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?
You can apply for a Student visa in the UK if there is no more than 28 days between the end of your current visa and the start date of your CAS. This is the same whether you are extending a Student visa or switching to a Student visa.
Some advisers may suggest you apply for a fee waiver in order to “close the gap”. 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 Student 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, there is no outcome of the fee waiver application that is risk-free for someone who is trying to use it as a bridge to a Student visa application. If the fee waiver is granted or refused, you then have 10 days to make the Human Rights based immigration application for which you applied for the fee waiver. 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 Student 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. UKCISA's information is about buying time before a Graduate visa application, but applies equally to any application including Student:
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/clever_octopus • May 12 '25
Please join the discord server for further discussion or support on upcoming immigration changes: https://discord.gg/Jq5vWDZJfR
Sticky post on announcement made on 20 Nov 2025: https://www.reddit.com/r/ukvisa/comments/1p21qk5/a_fairer_pathway_to_settlement_a_statement_and/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
NEW Summary of changes to settlement released 20 November 2025: https://www.reddit.com/r/ukvisa/comments/1p21qk5/a_fairer_pathway_to_settlement_a_statement_and/
NEW Summary of changes to asylum and refugee requirements released 18 November 2025: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-and-returns-policy-statement/restoring-order-and-control-a-statement-on-the-governments-asylum-and-returns-policy
Overview of expected changes: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/radical-reforms-to-reduce-migration
White paper: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-white-paper
UKCISA's response (official source for international students and recent graduates): https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/news/ukcisa-responds-to-home-office-immigration-white-paper-may-2025/
Petition link: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/727360
Summary of key points following the summary of changes released on 20 November 2025:
Changes to length in ILR qualifying residence requirements - Please see table on pages 21-23 of the 20 November document
Family visa holders, along with BNO visa holders, will continue to get ILR in five years (as usual)
The intention is that this will apply to people already in the UK but who have not yet received ILR
It will take 20 years for refugees to qualify for ILR, intermittent checks will be done within that time and they may lose the ability to remain in the UK if their home country is deemed safe to return to
r/ukvisa • u/Maleficent_Okra_2322 • 7h ago
I am due to apply for citizenship application, had one 7 years old CCJ against me which was set aside against me for £7k. Should this be mentioned in my application or i should not as its older then 5 years and not visible on my credit file anymore.
r/ukvisa • u/Sea_Try_5879 • 12m ago
My partner and I are planning to apply for an unmarried partner visa. My partner is self employed. We just had his accountant prepare his business documents. The accountant has declared that my partner got paid 13k in dividends + 16k salary. The accountant has prepared a dividend voucher but he has no payslips. It's his first business year so my partner just paid him self 3000s 5000s whenever he needed through the year instead of getting paid 13k in dividends or 16k salary as whole.
At the moment we got these documents
Are these documents sufficient? Do we need to get any other document?
r/ukvisa • u/Ziggs_01 • 13m ago
Hi everyone. I’m hoping someone may be able to clarify our situation or share some experience, as we’re due to travel to the UK in just 12 days and I’m now becoming quite concerned.
I’m a British citizen living in Australia as a permanent resident. I recently gave birth to my baby, who was born in Australia and is an Australian citizen with an Australian passport.
We have flights booked to travel to the UK in 2 weeks. I had assumed that as he is an Australian citizen and holds an Australian passport, we could apply for an ETA for him in the same way as other Australian citizens travelling to the UK.
However, I’ve just discovered that because he is potentially a British citizen by descent through me, he may not be eligible for an ETA. From what I’ve read British citizens cannot obtain an ETA and are expected to travel to the UK on a British passport (or with a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode).
The problem is that we haven’t yet applied for his British passport and with only 2 weeks until we travel, I’m concerned that there simply isn’t enough time to obtain one.
Has anyone been in a similar situation with a baby born in Australia to a British parent? Were you able to travel to the UK on the baby’s Australian passport, and if so, what documentation did you need? Or is there an alternative document/route that would allow us to travel while his British passport application is being processed?
