Guide to the online application form for students applying from INSIDE the UK

Transcription

1 Tier 4 (General) visa Guide to the online application form for students applying from INSIDE the UK Published March The Student dvice Service has taken every reasonable effort to ensure the accuracy and currency of this document. Information can change at very short notice, so we ask that you seek further advice from us before acting on this information. The Student dvice Service does not take any responsibility for the content of external websites. Please contact us for text only and alternative formats of this document.

2 Contents 2 Introduction 2 Student dvice Service seeking help 3 Registering for a UK Visas & Immigration account 7 Creating your Tier 4 application form 11 ccessing your Visa4UK account 13 Completing your visa application form 13 Viewing your application form 14 Section 1: Passport and Travel Information 16 Section 2: Personal Details and Travel History 19 Section 3: Family Details 20 Section 4: Medical Treatment 21 Section 5: Tier 4 Student 28 Section 6: dditional Information 29 Finishing your online application form 31 Selecting a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) collection location 35 Booking an appointment at a visa application centre 39 Immigration Health Surcharge 39 Submitting your visa application and paying the fee 43 Printing your visa application form 43 What happens next? 1

3 Introduction This guide is for students applying for their Tier 4 (General) visa from outside the UK. It gives step-by-step instructions on how to complete the online Tier 4 (General) visa application form. Before you read this guide, please read our separate guide Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements, which will help you to make essential preparations. You may find our other guides on Tier 4 (General) visas to be useful, which can all be found at Student dvice Service seeking help This guide has been produced by UL s Student dvice Service. Student dvice Service Your money and immigration specialists Telephone: +44 (0) student.advisers@arts.ac.uk Visit us: search student advice service on arts.ac.uk for our locations Please contact us if you have any questions about making your visa application, ensuring that you always include your UL Student ID number. We are the only staff at UL who are qualified to give visa and immigration advice. We give this advice free of charge. If you have an issue which is outside our level of competence, you may wish to seek assistance from an immigration adviser regulated by the Office of Immigration Services Commissioner: Some advisers do charge a fee - check beforehand. 2

4 Registering for a UK Visas & Immigration account You will make your Tier 4 visa application on the Visa4UK website: 1. Go to 2. Click Register an ccount. 3

5 3. Enter your details. Select the language in which you would like helpful tips to be displayed. 4. Scroll down and enter your contact and address details: 4

6 5. Scroll down and create a password, which you will use to access your Visa4UK account in the future: 6. Click Register. 7. You will then see: 8. You will then receive an ! If you can t see the in your inbox, check your junk and spam folders. 9. Click the link in the . 5

7 10. The following page will appear in your browser, confirming that registration is complete and your UK Visas & Immigration account has been created. 6

8 Creating your Tier 4 visa application form 1. Go to 2. Click Login. 7

9 3. You will see: 4. Enter your address and password, and click Log in. 5. You will then see: 6. Click pply For Myself. 7. On the next screen click Continue. 8

10 8. You will then see: B C 9. Enter your details. This is the date you intend to travel to the UK. If your course is six months or longer (or you will be doing a presessional course of less than six months), your visa will start one month before your course start date or seven days before your intended date of travel, whichever is later. If your course is less than six months and is not a presessional course, your visa will start up to seven days before your course start date. B C Select the country that you are living in whilst you are making your visa application. Select the Visa pplication Centre at which you wish to carry out the later stages of the visa application process. If you are not sure which one would be most convenient for you, details can be found at Scroll down and you will see: D E F 9

11 D Select Study. E Select PBS Tier 4 Student. F Select: Tier 4 (General) Student in all cases, except if you will be receiving a scholarship from the UK government. Tier 4 (UK Government Scholarship) Student if you will be receiving a scholarship from the UK government (e.g. Chevening Scholarship). 11. Click Create pplication. 12. You will then see a page showing all of the visa application forms you have created: 10

12 ccessing your Visa4UK account Once you have registered for a Visa4UK account you can access it at any time at 1. Click Login. 11

13 2. You will then see: 3. Enter your address and password, and click Log in. 4. You will then see View My pplications page showing all of the visa application forms you have created: 5. Click Go To pplication. You will then see your visa application form. 12

