Obtaining Your Visa

7/27/2019 Obtaining Your Visa

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Coventry UniversityInternational O fce

A Guide to Obtaining Your Visa

www.coventry.ac.uk/international


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ContentsIntroduction ............................................................................................. 3

Visa Requirements

EEA Student ................................................................................. 4

Overseas Students ....................................................................... 5

Other types o visas ................................................................................ 7

Health checks be ore your arrival in the UK ............................................ 8

Success ul visa applications ................................................................... 9

Unsuccess ul visa applications ............................................................. 10

Families ................................................................................................ 11


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Introduction

Congratulations on receiving your Certifcate o Acceptance to study at Coventry University .

You are now able to apply or your visa so that you are able to join us to study.

We are the Wel are team o International Student Advisors and provide help and assistance toInternational and European students on a range o areas including immigration . We hope that

the ollowing in ormation helps you through the process o success ully obtaining your visa .

I you eel con used about anything you read in this document or are unsure o your next steps

remember we are here to help . Please contact us by email at wel [email protected]

We look orward to welcoming you to Coventry in September .

Wel are Team

International Student Wel are TeamBack row: Le t to right: James Moran,

Laura Nicholas, Kavita CassidyFront row: Le t to right: Pav Thind,

Michelle Allden, Jennie Sharp



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Nationals o Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus, CzechRepublic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania,Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovak Republic:

As your country is part o the European Union you no longer need

to apply or entry clearance to come to the UK to study. However,

you may have to register as a worker i you have a job while you

are studying.

Visa (Entry Clearance) Requirements

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European Economic Area(EEA) Students

Depending on your nationality you may be required to obtain

entry clearance be ore you will be allowed to enter the UK as

a student. These pages will provide you with guidance on all

aspects o this part o your journey to Coventry.

Visa nationals:

All non EEA nationals must apply or entry clearance be ore

travelling to the UK i coming or a course lasting more than 6months. You can fnd more in ormation at:

www.ukba.homeo fce.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/adult-students

EEA, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway andSwiss nationals:

You do not need entry clearance to enter the UK to study. There

may be a brie passport/ID check when you arrive in the UK or

security purposes.


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Study below degree level (including a combined

o er o pre-sessional English o 12 weeks orless with an unconditional o er o study abovedegree level).

You need to have achieved at least CEFR B1 in all components

(reading, speaking, writing and listening) o a secure English

Language test.

Study above degree level

You need to have achieved at least CEFR B2 in all components

(reading, speaking, writing and listening) o a secure English

Language test, or as a higher education institution Coventry

University can make its own assessment to ensure you are at

level CEFR B2 in all components.

You should also be aware that the UKBA can check your English

language conversation upon arrival at any UK airport.

Once you have met all o the conditions o your o er including

deposit/proo o fnancial sponsorship, we confrm our Tier 4 visa

sponsorship to the UKBA through an online system. You are then

given a CAS re erence number. You use your CAS statement

confrming your CAS re erence number to make your student visaapplication.

NB - Obtaining a CAS is no guarantee that you will be granted a

visa. This is just one element o the procedure.

Overseas Students

I you do need a visa we understand that this can be an

intimidating prospect. Just remember that we are always here to

help with any queries that you may have about the process. We

want to make sure that your application is success ul so please

do not hesitate to contact us about your application.

You can only apply or your visa within 3 months o yourintended course start date. However, you should makesure that you meet all o the requirements in advance toprevent any problems arising. You should contact yournearest British Embassy, Consulate or High Commissionto fnd out how early you can submit your application, orcheck the UK visas website www.ukvisas.gov.uk

To apply or your visa you need to complete:

Application Form VAF9-PBS Migrant and PBS Appendix 8

General Student Sel -Assessment. Both orms can be ound at

www.ukvisas.gov.uk/resources

Please check the visa applications centres overseas page or

details o how to submit your application in your country.www.ukvisas.gov/en/howtoapply/wheretoapply

To be granted a visa (leave to enter the UK) as a ull time student,

you must pass a points based assessment and score 40

points to be issued with a visa. The points are broken down

like this:

30 points or Confrmation o Acceptance or Studies (CAS)

rom Coventry University, which includes a valid CAS re erence

number. Please note: Each CAS is only valid or 6 months and

can only be used once. I you apply using a used CAS you willbe automatically re used your visa.

10 points or showing that you have enough money to cover

the cost o your course, and your monthly living expenses in

the UK or up to 9 months. From April 2011 all students are required to show their English

Level profciency be ore the University is able to issue a valid

CAS re erence number.

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Calculating Overseas Money:

I you are using overseas currency, you willbe expected to show the closing balance inpounds sterling. The UKBA use the o fcialexchange rate on the OANDA website, whichcan be ound atwww.oanda.com/currency/converter We recommend you print and enclose thecurrency conversion with your application.