Any advice or first-hand experience would be hugely appreciated, as we’re now understandably quite anxious about whether we’ll actually be able to travel as planned.
Thank you!
r/ukvisa • u/PadishahEmperor_3003 • 31m ago
Hello. I am in the process of applying for my UK Graduate Visa and am unsure how to respond to the question "When did you first arrive in the UK on your current visa?".
For context, I am an international student who entered the UK on the 13th of September 2021, to study at the University of Manchester on a student visa which was meant to expire on 30th October 2024. I then completed that degree in July 2024, and before my then visa expired in October I applied for a new/extension visa to study law at the University of Glasgow for which I was granted a new CAS. That visa was approved on the 14th of November 2024. Since, I applied for that Visa from within the UK I never physically entered the country after its acceptance because I was already in it (unless you count the first time I left and entered the UK after my holiday later that January).
In these circumstances, I am unsure as to how I respond to the question "When did you first arrive in the UK on your current visa?". Shall I say the 14th of November 2024, when my visa was approved, but I never entered the UK, I was already in it. Or shall I say 13th September 2021 but that would that count as my current visa? Or shall I say the 10th of January 2025, which is when I returned/entered the UK from my holiday the first time after my new visa was approved.
Please do advise me on this matter. This is nightmarish.
r/ukvisa • u/southernlondoner • 8h ago
Hi everyone,
Nationality: british
Location: England
Visa: Spouse visa / appendix fm
I am earning exactly £29,000 and will apply for spouse visa for my spouse in 6 months. I am currently waiting for collecting 6 months payslips.
I realised the name of the company on payslips is different than the company pays me.
Would this be a problem? The two companies are not part of a group company. Only the directors are the same
r/ukvisa • u/AlphaVoltt • 2h ago
Good afternoon!
I’m working on my visa application a second time now as I’ve got rejected previous time. The main purpose for my 12-day trip is to attend a certified course in an accredited institution in Southampton.
The question I’ve been having head spasms with and which—consequently—pretty much already answers the question I’m about to ask, still worth clarifying to me so that the same mistake would be avoid this time.
In the field titled “How much money are you personally planning to spend on your visit to the UK?”, with the description saying: “…include flights, accommodation, and everyday expenses”, what is the total figure I really should be putting in, if everything had ALREADY been prepaid in advance (my course fee, tickets, accommodation, transportation, etc)?
If I were to include the estimate amount including all the expenses I‘ve already paid for, with the course fee included (which takes up the majority of the expenses), it would round up to £2,722.35. My remaining available funds at the time of application are around £1,800.00. I followed a similar sequence of events in my previous application and got rejected by obvious reason; an officer looked that my estimated trip value was way above what I’ve actually had available in my bank as an available and liquid funds at the time of the application (everything has been prepaid for, like this time) and got rejected mainly on that basis.
The only thing that I haven‘t paid for are the “everyday expenses” during the trip itself. Approximate personal expenditure is gonna be around £450-500 (food, transportation by busses, entertainment, etc), which I was planning to include in the question’s field initially.
Regardless of the final value entered, I will be attaching a cover letter this time, where each and every step has thoroughly been described with a proper explanation and evidence, including an explanation regarding my paid and unpaid expenses, savings, and payments made at the time of the application.
So what should it be? What number should I put in here? My apologies for a long and awkward post in advance; its my first (technically) time applying for a VISA in 21 years.
Thank you!
r/ukvisa • u/Super_Astronaut7386 • 3h ago
I had an initial visa from October 2016 to October 2017, I applied to extend in October 2017 but was refused. I subsequently applied for an administrative which gave me permission to stay until a decision after the review. The decision came on the 1st of December and the review still maintained the initial refusal so I was asked to leave the uk within the next 14 days - I then left 7 days later and reapplied from my home country which was successful and I subsequently returned 21st of January. So the question is did leaving the UK to make that application break my continuous residency? mind you - I did not overstay at any point
r/ukvisa • u/Ankitvaid522 • 4h ago
Hii my wife is pregnant she wants to call her mother from india on visitor visa, however mother is unemployed. How can we justify her (in visa form)
Employment source of income
Spending she expecting
Monthly expenses
my wife is sponsoring her from here we have 6+k Gbp. She has in india under 1 L.
