r/ukvisa • u/FastFix7504 • 9d 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.
Tlscontact uk i used three appointment schedule so cant able to book the next one but system nit let me to booked it .
i tried to contact them but i dont how long it take them to reply
could anyone help on this or anyone in same situation before? how they managed to fixed it
thank you
r/ukvisa • u/Downtown_Macaron835 • 2h ago
My youth mobility visa expires January 6th, however I am planning on going home to Canada for Christmas this year and returning to the UK on January 2nd. Would I be allowed to apply for my visa extension on January 2nd as soon as I land back in the UK?
r/ukvisa • u/Chef_Mitka • 2h ago
Follow up question from a previous post,
It was pointed out that Id missed Id have to go back to Australia to apply for my ancestry visa, as I am currently in the UK on a YMV.
Ive gone back through all the documents and can't find an answer, Apologies if I've just missed it somewhere.
Am I able to go back to Aus while I still have time on my YMV, and apply for the ancestry visa so that if it gets declined I can still come back to organise leaving and returning my stuff to Aus?
If so, do I need to stay in Aus until I get the decision, or can I go back to the UK to wait for the decision?
Thanks
r/ukvisa • u/puptrubl • 3h ago
16 days until ILR application ! I can’t believe I'm going to survive the changes to settlement.
I have one question though. My Payslip varies depending on whether I have been reimbursed for mileage or not.
My most most recent bank statement will not reflect a reimbursement while my most recent payslip will show an amount 300 higher.
I worry that they won't be able to properly identify my employer deposit. Thoughts?
r/ukvisa • u/No_Statistician8567 • 3h ago
I am an F1 PhD student in the US (Indian citizen). I gave my biometrics at the VFS today. I wanted to cross-check my uploaded supporting documents. On opening my application, I found that my bank statements were not showing up on the uploaded materials for financial proof. It only had my PhD offer letter. What can I do?
r/ukvisa • u/LeonardoNieto • 4h ago
earliest and latest I can apply, thanks for you help.
r/ukvisa • u/deepj7744 • 5h ago
Approved dependant eVisa, but no photo or share codes and stuck confirming identity — flying Etihad from India on 30 October
Hi everyone, hoping to hear from anyone who’s dealt with something similar.
My wife and I received our UK visa approvals on 2 October—mine is Skilled Worker and hers is dependant partner. We’re booked to fly Kolkata → Abu Dhabi → Heathrow with Etihad on 30 October, arriving on 31 October. I start work on 2 November.
We’ll be travelling on the same passports used for our applications. We have eVisas only, with no visa stickers in our passports.
The main problem is my wife’s account:
We submitted an error report on 6 October. Today, 15 October, a live UKVI webchat adviser asked us to try the linking process again using her existing account. After we explained the loop, the adviser raised a technical incident.
They said we’ll receive an email when it’s resolved and can contact them again for escalation on 23 October, seven days before departure. They didn’t give a resolution timeframe or answer whether she could travel if it remains unresolved.
I also called Etihad, but the reservations helpline said they couldn’t check visa matters and suggested contacting the embassy.
Would really appreciate first-hand experiences:
If you travelled successfully, please mention whether you had a working share code or visa sticker, as my wife currently has neither.
r/ukvisa • u/EconomyBusiness7950 • 1h ago
I came to uk in January 2025 on 5 years ihs paid skilled worker visa. I worked here for for almost two years and now my company has been revoked which means my visa will also terminated. Finding another employee is next to impossible but i am trying. If i didn’t get any sponsorship will i get my ihs back? Or i can reimburse it in any visit visa
r/ukvisa • u/ColdExisting3622 • 5h ago
Finally got my UK Standard Visitor Visa approved, and I wanted to share my timeline because I know how stressful the waiting period can be! ❤️
My Application Journey:
7 October 2026: Attended my VFS appointment.Biometrics completed and documents submitted.
8 October 2026: Received confirmation that UKVI had received my application.
12 October 2026: Received an email saying my application was still being processed.
15 October 2026: Received my successful visa decision! 🎉
About my application:
Nationality: Indian
Visa type: Standard Visitor Visa
Purpose: Visiting my sisters in the UK for Christmas and New Year, along with some sightseeing.
