r/ukvisa • u/FastFix7504 • 8d ago
Hi all,
Current BFHO/CIO at Heathrow Airport.
Seen a lot of questions about ETA’s so thought I would answer a few questions and clear some misconceptions around it just to help clarify how it works at the border.
If you have any other scenarios you’d like me to discuss or have any questions, feel free to ask.
A lot of this is now common knowledge, but I see a lot of comments and posts on this sub so thought I would make this post to help.
No comments or questions by DM. Please keep them all public for everyone’s benefit.
r/ukvisa • u/sah10406 • Mar 05 '26
This FAQ was updated on 5 March 2026 to include the "visa brake" for nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan.
These FAQs are based on the most common recent posts about Student visas. They have been answered for us by someone with 25 years of professional knowledge and experience of Student visas. They were last updated in March 2026 to include the provisions of the "visa brake".
We keep an eye on the sub and we will update this FAQ if some questions are being asked often.
While sharing experiences with other Reddit users can be helpful, it is clear from reading posts that it can also cause confusion and anxiety, and can generate myths and wrong information. For individual professional advice, remember you can contact the Student visa adviser at your university. Their role is to support students through their Student visa application and beyond. Plus, as your Student visa sponsor, your university needs to avoid refusals of visas under their sponsorship, so they are just as invested in the successful outcome of your visa application as you are.
What is the new "visa brake" and will it affect my Student visa application?
The "visa brake" is a new rule from 26 March 2026, paragraph ST 3.3 of Appendix Student.
On 11 March 2026 UKCISA published a detailed FAQ about the visa brake, which you should read first:
An application using another passport, where the applicant is also a national of one of these countries, cannot be refused under ST 3.3, but given the background and reason for introducing paragraph ST 3.3 (see below), the application is probably going to be more heavily scrutinised.
Similarly, the new rule ST 3.3 only affects Student visas, but applications by nationals of these countries for other visas such as Student dependant, short-term student, or visitor for study are probably likely to be scrutinised for credibility.
For the background of why the visa brake has been introduced, see paragraphs 5.1 to 5.4 of the explanatory memorandum that accompanied the Statement of Changes:
Given the reasons for the visa brake, it might have been expected that scholarship students who have a condition to return to their home country might be excluded, but they are not.
If the guidance for caseworkers is updated to include any further useful information, we will quote and link to it in the Student visa FAQ. Meanwhile we recommend UKCISA's FAQ as linked above.
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What English language test and evidence do I need?
Your knowledge of English is an academic matter. It is evaluated and checked by your university not by the visa caseworker. All the caseworker does is check that the sponsor has confirmed it on the CAS.
Knowledge of English can be assumed simply based on your nationality of a majority English-speaking country, or on a previous qualification taught in English, or based on a university’s own method of testing. If you meet the requirement one of these ways, you do not need any other formal evidence and this is all confirmed for the caseworker on your CAS.
The university may prefer or need to ask you to take a formal test. If so, they will explain which one. If they include the test on the CAS you will need to include the results with your visa application.
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Can I extend my Student visa if it ends before I get my results?
Your options, if any, will depend on why that has happened. It will be best to get advice on your options from the international student advice team at your university, because some local policies at the university may come into play, separate from the basic immigration rules.
If you are thinking of applying for a fee waiver, or being encouraged to, please see the question below If I am already in the UK with a visa, can I bridge a gap between visas with a fee waiver?
If you had a re-sit or repeat module, and you have already done it, it is too late to extend your Student visa under any circumstances. You cannot extend your Student visa just to wait for results.
But if you are looking ahead and your visa expires before the end of your course because you have a re-sit or resubmission or repeat module in the future, ask your university if they can issue a CAS to support an extension of your Student visa until the new end date + 4 months wrap-up period. This is so even if your new end date is within the wrap-up period you already have. Your university will still need to check that your required participation is such that they can sponsor an extension. If it is not, they may still be able to issue a CAS for a new visa application from your home country nearer the time of the re-sit or repeat.
Some universities have a habit or even a formal policy to not sponsor a new Student visa for re-sit periods, and they expect a student to come back as a Standard visitor. They may even tell you, usually incorrectly, that Home Office rules don’t even allow them to sponsor a new Student visa. Such a policy choice by a university to not issue a CAS for resits effectively blocks their students from applying for the Graduate visa, so this disproportionate effect should probably be queried or challenged, especially if it is affecting whole tranches of students.
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Can I come to the UK with an ETA and enter as a visitor then apply for my Student visa there?
No.
Someone who is in the UK as a visitor, with or without a visa, cannot switch to any other type of visa, including a Student visa. This is frontloaded into the Student visa rules at paragraph ST 1.4A that such an application would not be valid:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-student
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If I am already in the UK with a visa, can I bridge a gap between visas with a fee waiver?
No.
A fee waiver is not a “bridging visa” that gives someone protection from being an overstayer. It is your formal declaration that you are destitute, cannot even afford the visa application fee, and that you will be making a Human Rights-based immigration application when you get the outcome of the fee waiver application. The list of specific types of visa application eligible for a fee waiver is listed at gov.uk, and it does not include Graduate visa applicants:
https://www.gov.uk/visa-fee-waiver-in-uk
The guidance for Home Office caseworkers confirms that external checks of income are made, and warns caseworkers to check for deceptive applications for fee waivers:
Deception: Checks may be undertaken with agencies such as HM Revenue & Customs, the Department for Work and Pensions and credit checking agencies (for example Equifax or Experian) to verify information provided by the applicant with regard to their income and finances [...].
Applicants who fail to disclose their financial circumstances in full, or who provide false information in their fee waiver request, may have current or future applications for permission refused because of their conduct [...]. They may also be referred for enforcement action, resulting in possible arrest and removal.
While having a pending fee waiver application does give you protection under 3C leave, that is only so if after the fee waiver is granted or refused, you make the Human Rights based immigration application for which you applied for the fee waiver within 10 days. The guidance for caseworkers says that 3C leave only protects you if “the [...] application that is submitted is the one for which the fee waiver request was made”:
If the fee waiver is still pending, making a Graduate visa application highlights your deception about your finances and your intentions when you applied for the fee waiver.