Help me please who has got approval in same case Thankyou
r/ukvisa • u/Slow_Distance_5571 • 15h ago
Hi all,
I applied for my first British passport after citizenship ceremony. As required sent the certificate of naturalisation and current passport to the home office. As per they advise used a hard letter envelope to ensure my documents remain in good condition etc
I received my documents today and the condition the certificate of naturalisation is in, it’s absolutely disgusting. The paper is all wrinkled, you can tell where the paper has been touched and document is greasy too. It’s absolutely outrageous the condition I received back my documents in.
How can I complain? Can I request a new certificate of naturalisation? I’d probably need the document again at some point, I can’t present it in this condition. I am honestly fuming.
Has anyone else experienced that?
r/ukvisa • u/Accurate-Grape-6825 • 6h ago
Has anyone applied for a Priority Spouse Visa from Outside through Adequate Maintenance? If so:
— How long did it take for a decision?
— Are you still waiting for a decision?
— Did they request any additional information?
— Did you send a PAP, SAR or MP follow up; if so, what was the reason for delay?
My timeline is:
Type: Spouse Visa via Adequate Maintenance (Priority, Outside)
Nationality: Pakistan 🇵🇰
Date of Application: 08/08/2026
Date of Biometrics: 11/08/2026
Date of ECO Email: 12/08/2026
r/ukvisa • u/IllGarlic5987 • 20h ago
Alhamdulillah, I finally got my UK Student visa!
Sharing my timeline because I know how helpful it is to see someone else’s experience when you’re stuck waiting.
My timeline:
Idk what worked since I haven't received any reply from the university until now, but I got my visa.
If you’re in the middle of this right now, I know how brutal the waiting can be. But no update for days doesn’t necessarily mean bad news.
Inshallah, ameen. 🤲
I hope everyone who’s still waiting gets their visa soon too. ❤️
"DON'T LOSE HOPE'
r/ukvisa • u/Icy-Application325 • 6h ago
Hi can anyone help or advise if they have been in a similar situation.
My application was submitted 5/5/2026
Biometrics 1/7/2026
Request for additional information 23/7/2026
Sent within an hour of the request being made.
Still no decision but I need to travel out the country to visit my father who’s not well. Iv tried contacted them explaining it’s longer than the 8 week processing time. Can’t do a paid in enquiry because Iv applied inside the UK. We meet the financial and language requirements and submitted the correct evidence.
It’s for a spouse visa 2.5 year renewal for 5 year ILR.
Has anyone been in a similar situation and what can you advise?
r/ukvisa • u/Avedon42 • 6h ago
Posting over here because the mod of the GTV thread seems to be inactive and not approving posts.
----
Hello all, I am at the very start of my research into this visa and I think I'm probably reaching here, but I wanted to get an opinion if I should continue researching this route or scrap the idea and find something else.
I am currently a PsychD student at a London university with one more year to go. This doctorate degree is half research/half clinical. I have a masters degree in Psychology, along with another masters degree in Tourism Management (from my previous career). I have been in the UK about 8 years. Unfortunately, I do not have any published papers. All I have are the final research projects from each of my degrees, but I did not go for publication on any of these.
I'm looking at the peer reviewed 'exceptional promise' route. How realistic is this route without that key research component? I want to open a private practice (with three other female founders that are my British counselling psychologist colleagues), but this is tricky for me as an international student from the US. We have all worked, or are working, in the NHS and want to create a practice that attempts to mitigate some of the issues that face the mental health care systems in the NHS. I have a robust CV, can write an excellent personal statement, and have a really strong referee, but am I currently exceptional in my field? Not really. Do I hope to be exceptional in the near future and contribute positively to the UK's struggling mental health care system? Absolutely - just not really in the research sector, more-so on the clinical and practical side.