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Your fnances

The UKBA has specifed the amount o money that you will needto show be ore they grant you the 10 points or this section:

Length ocourse

Funds neededCoventry Campus

Funds neededLondon Campus

9 monthsor less

Course ees AND 800 or each month o the

course

Course ees AND1000 or each montho the course

More than9 months

First year o course ees AND 7,200 to cover 9months in the UK

Course ees AND900 or each montho the course

The UKBA will ask to see proo o the above in theorm o bank statements, a letter rom your bank or a

passbook showing amounts held on your bank account.This account must be in your name or your parents/ legal guardians name and unds must have been inyour account or 28 days. I using your parents/legalguardians account, you need to show evidence that youare related to them and that you have permission to usetheir money. This is usually by showing an original birthcertifcate and signed letter confrming your parents

are willing to sponsor you and that you are their sonor daughter.

The statement or letter should be dated no more than 28

days be ore the date o application. I you have an established

presence or studying in the UK you are only required to show

800 or 2 months, totalling 1600. You have an established

presence i you already have a valid student visa or the UK;

have completed a course o at least 6 months while using this

visa or are applying to continue on a course o which you have

completed at least 6 months.


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To apply or this visa you will need to make an application to your

nearest British High Commission or Embassy. You can get morein ormation rom the UK visas website: www.ukvisas.gov.uk

I you do obtain a prospective student visa please donot hesitate to contact us so that we can meet withyou when you are in the UK to discuss the courses wehave available and give you a tour o our Universityand accommodation.

Student visitor visa:

I you are coming to the UK to study a course or less than 6

months and do not need to work whilst in the UK you should

apply or this visa. This visa cannot be extended and you must

leave the UK when this visa expires. It is unlikely that this is

the correct visa or you i you are going to apply to study an

undergraduate or postgraduate course in the UK.

Overseas Banks

The UKBA have now issued in ormation about Banks rom whichthey will not accept proo o unds. These can be ound on the

UKBA website www.ukba.homeo fce.gov.uk or by ollowing the

link UKBA Banks .

Additional documents required or under18 year olds: Letter o parental consent

A 16 and 17 year old student has the legal right to live

independently in the United Kingdom, and so may make their own

arrangements or accommodation. However, he/she requires the

consent o his/her parent(s)/legal guardian to do this and to travelto the United Kingdom (i they are applying rom overseas).

Students who are 16 or 17 years old and living independently

must provide:

A letter rom their parent(s) or legal guardian, confrming:

1. the relationship between the parent(s) or legal guardian and

the child;

2. that the parent(s) or legal guardian have given their consent

to the application;


to the child student living independently in the United Kingdom;


to the child students independent travel to the United Kingdom.

The letter must confrm i the parent(s) or legal guardian has

custody or sole responsibility or the child. I they have sole

custody they must sign the letter. I they do not, the letter must

confrm that each parent or legal guardian agrees to the contents

o the letter and must be signed by each parent or legal guardian.

Other types o visas

Prospective student visa:

I you have not yet decided whether to accept your o er o

studies, or need to attend an interview be ore your o er is made

unconditional, you can apply to come to the UK on a prospective

student visa. This visa will be issued or a maximum o 6 months.

I you do decide to accept your o er during this time you can

change your visa to a ull student visa while you are in the UK.

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Visa application document checklist:

Here is a ull list o documents that youwill need to provide when you make yourapplication at the High Commission orEmbassy in your home country. Rememberthat all documents must be originals andtranslated into English by an authorisedtranslator.

Passport

CAS statement rom Coventry University

Proo o fnances

Documents assessed by Coventry Universitywhen issuing your CAS (Academic and Englishqualifcations). See the evidence used to obtaino er section o your CAS

Your biometric details; your fngerprints andull ace photos will be taken at the High

Commission or Embassy

Fee or application

Passport sized photographs

Payment details or your visa

ATAS certifcate (your CAS statement will state i you require this)


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Health checks be ore yourarrival in the UK

As a part o your visa application you may be asked to take part in

a medical examination. As such it may be wise to be aware o the

ollowing in ormation:

Tuberculosis:

I you are coming to study in the UK or more than 6 months

and you are rom a country where there is a high incident o TB

in ection, and you have not had a vaccination, you should have a

medical health check prior to entering the UK. You should bring a

doctors letter, and i required, a recent chest x-ray with you when

you travel.

Embassies in: Bangladesh Ghana (which also takes applications rom Burkina Faso,

Cote dIvoire, Togo and Niger). Kenya (which also takes applications rom residents o

Eritrea, Somalia, Democratic Republic o the Congo,

Rwanda, Uganda (visitor applications) and Tanzania) Pakistan Sudan, and Thailand (which also takes applications rom Cambodia

and Laos).

are already screening applicants who are coming to the UK or

more than 6 months. I you are tested and are ree rom TB you

will be issued with a visa confrming the same.

Other Immunisations:

The Department o Health has recommended vaccinationagainst Meningitis C ollowing outbreaks o the strain in university

students in the UK. This has resulted in a dramatic reduction

o the disease. The best time to have this vaccination is be ore

coming to university to allow enough time or immunity to develop.

You should approach your doctor at least two weeks, ideally one

month, be ore you are due to arrive. It is important to note that

this vaccination does not provide protection against other strains

o Meningitis. I you choose to have the vaccination you should

bring your vaccination certifcate or card with you.