The international students charity and support service UKCISA and the immigration professionals blog Free Movement both strongly warn against using fee waivers to buy time:
https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/news/fee-waivers-and-the-graduate-route/
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Does working illegally on a Student visa affect my visa extension or future applications?
It depends. There is a common misguided belief that any breach of Student work conditions will trigger a refusal of your next application. Some people go so far as to lie on their application about it, thinking that being truthful about the breach on your application is so dangerous that the best solution is to just lie about it, and it will be like it never happened. This is wrong-headed.
If you have routinely and regularly worked more than the permitted 20 hours, so working has been your main activity and focus rather than study, or if you have been routinely self-employed, that could trigger a discretionary refusal of any new application, and it could also mean cancellation of your Student visa anyway.
You are not under any obligation to report your own breach of the work conditions to the Home Office until you next make an immigration application, for example extending your Student visa or switching to a Graduate visa or other work visa. If you have ever worked over the 20 hours, or done any freelance work, it does need to be declared on the application. There is a question specifically about this:
Have you ever breached the conditions of your leave, for example worked without permission […]
However having had such a breach and declaring it as required does not automatically trigger a refusal. It is lying about the breach that can trigger a refusal. There is always a friend of a friend who knows someone who once worked 20.5 hours, or who did a couple of extra hours for a month or so during their dissertation period, and had their Graduate visa refused for that reason. That did not happen, at least not for that reason. If there was such a refusal, it was certainly not a breach of work conditions.
Lying in an application, including when specifically asked if you have ever worked without permission, or being discovered to have lied in a previous application, means a mandatory refusal under paragraph SUI 9.1:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-part-suitability
A breach of student work conditions has no such penalty of a mandatory refusal. While it is in theory grounds for a discretionary refusal under paragraph SUI 11.2, a breach of the Student visa work conditions on its own would never prompt the caseworker to exercise their discretion to refuse.
Despite this reality, people continue to think (and to advise other people) that it’s better to lie about a breach and risk a refusal and 10-year ban, rather than answer truthfully with no risk. It makes no sense.
Your university does not monitor your part-time work, unless you happen to work for the university itself. But if they become aware of students working illegally, for example because students disclose it, as sponsors they are required to report that to the Home Office. In practice, this means that most universities would rather not be told about breaches of work conditions.
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I have been in a country that is listed in Appendix Tuberculosis (TB). Do I need to take a TB test?
It depends how recently you left, and how long you were there. The rule says
TB2. A valid TB certificate is required if the applicant has been continuously present in [a country on the list] for 6 months or more, which includes a period (of any length) within the 6 months before the date of application.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-tuberculosis-tb
It is saying that if you have been there for 6 months or more and that 6-month period ended within the last 6 months before the application, then you would need a test.
You do not need a test just because you have spent any time at all in the country in the last 6 months. You do not need a test if you have previously lived there for more than 6 months but you left more than 6 months ago.
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The question for those applying in the UK: "When did you first arrive in the UK on your current visa?"
This question is poorly phrased. As written, it appears to assume that all applicants first arrived in the UK on their current visa, which is obviously not the case for many applicants.
There is no point in over-thinking this question, or in panicking and thinking that it is a trick or a trap or that giving the "wrong" answer will be fatal for your application. It is just a sloppy question. Any logical interpretation and answer is fine. There is no wrong answer -- as long as the date you give equates to your understanding of what it seems to be asking you about. Some advisers may tell you they have solved the riddle of this question and they know what it really means, but they haven't, and there is no riddle anyway.
Obviously a random made-up date unrelated to any of your entries to the UK is probably not a good idea, but as long as your answer makes sense to you IT IS FINE.
So -- if you did "first arrive" in the UK on your current visa, obviously you just give the date you arrived.
And if your current visa is an extension, there is no logical answer to this question anyway. You just need to do your best. So, for example, if you "first arrived" on a previous Student visa, or even on another type of visa, you can give that date. Or, alternatively, if you have travelled on your current visa, you could give the date of the first time you re-entered the UK on it. You do not need to explain your answer, just give an answer that allows you to move forward in the application.
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The "Medical treatment in the UK" question
This is a question on all types of immigration application, not specific to a Student application. It is often misunderstood by applicants. Your health, your personal medical history, and how much or how little you have used NHS services in the past have nothing to do with your eligibility for any visa, and they are not what this question is asking about.
It does specifically say that it is about medical treatment and explains what this means
if you visited a doctor, clinic or hospital this counts as medical treatment
The question is checking whether an applicant falls foul of Immigration Rules Part Suitability, paragraph SUI 16.1:
Debt to the NHS grounds
SUI 16.1. An application for entry clearance or permission may be refused where a relevant NHS body has notified the Secretary of State that the applicant has failed to pay charges under relevant NHS regulations on charges to overseas visitors and the outstanding charges have a total value of at least £500.
A debt to the NHS could only occur if someone had a type of immigration permission for which they had not paid the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), for example a Standard visitor, or if they were an overstayer or illegal entrant with no immigration permission anyway. They would need to have had NHS medical treatment and not paid for it, and to have been pursued for the debt by the NHS.
Unfortunately, despite this narrow focus of the reason for the question, the application asks a very open question about all medical treatment, regardless of whether you had paid the IHS and regardless of whether it is NHS treatment anyway. (Any debts to private health care providers would not be relevant to paragraph 9.11.1 anyway.)
Just do your best based on your own records.
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The "Financial sponsor" question
This question is poorly worded, and can cause confusion. It appears at first to be asking about money you have received from any financial sponsor, with examples of
a government or international scholarship agency
But it does then specify that it is only asking about if you have been
awarded a sponsorship or scholarship
The purpose of the question is to ascertain whether you need to provide the consent of your former official financial sponsor for your application to be valid. This is only required by a very specific type of applicant, as explained in Appendix Student, paragraph ST 1.3 (key parts in bold):
ST 1.3. If the applicant has, in the last 12 months before the date of application, completed a course of studies in the UK for which they have been awarded a scholarship or sponsorship by a Government or international scholarship agency covering both fees and living costs for study in the UK, they must provide written consent in relation to the application from that Government or agency.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-student
This type of funding usually has a clause that requires the student to return home after studies. Hence UKVI needs confirmation that the provider is either waiving that clause, or has arranged with you to not impose it.