Employment situation: Unpaid internship ending before my trip; expected employment afterward.
Sponsorship: My father and sister sponsored parts of my trip.
Accommodation: Staying with my sister in Manchester
Documents I submitted included:
•Personal bank statements and savings evidence
•Sponsorship letters and sponsors’ financial documents
•Sister’s passport, UK immigration status and employment evidence
•Birth certificates to establish our relationship
•Accommodation evidence
•Internship and future employment information
•Cover letter, travel itinerary and previous passport
I was extremely anxious throughout the process. I kept worrying that being 21, not having a permanent job yet, having sisters in the UK would affect my application.
Thankfully, my visa was approved! 🥹❤️
I hope this helps anyone applying from India, especially those who are young or between jobs.
Wishing everyone waiting for their decision the very best! 🇬🇧✨
r/ukvisa • u/Hello_Faithyyy • 6h ago
**UK Standard Visitor Visa Reapplication Advice – Previous Refusal**
Hello! I would appreciate some advice regarding my UK Standard Visitor Visa refusal and the supporting documents I am preparing for my reapplication.
**Biometrics:** October 2, 2026
**Refusal received:** October 10, 2026
My intended visit is for tourism and to spend time with my British partner, and his family in the UK. My partner will provide accommodation and cover some tourist activities, while I will pay for my own airfare and personal expenses.
My application was refused for two main reasons:
**1. Financial arrangements with my partner**
I did not submit my partner’s bank statements because I understood that I was not fully sponsored. However, UKVI questioned the £600 contribution declared in my application.
I submitted his invitation letter, British passport copy, council tax bill, and utility bill. For my reapplication, I intend to clarify our financial arrangement and ensure that my application, cover letter, and his invitation letter are consistent.
I now have his bank statements to demonstrate that he can afford the activities he has offered to cover.
**2. Family ties and reasons to return to the Philippines**
UKVI was not satisfied that my circumstances demonstrated that I would leave the UK at the end of my visit.
My father is currently unemployed, and relies on my financial assistance for his daily needs. I also help support him and assist with his medical needs as he is still recovering from having a brain hemorrhage last year.
For my initial application, I have only submitted his doctor's appointment confirmation for January 6, 2027, and proof that he is enrolled as my HMO dependent.
For my reapplication, I now have the following additional evidence:
* Barangay Certification confirming his residency and lack of income.
* Affidavit of No Income.
* Clinical abstract and hospital discharge papers documenting his medical history.
* Medicine receipts from 2024 to 2026, including two receipts from April and October 2026 issued in my name.
* His upcoming doctor's appointment confirmation.
* Additional evidence of my financial support and involvement in his care, where available.
I am also employed full-time in the Philippines and have provided my Certificate of Employment, approved annual leave, and payslips as evidence of my employment and planned return to work. The immigration officers did not question any of the above documents.
**My questions are:**
I would greatly appreciate any advice from those familiar with UK Standard Visitor Visa applications, particularly regarding reapplications following a refusal.
Thank you so much for your time and guidance!
r/ukvisa • u/Kartik_goody • 7h ago
We(family of 3) gave biometrics for ILR in priority queue as family on 2nd october. On 6th oct, we got an email that my wife's share code is not right in Life in UK portal(I mistakenly had right to work(W*******) share code uploaded by mistake)
I rectified that on 7th october and send the reply to home office , on 8th october they sent back the email that this case is "exceptionally complex"
Have not heard anything yet and don't even know what to do. Its been 10 working days so far.
I have called PSI services many times and they said once you update; this should get automatically synced to Home office servers. I also sent them the correction.
Has anyone faced same/similar issue please?
r/ukvisa • u/Fun-Research-5006 • 7h ago
Hi all,
I just submitted my ILR application from the skilled worker route on priority service and submitted all my documents and paid for a prime time appointment for the 26th October. I have a holiday planned for 6th November so I’m very anxious!
Hate myself for this but I’ve just found a mistake on my ILR application for ‘date I first entered the UK’ and ‘date I live in my home country till’. I was on a student visa prior to the skilled worker visa and mistakenly put the date I entered as a student in 2017 for the former, but 2021 as the date I lived in my home country to.