I you are unable to have this done be ore you arrive you will be

able to obtain the vaccination here, when you have registered

with a doctor. Any questions you have about the vaccine are best

discussed with your amily doctor.

Usually by the time UK students have reached the age o

16 they will also have completed their immunisation against

diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus, polio, measles,

mumps, rubella and tuberculosis. It is best that you check your

immunisation status against these diseases be ore arrival.

I you have any medical notes that your doctorconsiders relevant e.g. cervical screening,

relevant past or amily history, you may want to

bring these with you to give to your new doctor.

This will be confdential between you and

your doctor.

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Success ul visa applications

I your application has been success ul you will be a given a

certifcate stamped in your passport giving you permission to

enter and stay in the UK. This will include the type o stay granted

(i.e. student), the length o stay, and any restrictions. It should

include the wording Work (and any changes) must be authorised

this gives you permission to work subject to the restrictions

applicable or students.

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You should ensure that you are given the correct entry clearance

as a student. I you are bringing amily with you they should begiven clearance as dependants.

You should also ensure that you are given the correct length o

stay according to the immigration rules in the table below.

Type o course Length o course Length o stayallowed

Main course o Study (includingSabbaticalO fcers)

Twelve monthsor more

The ull length o the course plus

our months a ter theend o the course

Six months or more,but less than twelvemonths

The ull length o the course plustwo months a ter theend o the course

Less than sixmonths

The ull length o the course plusseven days a ter theend o the course

Pre-sessionalcourses

Twelve monthsor more

The ull length o the course plus

our months a ter theend o the course

Six months or more,but less than twelvemonths

The ull length o the course plustwo months a ter theend o the course

Less than sixmonths

The ull length o the course plusone month a ter theend o the course


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Unsuccess ul visa applications

Do not travel to the UK i you have been re usedentry clearance, as you will almost certainly not beallowed to enter.

Un ortunately a ter the launch o Tier 4 in April 2009 there are

no longer appeal rights against the re usal o a student visa. Any

appeal rights have been replaced by a right to administrative

review, which means that your case will be looked at by another

Entry Clearance O fcer. It is unlikely that any decision will be

overturned, unless the entry clearance o fcer has made an

obvious error.

I you are re used and you have a CAS issued

rom us, the re usal is likely to be based on your

available unds. We strongly advise that i you

decide to apply or another visa that you assess

your available unds, and ensure you have

enough, to meet the requirements o the UKBA

as set out in the table on page 6.

In the unlikely event your application is re used, please scan or ax

a copy o your written re usal notice with the reasons you think thedecision was wrong, to the International O fce or the attention o

the International Student Adviser:

Email: re [email protected]

Fax: +44 (0)24 7615 2175

We will aim to get back to your email within 24 hours o receipt

(not including weekend) and hope to be able to advise whether

you should apply or administrative review or re-apply or your

visa. Please ensure you have included your ull name, course,

applicant number and contact details (email is pre erable) so thatwe can respond to you as soon as possible.

Getting urther help:

I you eel you need urther assistance you could approach:

A lawyer in your home country with specifc knowledge o the

UK immigration system The British Council in your home country:

www.britishcouncil.org

Your representative/agent A solicitor in the UK by looking at the Law Society website:

www.lawsociety.org.uk/home.law , go to Choosing

a solicitor

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For more in ormation about UK visasand living in the UK websites and

urther reading:

For urther in ormation about living in the UK and British

culture, please re er to the ollowing websites:

www.ukvisas.gov.uk

www.ukba.homeo fce.gov.uk

www.ukcisa.org.uk

www.educationuk.org

www.ukstudentli e.com

www.visitcoventry.co.uk www.visitbritain.com

www.enjoyengland.com

The ollowing books are also very use ul on UK culture

and li e:

Lonely Planet: Great Britain

David Else et al. (2011)

Lonely Planet Publications

The Rough Guide to Britain 7

Robert Andrews et al. (2008)Rough Guides Ltd

Watching the English: The Hidden Rules o

English Behaviour

Kate Fox (2008)

Hodder and Stoughton

The English: A Portrait o a People

Jeremy Paxman (2007)

Penguin Books

Notes rom a Small Island

Bill Bryson (1997)

Black Swan

Families

From July 2011 only students who are: studying postgraduate

courses or longer than 12 months or; are sponsored by their

government can invite their dependants to come into the UK

during their studies.

It is important to plan well ahead i you are bringing your

amily with you to the UK. You need to make sure that you

have organised:

Dependant visas or your amily members Accommodation or you and your amily Nursery/school places or your children

I you would like any advice or in ormation please contact an

International Student Adviser by email at

wel [email protected]

We hope that this in ormationhelps you to success ullyobtain your visa and join us tostudy at Coventry University.


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International O fceCoventry University Priory StreetCoventry CV1 5FB, United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 (0) 24 7615 2152Email: wel [email protected]

Fax: +44 (0) 24 7615 2175

Website: www.coventry.ac.uk/international

Obtaining Your Visa

Documents

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