So unless you have now finished your course, and you had that type of funding that meets all those requirements in ST 1.3, answer No. It is not asking about other types of funding, eg. government or federal loans, fees-only scholarships, scholarships from universities, international companies, international organisations, or from private individuals.
If you wrongly answer Yes, you will be asked to upload the consent letter from your sponsor. If you cannot change the answer to No, upload a note explaining that you answered the question wrong, and you don’t have the type of funding that requires sponsor consent. You can refer to GR 1.5. Answering a question wrong by mistake has no bearing on the outcome of the application, especially a question like this that is not clear.
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To improve my application I want to add extra evidence eg. a cover letter, extra information about my finances other than the standard 28 days' evidence, information about my parents’ financial situation, other qualifications, my work experience, my housing in the UK, my travel itinerary. Should I?
No. That does not improve your application. They are actually irrelevant. You are assuming there is a level of subjectivity and discretion from caseworkers that is just not part of a Student visa application. It is largely a box-ticking exercise, with you and your university doing most of the box-ticking.
Separately, any document submitted with your application still needs to be checked for authenticity and for any relevance to your application. Applications can be refused for supplying irrelevant documents that are not genuine, or which have highlighted contradictions in your application.
There are some cultural aspects to this way of thinking, that (a) a visa application always benefits from as much evidence as possible and that (b) a visa officer will grant or refuse on their own whim so they need persuading of your credentials. There may be some truth to this with some other country’s visas (doubtful), but for sure not with UK Student visa applications.
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My nationality (eg. EU, China, USA etc.) means that I don’t need to provide evidence of maintenance or of previous qualifications, only my passport. Will it improve my application to add them anyway?
Hard no. The differentiation arrangements are specifically in place to make the application easier both for you and for the caseworker. You are also assuming there is subjectivity and discretion from caseworkers when assessing Student visa applications. There is not. They are just looking for the evidence the application asks for, which in this case is very little.
See the previous question for how adding extra irrelevant documents can actually harm your application.
If they do need anything else, they will ask you and give you time to respond.
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Why is my Immigration Health Surcharge more than the amount for 1 year, when my course is only 1 year long?
Because the IHS is based on the length of your visa, not on the length of your course:
The exact amount you pay depends on the length of your visa. A visa may last longer than your course of study
https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application/how-much-pay
A Student visa has extra wrap-up time at the end, up to 4 months. For the length of wrap-up time added for different types of course, see Appendix Student paragraph ST 25.3:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/appendix-student
This will make your visa more than 1 year for a 1 year course, so the IHS is calculated at £776 x 1.5, not just x1. Same for multi-year courses where the visa length takes you into another calendar year.
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How long does it take to get a decision?
Do not post in this sub asking how long it will take. We have a blanket rule on no timeline questions.
The service standard is 3 weeks for a standard application, or 5 days for priority. If your application will not be processed within that normal service standard, they will email you to let you know. This email, sometimes called the “NSF email” because it used to say that the processing was “not straightforward”, does not require any reply or action.
No action, no paid enquiries or escalation are necessary and they will not help, especially when thousands of people are in the same position. If your deadline for enrolling is approaching, you need to communicate with your university admissions team directly - Contacting UKVI will not escalate your application.
It is highly unlikely that anyone else’s processing time, in your country or another, will have any relation to or bearing on your own processing time. For this reason try to avoid using Reddit to make such comparisons, as they have little meaning and can cause anxiety in themselves.
If you applied with less than a month before your course start date, then you are at quite a high risk of your visa not being decided in time.
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If I apply outside the UK, can I travel to the UK with an ETA before my visa issued?
People whose nationality means they do not need a visa to visit the UK often ask this. You cannot simply arrive early in the UK to wait for your Student eVisa to be issued, no. But you can come to the UK for a genuine short visit, then leave afterwards.
After you have applied in your home country, you need to give your Biometrics there. You cannot do that in the UK.
After you have given your biometrics you can travel outside your home country if you wish.
Your visa will be issued as an eVisa not a physical vignette that needs to be placed in your passport. When your eVisa becomes valid you can enter the UK as a Student, but you do not spontaneously become a Student if it becomes valid when you are already in the UK as a Visitor.
Using an ETA to travel to the UK and entering as a Standard visitor before your Student eVisa is issued is a declaration that you are a genuine visitor who will leave the UK at the end of your visit. Again, it is vital that you leave after your visit because it is the act of physically entering the UK with the Student eVisa that activates it.
Someone who tried to game the system by arriving early as a Standard visitor then just staying after their Student eVisa becomes valid would be in trouble for several reasons. First, they used deception to enter the UK as a visitor, when they never intended to leave after their visit. Second, their Student eVisa has never activated because they have not used it to enter the UK, so they can’t enrol on their course. Universities give clear warnings about trying to do this, but some students think they are special and the rules don’t apply to them. They do.
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If I apply in the UK, can I travel outside the UK after I have applied?
It depends where you want to go. If you leave the Common Travel Area, that withdraws your application. The Common Travel Area consists of the UK, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Leaving that area withdraws your pending application under paragraph 34K of the immigration rules:
34K. Where a decision on an application for permission to stay has not been made and the applicant travels outside the common travel area their application will be treated as withdrawn on the date the applicant left the common travel area.
If you need to travel in an emergency while you have a pending application, there is no system to override paragraph 34K and stop your pending application from being withdrawn. But if your current visa has not yet expired and you can return to the UK within its validity, you can do so and apply again when you come back. If you apply again, you will need to pay all the fees again, but the unused Immigration Health Surcharge payment from your original application will be eventually refunded because your application was withdrawn.
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I've received an email that a decision was made, or that the processed visa application was received at the VAC. What does this mean?