I don’t know what to do now and I’m freaking out. I am aware that I can send in a cover letter explaining but I’ve opted for the self upload prime time appointment.
I would like to move the appointment forward to tomorrow/ Monday morning and was thinking if I should
(1) pay for anytime appointment tomorrow so that the application is out and allows UKVI to contact me if any issues. The only concern for this is that UKVI might reject my application due to the mistake? Or
(2) add in service for the document upload service so that I can add cover letter. Does anyone know if I can cancel my appointment and rebook instead?
Would appreciate any suggestions! Thanks so much in advance
r/ukvisa • u/qwetrypasswd • 7h ago
Hi everyone!
A few weeks ago, I posted here asking for advice about our UK Standard Visitor visa applications, particularly regarding our finances, my wife’s sponsorship and our bank statements.
I’m happy to share that both of our visas have been APPROVED! 🎉
Our timeline:
2 October 2026: Applications submitted
7 October: Biometrics at VFS Global
9 October: UKVI application received confirmation
12 October: “Still processing” email
15 October: Both visas approved!
Our circumstances:
My wife and I are non-EU citizens legally residing in an EU country.
I work full-time for an international company and hold an EU Blue Card. My wife legally resides with me in the same EU country. I financially support her and covered the estimated cost of her UK trip.
Financial situation:
My savings: approximately £4,870
Wife’s savings: approximately £604
Monthly contractual net salary: approximately £1,950
Combined monthly household expenses: approximately £1,000
Estimated UK trip cost: £1,200 for both of us
Documents we submitted:
For myself:
Passport and EU residence permit
Six months of bank statements
Official English bank balance certificate
Six months of payslips
Employment certificate showing six months of earnings
Proof of residential address in the EU
Marriage certificate and English translation
For my wife:
Passport and EU residence permit
Bank statements and savings evidence
Marriage certificate and English translation
My sponsorship letter
My bank statements, payslips and employment certificate
My passport and residence permit
A separate declaration explaining my immigration status as her sponsor
One important detail about bank statements:
My bank only issues detailed monthly statements in the local EU language. We submitted the original statements without certified English translations.
However, we also provided an official English bank balance certificate, English payslips and an English employment certificate showing my income history.
Both applications were approved without any requests for additional documents.
I’m sharing this because I previously struggled to find experiences from people applying from EU countries, particularly where one spouse sponsors the other.
Of course, this is just our experience and doesn’t mean untranslated bank statements will always be accepted.
Thank you to everyone who helped us along the way!
r/ukvisa • u/No-Yoghurt4936 • 9h ago
Hi everyone,
I’m currently on a UK Skilled Worker visa under SOC code 2142 (Graphic Designer).
My visa was granted in November 2025 for 2 years, so it will expire in November 2027.
I’ve been hearing about the Immigration Salary List (ISL) being scrapped in December 2026.
I’m concerned about how these changes might affect my future in the UK, particularly when I need to extend my visa in 2027.
I have a few questions:
If the Immigration Salary List is removed, will I still be eligible to extend my Skilled Worker visa under SOC 2142?
Will the new salary thresholds apply to existing Skilled Worker visa holders, or will there be transitional arrangements?
Can my current employer continue sponsoring me in the same occupation?
If my occupation is no longer eligible under the new rules, what options would I have?
Has anyone in a similar situation received clarification from the Home Office or an immigration solicitor?
I’m particularly interested in understanding whether existing Skilled Worker visa holders will be protected under transitional rules.
Any advice or experience would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
r/ukvisa • u/a_human_being_2021 • 9h ago
[Application from India]
[Application for Standard Visitor Visa - meeting family I.e. my brother]
Me, my wife and my mother applied together and had our biometrics on the same day.
Application submitted on Oct 3
Biometrics on Oct 9
Visa decision arrived for me and wife - Successful on Oct 15 (today at the same time)
Nothing in the inbox for my mother.
Any idea if applications submitted together and viewed together by the same officer ?
Worried that only this decision is pending.
r/ukvisa • u/Case_Rough • 5h ago
Hi,
My wife is having her citizenship ceremony on Monday but we are due to visit Ireland next Sunday.
