKCISA (UK Council for International Student affairs)website:
UK Council for International Student Affairs
University of Bedfordshire:
Visas and Immigration Guidance
Oanda Currency Converter:
Currency Converter
If you are starting a new course, any queries should be sent to your admissions team. See the following link for more info:
International Admissions Contacts
If you are continuing a course, any queries should be sent to:
A Guide to Obtaining your Tier 4 (General) Visa www.beds.ac.uk/international
Date of publication: April 2016
Every effort is made to ensure that the information in this guide is accurate at the time of publication. However, regulations relating to Tier 4 visas can change and this guide should be read alongside current UK Visas and Immigration applicant guidance. The content is provided for information only. It is not intended to amount to advice upon which you should rely. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking or refraining from any action on the basis of the content of this site.
While all reasonable care and diligence has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information in this guide, the University of Bedfordshire does not warrant its accuracy and disclaims any liability, legal or otherwise, resulting in any injury, damage, direct or indirect loss (which is not foreseeable), consequential or economic loss, or any other loss suffered as a result of the use or reliance upon information contained in this guide to the extent that such losses are foreseeable. Nothing in these terms of use excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury arising from our negligence or our fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation or any other
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liability that cannot be limited by English law.