It only means a decision was made, but you won't know the decision until you get your passport back from the VAC with either a visa in it or a refusal letter/email. Please do not post asking for advice on what these emails mean. There is no hidden messaging or code about whether the application has been successful or not, and you have to be patient to receive your documents back from the VAC. If you paid for the "keep my passport" service and you are asked to provide your passport to the VAC, then that's usually a good sign your visa was approved, since the VAC will need your physical passport to affix the entry clearance vignette (sticker).
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How will I know if my visa was granted or refused?
Typically, you will only get the actual decision when you receive your documents back from the VAC. If you applied from outside the UK, you will not receive your decision in an email. A vignette in your passport means the visa was granted, otherwise it was refused and if this is the case, you should receive a letter with the refusal reason.
If you paid for the "keep my passport" option and you are requested to submit your passport (travel document), this generally means the visa was granted since they will need your physical passport to affix your entry clearance vignette (sticker) into it.
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What if my course start date is approaching or has passed and I still don’t have my visa?
This is not unusual, and it affects many students. Check your final deadline for enrolling. It is normally already included on your CAS statement, and it is normally several weeks after the official formal start date. It is possible your university may be willing to negotiate an even later deadline, but you need to be prepared for that not being possible.
If that final deadline has passed, and you still do not have your visa, it will be best to withdraw your visa application. At least you will get a refund of the Immigration Health Surcharge, and possibly of some or all of the application fee depending on what stage the application is at.
Do not travel to the UK if you have missed the final deadline for enrolling. Your university will not allow you to enrol, and they will need to cancel your Student visa from their end, so it will not be valid for entry to the UK anyway. It cannot be used for deferred study either. Any options for enrolling on the next intake will require a new CAS and a new visa application. Discuss these options with your university. They should be willing to transfer any existing payments for tuition fees or housing.
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What do I do if my visa is refused?
Speak to your university immediately. They will advise on your options, which may include Administrative Review if it was a caseworker error, or you may need to look at options for deferring. Most refusals are due to applicant or sponsor error, but caseworker error do sometimes happen. By far the most common is that the applicant has made the error, and most commonly it is with the maintenance.
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What documents do I need to show the Border Force Officer (BFO) on arrival?
It depends. If you are a nationality that can use the eGates, there is no Border Force Officer anyway, so you just present your passport to the eGate.
If your nationality cannot use the eGates, the BFO will ask for your passport and its visa sticker. It is possible they may ask questions about your plans, but nothing that wasn’t already asked or checked when you applied for the visa, and no evidence is required.
No other evidence or documents are required. There is misinformation spread in some countries, especially India it seems, that evidence is needed on arrival, including things that were not part of your visa application. This is misinformation.
If it reassures you to have on your phone or in your bag copies of the evidence you used in your application, you can do that if you wish.
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Do I need a stamp in my passport to activate my visa?
No. Border Force stopped routinely stamping passports some years ago. Any university guidance which says you need a stamp is at best outdated and at worst just incorrect.
Stamps are only needed for two specific and quite rare types of visas (Paid Permitted Engagement and Creative & Sporting).
However, you should always keep a copy of your boarding pass in case you are asked by your university to prove that you entered the UK during your visa validity dates.
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Can I travel outside the UK when I have a Student visa?
Yes you can travel and re-enter as you wish, and no there is no deadline. This is clear from the Home Office’s own instructions to Border Force Officers (page 92):
Students are able to travel outside of, and re-enter, the UK whilst they hold valid permission as a Student, including in the period after they have completed their course and still hold permission under the route.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/points-based-system-student-route
If anyone is telling you that it is risky to enter the UK because it’s near the end of your Student visa, or because your course has ended, or because your results have already been announced, or because the graduation ceremony has now been, or because "you never know" what a Border Force Officer will do, they are wrong. If they are someone who should know better, like university staff or an agent or solicitor, you might want to refer them to the above UKVI guidance to prevent them from misadvising other students. If they are just a random person online or in a WhatsApp group, you may also want to challenge their information.
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If I travel during term-time will I be stopped and questioned by Border Force?
No. If you see a BFO they are only checking that you have a valid visa. See previous question.
It is your university that monitors your attendance and engagement during term-time. Your Student visa conditions require you to be in the UK during term-time engaging with your studies. If you are not, the university can withdraw you from your studies and hence cancel your Student visa. So if you need to travel during term-time, make sure your university agrees to that, so it does not affect your Student visa.
Sometimes uninformed university staff will frighten students by saying “We are fine with your travel, but UKVI might not be”. You can ignore this, or even push back against it, because it is nonsense. While Border Force Officers may occasionally ask questions on entry, they neither know nor care about your term dates or about your attendance requirements at university. That is delegated to universities to monitor. Hence, get the university’s permission for term-time absence and travel. Obviously you can travel as you wish outside term-time.
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What is the deadline for my dependant to come to the UK as my Student dependant?
There isn't one, except the end date of your visa.
If they already have a Student dependant visa, they just need to enter or re-enter the UK before it expires.
If they need to apply for a Student dependant visa, they need to apply in enough time to get the visa and travel to the UK before it expires. (A Student dependant’s visa will always have the same expiry date as the Student’s.) So if they are overseas they need to allow enough time to hold any required maintenance for 28 days, apply, receive the vignette, arrange travel, and come to the UK, all before the expiry date of their (and your) visa. If they are in the UK and they can switch to being your Student dependant, they may not need to show any maintenance but they will still need to get the outcome of the application before your visa expires.
Obviously the closer to the expiry date they start this process, the more they risk of running out of time.
There is no requirement for them to apply or travel before the end of your course, or before you get your results, or by any other deadline. The relevant rule is ST 31.1(b) of Appendix Student. It specifies those Students who can bring dependants, including all postgraduate courses that started before 1 January 2024:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/appendix-student
There are no separate rules that impose a deadline for applying before the Student’s course has ended, or by any other date, except obviously the end of their Student visa.