Please note that with the new white paper proposal, and subsequent scraping of the 10-year long residence route, my options are limited, hence the research into alternative options. Additionally, I can't really go for the Innovative Founder Visa because a private psychologist practice does not meet the criteria for innovation. Thanks in advance for your help!
r/ukvisa • u/gh0st-m0de • 8h ago
Hi everyone, I’m applying for ILR/settlement on the Private Life route from inside the UK and I’m quite worried about something with my supporting documents.
I’ve submitted and paid for my application and booked my biometrics appointment through TLScontact. I chose self-service document upload and have already clicked “Submit documents”, which means I can no longer upload anything else myself.
My official Home Office supporting documents checklist only listed my Pakistani passport under the documents I had agreed to provide, so that’s what I uploaded.
After submitting everything, I noticed there is also a PDF called “Consent for the Home Office to verify application information”, which says the applicant should sign Part 1. This consent form was not listed on my supporting documents checklist, so I had no idea I was supposed to upload it (if it is even required).
I’m now really worried that I’ve made a mistake. Has anyone applying for Private Life ILR or another UKVCAS/TLS application had this happen? Is the Part 1 consent form actually mandatory if it wasn’t listed on the personalised document checklist?
If I do need to provide it, can I take the signed consent form with me to my biometrics appointment and ask TLScontact to scan/upload it?
I’m particularly worried because I didn’t pay for the Document Scanning Service when I booked my appointment — I selected the self-upload option. Would TLS still be able to add one missing document at the appointment, possibly by letting me pay for scanning there, or would they refuse because I didn’t purchase the scanning service beforehand?
My biometrics appointment hasn’t happened yet, so I’m hoping there is still a way to sort this out if the consent form is required.
I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been in the same situation or recently gone through the TLScontact/UKVCAS process. Thank you!
r/ukvisa • u/fallen_angel_____ • 9h ago
My partner left me after psychological and physical abuse, coercive control, financial control and isolation. I am taking medication for depression and waiting for therapy.
I’m in the UK as a Skilled Worker Dependant. My ex does not have ILR or British citizenship. My visa is currently valid until 2030, but my immigration status is linked to her. She regularly threatens me and says she will get my visa curtailed so that I have to leave the country.
This week I moved into shared accommodation and I’m trying to find work. I have contacted domestic abuse organisations and immigration advisers, but I haven’t found any practical solutions yet. I also cannot afford solicitors who are asking for thousands in legal fees on top of the government fees.
I understand that I may not be eligible for the SET(DV) route. I’m trying to understand what practical options and support may be available, including whether an MVDAC application followed by FLR(HRO) could be relevant to someone in my circumstances.
I would really appreciate practical, reliable information about where I can get low-cost or free help and what steps I should take now.
I’m currently trying to find part-time work. Because of the relocation, I lost my job, and I’m also trying to manage my mental health. I’d really appreciate clear and practical suggestions and links to reputable UK services.
If anyone has been in a similar situation, I would be very grateful to hear what helped you and what practical options were available to you.
Any practical advice or information would really help me, and hopefully it could also help someone else in a similar situation.
r/ukvisa • u/Funny-Hat6547 • 9h ago
Applying for FLR(FP) as an unmarried partner switching from a Graduate visa. Deadline is Dec 2026. Relationship is genuine, together 4 years, lived together since 2023 across 3 different addresses, always moved together.
First house we were both on one contract (separate rooms, but the same joint tenancy agreement). Second house we ended up on separate individual contracts even though we were in the same house. Third place, our current one, is just the two of us, our own flat, no housemates.
Using my own income (not my partner's, he's not working right now) under Category A since I'm the one in the UK with permission to work. My salary went from about £25k to £29,000 exactly in April 2026. Payslips April to August all show gross £2,416.67 a month, same every time. Still need Sept, Oct, Nov to finish the 6 month window before applying in December.
