Immigration, including visas

Coming to the UK, as a student

• Do I need to get a visa (entry clearance) before I travel to the UK?
• I am not a visa national. From 1 September 2007 must I always get entry clearance before coming to the UK?
• I want to travel to the UK via Ireland. Is this possible?
• What conditions must I meet to be a student in the UK?
• Can I bring my family with me to the UK?
• Can I come to the UK before I get a place on a course?

Travelling in Europe

• Do I need a visa to travel around Europe?

Do I need to get a visa (entry clearance) before I travel to the UK?

If you come to the UK as a student on or after 1 September 2007, you must obtain entry clearance before travelling.

You apply for entry clearance from your nearest British diplomatic post (Embassy or High Commission). You can find contact details of your nearest diplomatic post on the UKvisas website.

I am coming to the UK to start my studies. What do I need to do about immigration?

I am not a visa national. From 1 September 2007 must I always get entry clearance before coming to the UK?

No. You can still apply when you arrive in the UK, but only for permission to enter as a student visitor. Student visitor is a new immigration category that will exist from 1 September 2007. You can apply for student visitor permission only if you intend to leave the UK within six months of your arrival, and you have a place on a course that is on the Register of Education and Training Providers. You will not be allowed to work and you must be able to support yourself financially without needing to work or claim welfare benefits. If you have immigration permission as a student visitor, you cannot apply in the UK to extend your stay as a student or for more time as a student visitor.

Arriving in the UK

I want to travel to the UK via Ireland. Is this possible?

Yes, but if you are coming to study in the UK and you want to travel to Ireland first, you should obtain UK entry clearance as a student in your home country before going to Ireland. The reasons for this are:

• you will probably not see any immigration officers when you enter the UK from Ireland, so you will not be able to apply for immigration permission to enter the UK
• if you do not get immigration permission when you enter the UK, and you are not a visa national, you will in most cases automatically have permission to be in the UK for three months, but you will not be allowed to work and you will not be able to extend your stay in the UK as a student or student visitor.

I am coming to the UK to start my studies. What do I need to do about immigration?

What conditions must I meet to be a student in the UK?

If you want to study in the UK, you must meet the requirements of the the Immigration Rules. These requirements apply to: the place where you want to study, your course, your ability to follow the course, your finances, and your intentions during and after your studies.

The college or university where you want to study must be on the Register of Education and Training Providers.

I am coming to the UK to start my studies. What do I need to do about immigration?

I want more time in the UK, as student. What do I do about immigration?

Can I bring my family with me to the UK?

Yes, but only your spouse or civil partner and your children. Your children must be under the age of 18 when they first enter the UK.

A civil partner is a same sex partner with whom you have a legally recognised relationship, including relationships registered in countries other than the UK. You can find out more about civil partnerships from the UK Government's Women and Equality Unit.

Your family

Can I come to the UK before I get a place on a course?

Yes, but it is very important that you apply to enter the UK as a prospective student, and not as a visitor. You will be expected to provide evidence that you have made contact with institutions in the UK, for example letters inviting you for interviews in the UK. Prospective students can stay in the UK for up to six months to make arrangements for their studies. when you have enrolled at a college or university, you will need to extend your stay in the UK as a student. If you have not come to the UK with entry clearance in the immigration category of 'prospective student', you will not be able to do this in the UK and will have to return to your country to make this application.

Do I need a visa to travel around Europe?

Check the website for the UK embassy of the particular country you want to visit (choose the 'London Diplomatic List' on that webpage, for a list of websites). The website will tell you whether people of your nationality need to apply for visas before travelling to that country.

If the website says that you need a 'Schengen visa', look at these frequently asked questions about Schengen visas.

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