I just realised it says she cannot use her previous status to re-enter the UK. Does this mean we cannot travel?
r/ukvisa • u/Quil_2002 • 13h ago
Hi all,
A friend got his UK Visitor Visa rejected, he is currently a full-time student, his nationality is Albanian and his is a Greek resident, he provided as evidence letter of confirmation of studies from his uni and he demonstrated that he has enough saving for the trip (funded by his father), he passed the interview as well and said it went fine.
Reason of refusal is the following:
I do think the letter confirming his student studies is not as elaborate (find below) but he said this is the standard one they issue from his university. For the savings discrepancy, he has more or less £500 in spending never exceeding above £600 except for one month in Sep where he had to pay the school fees and bills where it went above £1000. Is the decision reasonable? If so, how could the application be strengthened if he is to reapply? He had a positive history of immigration as well (visiting multiple countries and coming back)
r/ukvisa • u/Brilliant-Key-5233 • 10h ago
Throwaway for privacy. I’ve been in the UK for a long time, started on student visa (4 yr), then had graduate visa (2yr) and now on 3rd year of BNO visa.
I know the student visa doesn’t count into the 5 years of residency but the graduate visa should, am I right that in theory I should be able to apply ILR in 2027? If not I’ll have to wait til 2029 when I’m in the end of my BNO, but god knows how the political climate will be then and if it’ll affect the rules again.
If you are me will you apply ILR next year? Or wait?
r/ukvisa • u/Realistic-Fish4019 • 10h ago
Hi all, I'm getting ready to apply for ILR and wanted to hear from anyone who's been in a similar spot.
My absences are well under 180 in every rolling 12-month window except one. In late 2024 / early 2025 I left UK for about 5 months for my wedding, and I went back for a short family visit soon after. At its peak, that rolling 12-month window comes to 171 days (whole days only, travel days excluded). Every other window is much lower, mostly 20–50 days.
All my trips have clear reasons (marriage, family, a couple of holidays, one work trip), and I have evidence for the wedding trip.
My questions:
Any data points would be really appreciated. Thanks!
r/ukvisa • u/Ok-Taro222 • 10h ago
I submitted Skilled worker visa application a month later, home office replied that the COS is invalid and is requesting a valid COS within the next 10 days. Later I realised that the sponsor withdrew the COS but fortunately have secured a new COS from another sponsor. Since my previous visa has expired, Can this new COS be submitted directly? Or is there another step to be taken alongside the new COS submission
r/ukvisa • u/vanessawjya • 7h ago
Hi everyone! My British partner and I have been together since November 2023. We lived together in the UK for around 5 months, but I had to return to Indonesia due to my scholarship requirements, so we've been long-distance since.
We're engaged and have booked our UK wedding for May 2027. We're trying to decide between the Unmarried Partner and Fiancé visa routes.
Our only concern with applying as unmarried partners is whether the caseworker might question why we're not applying for a Fiancé visa when we already have plans to marry within 6 months???
The main reason is that I'd like to be able to work in the UK.
Has anyone been in a similar situation or had experience with this? Which route should we go with? thanks!
r/ukvisa • u/Scarlet__Flame • 11h ago
UK spouse visa applicants from the Philippines- May I know which payment method you used for paying the visa fee? Would you also have the final amount for those channels?
r/ukvisa • u/Bulky-Passenger5514 • 11h ago
My 13-year-old daughter and I applied for British citizenship in April 2026. While our applications were pending, my father-in-law became critically ill in India. As my mother-in-law is disabled, we had no option but to travel to India in July 2026.
Our citizenship applications were approved in September 2026. However, due to the ongoing family situation, we may need to stay in India for another 9–12 months or longer.
Our plan is to return to the UK for our citizenship ceremonies and then travel back to India, applying for our British passports from there.
However, some people have told us that our citizenship could be revoked because we would no longer meet the future intention to live in the UK requirement.
Can citizenship actually be revoked in these circumstances, given that our applications have already been approved and our absence is due to a genuine family emergency?
I'd appreciate advice from anyone familiar with UK nationality law or who has experienced something similar.