Unfortunately, there is currently a technical glitch on the application form for Student dependants who apply for a visa to come to the UK after the end date of the student’s course. It asks for the end date of the course, and that date must be in the future in order to progress through the application. The form cannot process a date that is in the past. As explained above, the immigration rules do allow a dependant to apply after the end of the student's course, so the application appears to have an error and is asking the wrong question. A possible workaround is to give the end date of the Student’s visa as the answer, not the end date of their course or CAS, which will allow the application to proceed. If your dependant needs to do this, it will be a good idea to upload a short note explaining that they have done so. They can refer to Appendix Student paragraph ST 31.1(b) which allows an application after the course end date. If you are concerned about this, ask the international student adviser at your university for advice.
r/ukvisa • u/EntertainmentIcy601 • 6m ago
Hello,
I am an alumni of BVRIT. Currently need ECCTIS verification for ILR in UK.
Anyone here knows the process to get it verified from JNTU Hyderabad. I have emailed them but no response. Calls are mostly switched off
r/ukvisa • u/Iwanttofixeverything • 3h ago
Hi, everyone here has been so helpful and I wanted to check something. This is for the Spouse visa extension.
When filling the application I had checked the box for the question where it says if you have lived with family or friends in the 2 years, you’ll produce a letter. I thought we had to select it to proceed.
Following my first visa approval in April 2024, we had stayed with my mother in law from Jan 24-June 24. So I assumed it’ll be a letter regarding this stay.
2 years for me is October 2024 and I was living in a rented apartment with my husband from 26th June 2024.
My mother in laws letter does confirm we stayed until June 2024, so does my husband’s support letter and my own cover letter.
I’m not sure if it’s worth mentioning it on my cover letter that I had ticked the box as I believed I had to proceed to the next screen?
Our items of correspondence is evidenced chronologically as we had moved 3 times since my first approval.
Application already submitted and Bio is on 22nd October.
Thank you for your help!
r/ukvisa • u/lol_616 • 18h ago
Hi everyone,
I recently received my Global Talent Visa (GTV) through the Exceptional Promise – Peer Review route, endorsed by the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng).
I switched from a Skilled Worker Visa (SWV) while living in the UK.
I've noticed that there aren't many detailed experiences shared by applicants who went through the academic peer review route but worked in industry. So I thought I'd share my timeline and a few things I learned along the way.
Hopefully, this will be useful to someone considering a similar application.
Stage 1 – Endorsement
7–8 April 2026 (approximately): Submitted my Stage 1 application.
10 April 2026: Received notification that my application had been forwarded to the Royal Academy of Engineering.
27 June 2026: Received confirmation from the Home Office that RAEng had endorsed my application.
My actual peer review took quite a long time, approximately 11 weeks from referral to endorsement. I think this is quite normal this year. Most of cases are longer than the promised 8 weeks.
Stage 2 – Visa application
6 July 2026: Submitted my Stage 2 application inside the UK.
7 July 2026: Attended my biometrics appointment.
17 August 2026: Received my GTV approval. My eVisa was updated and became valid on the same day.
I used the standard service, without priority processing.
Stage 2 took exactly six weeks from submission to approval.
This is probably one of the most important things I wanted to share.
I have seen discussions suggesting that applicants must have obtained their PhD within the past five years to qualify for Exceptional Promise.
This is not a fixed requirement under the RAEng academic peer review route.
I received my PhD in 2019, meaning I was already seven years post-PhD when I applied in 2026.
The official criteria still require Exceptional Promise applicants to be at an early stage of their career and demonstrate the potential to become future leaders in their field. However, there is no explicit five-year post-PhD cutoff!
Personally, I think this makes sense in academia and research. It is not unusual for researchers to complete two or three postdoctoral appointments before becoming fully independent.
My suggestion would be to focus on demonstrating your career progression, growing independence, research contributions, and future potential, rather than worrying too much about the number of years since graduation.
This is another point I rarely see discussed.
When I first moved to the UK, I was on a Skilled Worker Visa, and my wife and children were granted visas as my SWV dependants.
When I switched to Global Talent, I did not apply to switch their visas.
According to the Home Office guidance on dependent family members in work routes, when the main applicant switches to another points-based immigration route that allows dependants, their dependants' existing immigration permission can remain valid.
In my case, my wife and children simply kept their original SWV dependant visas.
It has been confirmed by our own experience: they were actually outside the UK when my GTV was approved. They subsequently returned to the UK using their existing immigration permission, without any problems.
Another important distinction is that Exceptional Promise applicants endorsed by RAEng can qualify for settlement after three years, rather than five, under the current rules.
The five-year qualifying period for Exceptional Promise applies to certain other endorsing bodies, such as Tech Nation and Arts Council England.
Furthermore, the current Global Talent settlement rules allow qualifying time previously spent on a Skilled Worker Visa to count towards the three-year residence requirement.
In my case, I had already spent approximately 16 months in the UK on my SWV.
For this reason, I chose to apply for only two years of Global Talent permission, rather than paying for a longer visa.
My intention is to reach the three-year qualifying period using a combination of SWV and GTV residence, subject to meeting all the relevant settlement requirements and any future changes to the Immigration Rules.
A related issue: IHS refund
Since I switched visas from within the UK, I paid the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) again for a period already covered by my previous visa.
Under the refund rules, I should be eligible for a partial refund of the overlapping period.
Unfortunately, I did not receive the automatic refund within the usual six-week period.
I have now submitted a complaint/enquiry to UKVI about this. If I remember, I will come back and update this post once it is resolved.
I obviously cannot know exactly what convinced the peer reviewers, but I have a few thoughts based on how I prepared my application.
First, don't just list your achievements. Tell a coherent story.
I think your personal statement and CV should explain three things: What makes your past research and contributions significant. How your career has developed and why you have the potential to become a future leader. What you actually plan to do in the UK, and how that work could contribute to UK research, innovation, or industry. I tried to connect my previous research experience with the UK's research and industrial priorities, while presenting a realistic plan for my future work.
Second, make sure your recommendation letter supports that story.
I was fortunate to receive a recommendation letter from a full professor at one of the UK's leading universities. I am extremely grateful to him. His letter provided strong, independent support for almost everything I discussed in my CV and personal statement, particularly my research contributions and future plans. Personally, I think consistency between your application and the recommendation letter is very important.