14 Completing your visa application form Viewing your application form 1. fter logging in to your Visa4UK account and going into your visa application form (see ccessing your Visa4UK account, on page 11), you will see this: B This is a list of sections of your visa application form. Clicking on each one will show each section to you, and allow you to compete it. You can complete sections in any order. ny sections that have been completed will turn from black to green. B You can save your application form at any time and continue at a later date. 2. Click on the Passport and Travel Information button. 3. You will see the Passport and Travel Information section. 13

15 Section 1: Passport and Travel Information 1. Click on the Passport and Travel Information button. 2. You will see: 3. Enter the required details. If you are currently living in a country that is different from your nationality, select No and provide details of the permission you have to legally live in that country. e.g. If your nationality is Chinese, but you are living in Germany, provide details of your German visa or residency permit, including the type, start date and expiry date. 14

16 4. Scroll down and you will see: B B If you know the address that you will be living at when you arrive in the UK, enter it here. If you do not know the address that you will be living at when you arrive in the UK, you can use UL s main address: o Line 1: Student Centre (1 st floor) o Line 2: University of the rts London o Line 3: 272 High Holborn o Line 4: London o Postcode: WC1V 7EY o Primary contact no: [Use the phone number of your College s International Office]. o Secondary contact no: [Leave blank] o [Leave blank] 5. Click Save, then click Next Section. 15

17 Section 2: Personal Details and Travel History 1. Enter your details. If you would prefer for UK Visas & Immigration to use a different address and phone number when trying to contact you in relation to your visa application, select Yes and enter these details. 16

18 2. Scroll down and you will see: B C D E 3. nswer the questions. If you applied outside the UK for entry clearance (a visa), before travelling to the UK enter the details here. B If you applied in the UK for a visa within the last 10 years, select Yes and provide details 17

19 C If you answer Yes to any of these questions, seek advice from the Student dvice Service before submitting your online visa application form. D nswer No, unless the Home Office (UK Government) have previously asked you to leave the UK. E National Insurance Number is required if you work in the UK. You will only have a National Insurance Number if you applied for it from the UK Government s Department for Work and Pensions and attended an interview. If you did not apply for a National Insurance Number, then leave this blank. 4. Scroll down and you will see: F F F If you answer Yes to any of these questions, seek advice from the Student dvice Service before submitting your online visa application form. 5. Click Save, then click Next Section. 18

20 Section 3: Family Details 1. Enter the required details. 2. Scroll down and you will see: B More information about bringing your children with you to the UK can be found at: 19

21 B List details of any children (that are not legally dependent on you) who are travelling with you. 3. Click Save, then click Next Section. Section 4: Medical Treatment 1. nswer the question. If you have previously received medical treatment in the UK, select Yes and provide details of this treatment. 2. Click Save, then Next Section. 20

22 Section 5: Tier 4 Student B C 1. Enter the required details. Enter UL s sponsor licence number: ERJ0405C4. (Numbers have been underlined here to differentiate them from letters.) B Enter University of the rts London. C Use the following address: Organisation: University of the rts London Line 1: 272 High Holborn Line 2: London Line 3: [leave blank] Line 4: [leave blank] Postcode: WC1V 7EY 21

23 Primary contact no: Use the phone number of the International Office of the College you will be studying at. Secondary contact no: [leave blank] [leave blank] 2. Scroll down and you will see: D 3. Enter the details of the course that this visa application relates to, exactly as they appear your CS statement. 22

24 Note that: o If you applied for your course via an agent in your home country, they would have provided you with a CS statement o If you applied for your course directly to one of UL s Colleges, the International Office at that College would have provided you with a CS statement. D For Organisation, enter the name of the UL college you will be studying at: Camberwell College of rts Central Saint Martins Chelsea College of rts London College of Communication London College of Fashion Wimbledon College of rts The address of your college will appear in your CS statement. 4. Scroll down and you will see: E F G E Select Studying. F G If your course application was assessed by anything in addition to qualifications, you can select Yes and provide details in the next box (e.g. enter portfolio). This information is in the Other Evidence - Evidence used to obtain offer line of your CS. Select an option according to what appears in the English language qualification section of your CS statement. If you were required to take an English language test, select English language test and enter the details as shown on your test certificate. 23

25 5. Scroll down and you will see: H I J K L M N O P H This is the total tuition fee for the first year of your course and will appear on your CS statement. 24