Third, if you work in industry, demonstrate that you are still research-active.
This is particularly relevant to applicants like me. RAEng's peer review route is not restricted to people working at universities. Researchers working in industry are also eligible. However, being an active researcher is an explicit requirement. If your current role is primarily engineering or technical operations, rather than academic research, I think it is particularly important to demonstrate your continued involvement in research and innovation.
Publications, patents, research collaborations, and other recognised research outputs may help provide evidence. I would encourage applicants from industry to think carefully about how to demonstrate this, rather than assuming their job title alone will be sufficient.
I completed my PhD in a STEM discipline at a US university in 2019. Before moving to the UK, I spent several years in the United States, including postdoctoral research positions at a university and a major US national laboratory. My professional experience spans academic research and industrial R&D. At the time of my application, I was working in industry in the UK.
My academic and technical record included approximately:
20+ peer-reviewed publications. Granted US patents. 15+ conference presentations
One thing that probably helped was that I had only moved away from academia relatively recently. Some publications from my previous research projects were still appearing after I moved to industry, which helped maintain continuity in my research record.
I mention these details purely to give others a reference point, not to suggest that similar numbers are required. I have no idea what the minimum competitive profile would look like.
Final thoughts
I hope this helps anyone considering the Global Talent Visa, especially researchers who have moved into industry or are unsure whether they still qualify for Exceptional Promise. I personally think it would be great to see a larger and more active community of Global Talent applicants sharing their experiences. It's a relatively specialised immigration route, and having more real-world information available would benefit everyone considering it.
I'm happy to answer questions about my experience where I can.
Good luck to everyone applying!
r/ukvisa • u/CanCharacter4439 • 7h ago
Visa Lodged - 22nd September
Booked Biometrics for 28th September
Application Received Email - 30th September
Application Processing Email- 01st October
Application Successful Email - 02nd October
Documents Submitted-
Proof of accommodation - Closely related family member and also booking.com confirmation
Proof of employment letter and Leave approved letter
Current Visa Vevo Check
Bank statements 06 months and last 06 pay slips which is last 02 months slips
Cover Letter explaining the last debits and credits in the statements
Declared all the real expenses which was equally matching my statements
Resident home ties - Job, Vehicles Registration, Insurance Documents and Rent documents
Goodluck to anyone who's planning to apply !
r/ukvisa • u/Beardo_1557 • 14h ago
Hi all, my partner will be applying for a long-term unmarried partner visa soon and we're collecting evidence. Wanted to check if what we have is enough or if we need more.
**Background**
- Me: British (also Irish)
- Partner: Spanish
- Together since September 2022, long distance UK–Spain for about a year and a half
- Living together in Spain since April 2024
Because of Brexit I couldn't realistically move over to live with her, so in the meantime I applied for Irish citizenship through the Foreign Births Register (Irish grandparents), which was accepted. We've lived together ever since.
For the first year or so I struggled to get my NIE (the foreigner ID number in Spain) and to find work, which made registering for things and sorting banks pretty difficult. I've since got a job and have been working here with no issues.
**Evidence of living together**
- Joint tenancy agreement in both our names, starting April 2024. It was a 1 year contract but it rolls over and we've continued it
- Both our bank records showing my half of the rent going to my partner every month, plus near daily payments back and forth for bills, groceries, takeaways etc.
- UK Student Loans Company letters to me at our address from Nov 2024 to 2026, the first saying I didn't need to pay as I wasn't working, then updated repayment amounts once I started work
- Letter from my employer's health insurer (Asisa) addressed to me at our flat (not dated)
- Spanish Social Security records showing my address
- My work contract/system has the same address since May 2025
- I'm also getting an official letter from HR on company letterhead confirming the address they've had on file for the last year and a half
The utility bills are only in my partner's name. When I moved in 2024 it took a long time to get a job (language + a competitive market) and to get my NIE, because the immigration appointment system here is pretty broken, it's well reported, especially in Mallorca, where getting an appointment is near impossible without paying a gestor. I have my NIE now and I'm working, but I've never been able to sort residency for the same reason. Once I was working we didn't see the point in changing the bills over, since I send her my share every month to a separate account we use just for bills.
**Relationship history**
- Flights back and forth between Nottingham and Mallorca (and other places) during the long distance period, some single tickets, some together with seats next to each other
- Lots of photos over the years, including official ones from places we've been (Disneyland Paris, zoos, events)
- Official emails from the Irish citizenship office showing when I applied and when it was accepted
- Relationship statement + timeline
- whatsapp history of over 4 years can be provided
**My main worry**
Proving that I actually live at this address and that we're in a relationship akin to marriage, since the utility bills aren't in both our names. We do have a long paper trail of bank statements showing money going back and forth between our accounts for rent, bills, groceries, takeaways etc.
My main hope that as we have been in a relationship for over 4 years which is clearly provable, and we have evidence that we are living together this should be enough especially with the reduced requirement for no longer "needing" to live together, but it still makes me worried as its expensive to get a failed visa application.
Is there anything else we should include, or anything missing? Any advice is really appreciated.
Thanks!
r/ukvisa • u/pinkxlamborghini • 10h ago
Hi, I have been offered a one week unpaid purely observational placement experience at an audiology clinic in the UK (for context i’m a masters of clinical audiology student from Australia!). This would be part of my studies and basically just shadowing and observing a week in the clinic - i wouldn’t be doing anything hands on or treating any patient. Is this allowed under an ETA? The website is a bit unclear as this is allowed for certain things but I can’t tell if audiology falls under this or if it would be under observing a business?
Any advice would be appreciated!!
r/ukvisa • u/Global_Plankton864 • 11h ago
Hi all, hoping someone has done this recently.
After the main applicant gets ILR, and the dependant applies for a Skilled Worker route extension, what details do we need to give?
Her current permission ends on 2 January 2027. She isn't eligible for ILR yet, so she will be applying to extend for 3 years.
My last Skilled Worker CoS ran from December 2023 to December 2026. I don't have a new CoS because I will be moved to ILR.
Two things we're stuck on:
What UAN number do we enter for the main applicant on the dependant's application? The last Skilled Worker UAN, or the ILR UAN?
If using the last CoS from main applicant, what start and end dates do we give on the IHS calculator for her 3-year extension?
Any real experience would help a lot. Thanks!
r/ukvisa • u/93tangerine • 12h ago
Currently applying to be naturalised as a British Citizen (I am eastern european) and I am a bit confused regarding the date of my application, nothing has been submitted yet I am just rereading my draft.
"The date of application is the date it is received by the appropriate receiving authority"
- Caseworker guidance
Does this mean that the day i started the draft of my application is considered the day the application was done?
I am using a reference who I knew since 2023 october, which would now be considered 3+ years, but if I started my application in September would that not count?
Very sorry if this is confusing or if I am overthinking but should I start a new application to be safe?
r/ukvisa • u/momgonestrong • 9h ago
Hi everyone! I applied for my citizenship via double descent (ARD) from the United States earlier this year and received approval back in July. I’ve been patiently for word on my ceremony. (It’s been 89 days; not that I’m counting or anything lol.)
This week I received an email from Sable telling me the consulate had reached out, asking me to confirm my address, name, and email for the purposes of my ceremony in Chicago. So hopefully, I’ll hear more soon.
I would like to apply for citizenship for my two children through MN1 (who are well under the age of 18), but it’s my understanding that I have to wait until I’ve had my ceremony and that the Home Office may decide to pull this pathway at any time.
Is priority an option for the MN1 form from the U.S.? Or, has anyone applied for their children prior to having their own ceremony?
Thanks in advance for any words of advice!
r/ukvisa • u/Rambleshambler • 14h ago
Hi reader/advisor
I am curious to learn more about the ILR application which I will try to provide a background and TLDR section for those who need a quick answer.
TLDR (Currently)
My queries for applications for ILR:
Can anyone share their experience with ILR application, with more focus when applying with Ancestry Visa
Should I do the English language Test even though I have verified my English proficiency through my degree as B2
Should I go with a solicitor for my application, as I am concerned more care is needed due to Schengen Visa rejection.
What documents should I arrange now?
My Position/Situation
I am currently over 4 years of my visa which it expires late July 2026. I have passed my UK life test and had my English proficiency verified to UK standards and rated as B2.
For work reasons, I have travelled out of UK for work roughly 3 times a year but well within threshold.
One concern I have is that I had one rejection for a Schengen Visa in my second year with the reason being Insufficient Travel Justification, which in the same year and each year afterwards getting my Schengen Visa successfully. I am not sure how this affects my chances and if I need to do anything additional in my application besides declaring I have a rejection.
I really don't want to fail or mess anything for my application and currently leaning towards getting support from a solicitor or agency.
I have listed a summary of questions I have at the top of the post. I would really appreciate advice from people and their experiences and any guidance.
Thank You
r/ukvisa • u/Dangerous_Listen_736 • 14h ago
I’m applying for a global talent visa via the academic researcher route exceptional promise (peer review) and would either choose RAE or Royal Society as my endorsing body.
I only have a Masters from a big U.S university, but a lot of research experience (I have a first author preprint out, some publications but not too many my citation count is about 100), conferences, speaking engagements, invitations to speak at a national government etc. I am a data engineer working in a high impact cancer research program.
I will get a letter of recommendation from an imminent UK figure who is at a high position and familiar with my work.
Questions
r/ukvisa • u/yayadingdong45 • 14h ago
I will soon be eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK following completion of my Ancestry visa. What are the rules regarding continuous absence from the UK once ILR is granted, and how long can I live abroad without losing my status?
I was also wondering how this works for my dependant who has only been on my ancestry visa for two years (youth mobility for three before that)?
Thanks
r/ukvisa • u/Purple-Ad-946 • 10h ago
hi all, i arrived in the UK in Sept 2023 and met my bf on a dating app in Nov of the same year. we were pretty on and off for a year and we officially got in a relationship in October 2024. we've been together ever since.
one of the things that i'm a bit nervous about is the cohabitation bit.
when we got together in oct 2024, he'd moved in with me and my friends and was contributing to bills + council tax, but wasn't officially on the council tax statement. we added him a couple of months later, and i'd say we were "officially" named on the same CT bill for around 5-6 months. we moved houses later with my friends to a 3 bhk where again, he wasn't on the CT but was contributing to bills. I have bank statements to prove the same.
we moved out in separate studios but in the same building in April of this year. we were a bit confused of getting into a 2 bhk apartment and wanted to focus more on our careers, esp with me trying to get a sponsored job which really could have been anywhere in the UK and would have prompted us to move quickly. if this visa works out, we do plan on moving back together.
what i'm nervous about is - will this be a strong enough reason to say why we aren't living together currently? or is there a particular way i could phrase it?
we meet all other requirements, have enough chats, friends/holiday pictures, bank statements, financial requirements are met too.
would really appreciate the help. thanks!
r/ukvisa • u/HealthyMachine6913 • 16h ago
Hi, so I was on Tier 4, graduated this summer and came back to my county. My original student visa expires in early November. I have applied for and been granted a visit visa starting late November.
I checked my eVisa on the government portal, and it only details the new visit Visa. Does that mean my previous, un-expired student clearance is now invalid?
Thank you.
r/ukvisa • u/Maleficent_Pick_5581 • 17h ago
Came over in July on a family holiday, not to work, so only got an ETA. Since then, I've been lucky enough to have family friends introduce me to people in London, and a couple of job opportunities have come up, so now im hoping to stay properly...
The bit I can’t work out is where to apply from. I was hoping to do it via somewhere close by as i have other family and friends i can stay with while I wait for the application and biometrics, but 28A(b) says you need permission to live somewhere for more than 6 months, which rules that out. Georgia gives Kiwis 365 days visa-free, so that sort of fits, but it’s a long way to go. And having people in Ireland, Spain and Greece, so somewhere closer would be much better and cheaper.