26 I If you have paid any of the total tuition fee as shown on your CS (including your deposit), select Yes Paid to UK Education Provider. You will then be asked to: enter the amount that you have paid select which documents you have provided as evidence that you have paid. Select Shown in the CS.! If your CS statement does not state that you have paid the amount that you indicate here, you must request for your CS to be updated by whoever provided it. You will not receive a new CS statement. Instead, whoever issued your CS will send an electronic update to UK Visas & Immigration. The person issuing your CS will you once this has been done. You must not submit your online visa application form until you receive this confirmation. J Select No if your visa application is for a Foundation Diploma, B, M or other taught course. If you are currently studying a PhD or other acceptable postgraduate research qualification (see nnex 5 of UK Visa & Immigration s Tier 4 Policy Guidance), and are applying to extend your Tier 4 visa beyond the completion of your qualification, select Yes. Seek advice from the Student dvice Service before proceeding further with your application form. K Select In London. ll UL colleges are in London. L M N Enter In order to meet UK Visa & Immigration s requirements, you must have 1,265 for each of the first 9 months of your course. See our separate guide Tier 4 (General) student visa: Understanding the application process and requirements for more information about financial requirements. ll students must select No. Even if you have paid for a UL hall of residence, you must select No, as this accommodation is not owned by your sponsor, UL. If any of the following entities has given (or will be giving) you money to pay for your course fees, living costs or both of these, select Yes: UK government Your home government, the British Council or any international organisation, international company, university or an independent school If you select Yes, you will be asked for the name of your sponsor and how much they are providing for tuition fees, maintenance (living costs) or both. Note that you will be required to provide evidence with your application. 25

27 O Select Yes. You will then be asked the amount of course fees and maintenance that you still have due for payment. Course fees: Subtract the tuition fee amount that you have paid from the total tuition fee (as shown on your CS), and enter the remainder, which will be how much you have not paid yet. Maintenance: s part of the visa application process, you must also hold a specific amount of money for maintenance (i.e. money for living costs) in order to meet UK Visas & Immigration requirements. See our separate guide (Tier 4 (General) student visa: Understanding the application process and requirements) to get help with calculating this amount. Total: dd together the amounts in the Course fees and Maintenance boxes and enter the total here.! The biggest reason for Tier 4 visa applications being unsuccessful is that the applicant did not meet UK Visas & Immigration s financial requirements, i.e. sufficient funds for course fees and maintenance (living costs) held for a sufficient amount of time. ll students must have documents to show that they meet these requirements, and most students must submit these documents to UK Visas & Immigration during the visa application process. It is therefore very important that you follow the guidance on financial requirements and documents in our separate guide: Tier 4 (General) student visa: Understanding the application process and requirements P If the required amount of money is being held in your own bank account, select Yes. If the required amount of money is being held in your parent or legal guardian s bank account, select No. You will then be asked what documentation you will be providing to prove that the required amount of funds are being held. See our separate guide (Tier 4 (General) student visa: Understanding the application process and requirements) for full information about this. 6. Scroll down and you will see: 26

28 Q Q Enter the following: Confirmation of cceptance for Studies: 30 points Maintenance: 10 points Total: 40 points 7. Click Save, then click Next Section. 27

29 Section 6: dditional Information 1. This section can be left blank. If you feel it to be necessary, you can use this space to explain any previous answers in more detail. 2. Click Save, then click Confirm pplication. 28

30 Finishing your online application form 1. You will see the Confirm pplication page: 2. Check the answer you have given for every question. If you think you have made any errors, scroll to the bottom and click Return To pplication. Find the section with the errors, correct them and click Save and Confirm pplication once again, which will return you to the Confirm pplication page shown above.! Once you click Submit pplication, you cannot make any changes to your form. If you would like the Student dvice Service to check your form before you click this, please contact us. Note that clicking Submit pplication does not mean that you have made your visa application. You will only have truly made your visa application once you have paid the visa application fee. Continue following this guide. If you think that you have answered all questions correctly, scroll to the bottom and click Submit pplication. 29

31 3. You will then be taken to the View My pplications page: 4. Click Sign Declaration. 5. You will see: 6. Read the information. 7. Scroll to the bottom and enter your full name in the Signature box. 8. Click Sign Declaration. 9. You will be taken back to the View My pplications screen. 30

32 Selecting a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) collection location In this section you need to choose the location at which you would like to collect your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) within 10 days of arriving in the UK. For more information about the BRP and collection process, see our separate guide (Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements). 1. Click BRP Collection Location. 31

33 2. You will see: B B Select the location of where you would like to collect your BRP: We would recommend that you choose to collect your BRP from UL. Select lternative ddress Postcode, enter 2HE652 in the box and click Find. If you would prefer to collect your BRP from a Post Office near to where you will be living, or near to UL, select Residential ddress Postcode or Sponsor ddress Postcode. The address corresponding to your selection will appear here. 3. Click Confirm. You will then see: 32

34 This page confirms the location at which you will need to collect your BRP from. In the example above, the student chose to collect their BRP from UL.! Note that although this screen says that you have now completed your application for leave to enter the UK, you have not completed your application until you have paid the visa application fee, which will be covered later in this guide. 4. Click Save and Close and you will return to the View My pplications screen: 33

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36 Booking an appointment at a visa application centre fter you have paid the online visa application fee, in most countries you will need to visit a visa application centre to provide your biometric information and your supporting documents. See our separate guide (Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements) for more information. 1. Go to your View My pplications page (see ccessing your UK Visas & Immigration account, on page 11): 2. Click Book ppointment. 35

37 3. You will then see: B C B Select a region and location for the visa application centre that you will need to visit later in the visa application process. The address of the visa application centre in the location you have selected will appear below (see C). Select PBS Tier 4 Student. C This is the address of the visa application centre in the region and location that you have selected (see ). 4. Click Next. 36

38 5. You will see: 6. Select a date and time for your appointment at the visa application centre. 7. Click Next. 37

39 8. You will then see confirmation of your appointment: 9. Note that you can change the location, date and time of your appointment by going to your View My applications page and clicking on View appointment. 10. Click Next. You will see: 11. Click Continue. 38

40 Immigration Health Surcharge If you are applying for a visa of a duration of more than 6 months, after booking your appointment you will be automatically directed to get your Immigration Health Surcharge number. Continue through these screens and you may be asked to pay a fee, in which case you must pay the fee and return to your visa application form within 30 minutes, otherwise the website will time-out and you would be asked to pay the fee again.! Many students make a mistake in a particular question on the Immigration Health Surcharge, which asks whether they are applying to stay in the Isle of Man, Jersey or Guernsey. Making this mistake will cause delays in the processing of your visa application. The image below shows how you can avoid this mistake. B B Select No. Select No. You will not be staying in the Isle of Man, Jersey or Guernsey, as you will be staying in London. 39

41 For more information about the Immigration Health Surcharge, the fees and those who are exempt from paying the fee, please visit: Once your Immigration Health Surcharge number is displayed, you will be directed back to the online visa application form to complete the application process. Your Immigration Health Surcharge number will be printed on your printed application form. 40

42 Submitting your visa application and paying the fee 1. Go to your View My pplications page (see ccessing your UK Visas & Immigration account, on page 11): 2. Click Pay for pplication. 3. Select an option for how you would like your supporting documents to be returned to you, and then click Next. 41

43 4. You will see: Read the information carefully, tick I have read and understood the information, and then click Make Payment. You will then be led through the payment process and will pay the visa application fee.! When you pay the visa application fee, your online Tier 4 visa application is sent electronically to UK Visas & Immigration. The date you make this payment counts as the date that you made your visa application. 42

44 Printing your visa application form 1. Go to your View My pplications page (see ccessing your UK Visas & Immigration account, on page 11): 2. Click Print pplication. 3. Write your Immigration Health Surcharge reference number on the front of your visa application form if it is not already there. What happens next? The next step is to attend the appointment you have booked at the visa application centre, ensuring to take your visa application form and supporting documents with you. See our separate guide (Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements) for more details about this. 43

45 Student dvice Service Your money and immigration specialists Telephone: +44 (0) Visit us: search for student advice service on arts.ac.uk Front cover illustrations by Ewelina Skowronska, Camberwell College of rts, M Illustration, 2015 Published March The Student dvice Service has taken every reasonable effort to ensure the accuracy and currency of this document. Information can change at very short notice, so we ask that you seek further advice from us before acting on this information. The Student dvice Service does not take any responsibility for the content of external websites. Please contact us for text only and alternative formats of this document.