Answers so far have been all over the place. I've had the UKVI helpline tell me I can just apply from inside the UK, which I’m fairly sure is wrong. I’ve had one lawyer say it’s possible and another say it definitely isn’t, and others sending me quotes that cost more than the visa itself. Seems to be a common theme on this sub, and I've heard of other Kiwis & Aussies applying from the EU but haven't read any follow-up.
So:
(For context on why I’m not simply flying home to apply: I’ve got Irish citizenship coming up in March or April next year, but I’d rather not sit on my hands until then. Surely I’m not the only person who’s travelled and decided they like the country and want to stay without having to pay for a return ticket. Plus, with potential jobs and friends having rooms in flats opening up I’m somewhat hopeful there’ll be a way to apply and get approval soon.
r/ukvisa • u/JustHere_100 • 17h ago
Hi everyone,
I’m an Indian citizen currently living abroad (not UK), and I’ll be moving to the UK for work on a Global Talent visa.
My fiancé is currently working in India, and we are planning for him to join me in the UK as my dependant under the unmarried partner route. We are getting married in December, and his visa appointment is planned for early November. We have sufficient evidence to demonstrate that we have been in a committed relationship for around six years.
Since we are not legally married at the time of the visa appointment, we are planning to apply under the unmarried partner route.
I would really appreciate hearing from anyone, particularly Indian applicants, who has applied for a UK dependant visa as an unmarried partner.
I understand that every case is different, but hearing from people who have actually been through this process would be very helpful.
Thank you in advance for sharing your experiences or any advice!
r/ukvisa • u/YazZon100 • 18h ago
Hi so my innovator founder visa is due to expire next month and on the gov website it says that you can extend the visa outside the UK but I spoke to an immigration lawyer recently and he said that it’s wrong and that I need to be in UK and make an in time application before my current visa expires. I’m not sure who to believe the home office website or the lawyer…
r/ukvisa • u/False-Respond1643 • 10h ago
Hi, so my girlfriend applied for asylum (she is Chinese) based on a claim of persecution because she is part of a Bhuddist group which is banned in China, but her application was rejected because of what the decision maker said were inconsistencies in the interview, although she struggled because her solicitor was not good and did not advise her properly on how to prepare for the questions and she mixed up her answers. She has now lodged an appeal at the FIrst Tier Tribunal. In the application, she didn't say that she had a boyfriend in the UK. I have been with her for 2 years plus although she doesn't live with me all the time - she stays over a couple of days a week and I had no idea she made an asylum claim until recently. I am really worried she would be deported as she genuinely would struggle in China as she comes from a difficult background there. Would anyone know if I could apply for her to remain as my partner and how I should do this (would it be done through the appeal at the First Tier Tribunal or would I have to make a separate application under the partner route)? Thank you for your help, any advice is much appreciated.
r/ukvisa • u/Curious_orangutan • 19h ago
If you have an existing Indefinite leave to remain but no E-visa, did you have any problems re-entering the UK from the EU recently?
I was granted IlLTR in 2002 and I am an Australian passport holder. Recently I was informed i would need an E-visa to travel, so duly submitted my original Home Office Letter, copies of old passport with the original stamp etc to UKVI. I then went to TNS to have my Biometrics done two weeks ago.
I was hoping that because my ILTR with No Time Limit was fairly straightforward I would be granted the E-visa quickly. Checking my UKVI there is no status update, nor an acknowledgement that I have submitted the biometric data.
I am travelling to the EU on 17 Oct and I am worried that I am going to have an issue re-entering the UK without the E-visa. As I said I have all original letters and stamps on passports, but you know how airport staff can be 'computer says no'.
There were previously helplines for the transition
0800 876 6921 and 0203 337 0927 but they have been deactivated. I called the Home Office but they cannot discuss individual cases. I have no other source of information.
TIA!
r/ukvisa • u/Unique_Elephant_2498 • 15h ago
Okay so basically i get payed 450€ a month and i get payed an additional $300-$450 as extra pay and for my night shift. My manager told me that the dollars i get payed in are not gonna be shown on my payslip and they told me i should get a document from my bank where the dollars that are being sent to me are going to be visible. My question is will this be an issue for my visa application since the dollars are the money that ive been saving for this trip and the euros are the money i use in the daily. Its my first time applying for a visa so im confused on how these stuff go.
r/ukvisa • u/Depressedgirl1101 • 1d ago
Country: India
Travel History: 0
Job: Working at one of the top 3 Wall Street IBs
Purpose: To attend an in person training program
What I submitted:
1. Invitation Letter from UK office
2. Cover letter stamped and signed in India office
3. Financial statements (bank statements, investments, FDs)
4. ITR - last 3 years
5. Payslips - last 6 months
Timeline:
12th October (Monday) - Biometric Done
13th - application received in UKVI
14th - visa approved
I was really nervous whether I will get this given my lack of travel history, no immovable assets or anything but I am glad this worked out!
Hope this helps!
r/ukvisa • u/Replacement_Medical • 21h ago
Hey everybody I’m applying for a family visa with my civil partner. According to the requirements since my partner and I are in a civil partnership we did not have to be living with each other over the past two years. I had explained in my application that we did previously live together but we had to move apart due to my partner going back to university and my job didn’t allow me to work remotely. After the program we lived apart for another year because the cost of a 1 bed for the two of us was not really in the cards for us until a few months ago when we did move back in with each other. Despite this, part of the evidence UKVI are asking for is proof of us living together over the past two years (I attached an image of the exact wording). Given that we have not lived with each other over the past two years I am not sure how to navigate the evidence I should provide. I can provide evidence of us living together over the past few months but not over the past two years since we weren’t living together that whole time.
Anybody else in a similar boat and how did others provide evidence for this portion of the application?
r/ukvisa • u/Upbeat_Tip_6934 • 22h ago
A friend of mine wants to visit the UK, but their previous Schengen and US tourist visa applications were refused. Should they declare these refusals in their UK tourist visa application? I think they should, but they’re worried it might cause their application to be flagged.
Has anyone been in a similar situation or know of someone who was in the same situation and successfully obtained a UK visitor visa? They hold an Indian passport.