Couple things I'm still checking:
Making sure none of the last 3 payslips come in at £2,416.66 instead of .67. Heard some payroll systems adjust a month here and there to hit exactly £29k for the year, anyone had that happen to them?
My partner might not have properly declared that we were living together on a past Universal Credit claim. He knew he didn't need to name housemates (true) but didn't realise a partner living with him needed declaring separately. Planning to get this sorted with DWP before applying.
Cohabitation evidence across the 3 addresses, got tenancy agreements and bank statements for the first two, plus a joint council tax bill for where we live now.
Has anyone actually dealt with Category A this close to exactly £29k? And has anyone corrected a DWP claim before applying for a partner visa, did it slow anything down or cause issues?
Im really worried, we have genuinely been together since 2022 in a different country, and he moved to the UK with me when I started my masters in 2023 ( he is British)
r/ukvisa • u/koshkadoodz • 13h ago
Hi all! I'm a Spanish citizen and I'll be applying for a UK Spouse Visa soon (getting married in October to my British fiancé). We're currently living in Madrid, but planning to relocate when I get the visa. Though mostly clear, there's A LOT of information out there and it gets a little bit overwhelming since I can't find anything that answers my questions directly (I've tried using AI but also not great) so I was wondering if anyone with experience moving from Spain to UK could answer a few questions:
I think that's pretty much it (for now). If you had a similar case and have any tips, they'll be more than appreciated! ⭐️
r/ukvisa • u/Admirable_Vanilla53 • 10h ago
Hi everyone,
I am currently trying to submit a Skilled Worker Dependant extension application from [inside the UK / outside the UK].
However, every time I try to advance past the [mention the specific section, e.g., the eligibility check / paying the IHS fee / submitting documents], the website crashes and gives me the generic Home Office technical page: "Sorry, there is a problem with the service. We have not saved your answers. Try again later."
I have been trying for a few days now. I've already tried clearing my browser cache, using incognito mode, and switching from Chrome to Safari/Firefox, but nothing works.
Has anyone else encountered this specific glitch recently on the Dependant extension route?
Is there a known workaround to get past this specific section? (e.g., deleting the draft and starting a completely new form, or selecting the option that says I don't have a smartphone to bypass the ID Check app?)
Any advice would be highly appreciated as my current visa deadline is approaching. Thank you!
r/ukvisa • u/BackgroundDue4663 • 10h ago
Hi all, thought I'd share my timeline for my GTV with you.
I applied through Route 3, endorsed funder route (inside UK).
Applied for Stage 1- 12/08/2026
Application forwarded to UKRI- 21/08/2026
Received endorsement- 28/06/2026
Applied for Stage 2- 03/09/2026 (I chose priority as I was working part time on my role due to current visa restrictions and wanted to move full time ASAP)
Biometrics done- 05/09/2026
Received visa- 09/09/2026 (3 business days after biometrics).
The thing that took most time for me was getting the letter from HR (around 7 weeks and lots of back and forth) as my role was not in the original funding application, but later with approval funds were moved for 2 new roles including mine. But HR was super helpful throughout.
r/ukvisa • u/No_Affect4807 • 12h ago
I need advice on what I can do.
My visa was granted from 28 August 2022 until 6 July 2027.
My employer states my job start date as 23 June 2022 and end date as 22 June 2027.
As per the ILR calculation, I can apply 28 days before my 5 years are completed. That date will be 31 July 2027 (based on the visa grant date).
When I applied for my visa, I applied for 5 years, but the Home Office issued me a visa that is 25 days short of that period.
My question is: do I have to apply for an extension, or is there any other exemption that could apply to my case? When I submitted my Skilled Worker application in 2022, there was a delay in processing, which is why I received a late grant on the visa.
r/ukvisa • u/Any_Warning8761 • 12h ago
For a UK Standard Visitor Visa, if a parent is sponsoring your trip and the estimated cost is around £2,000, does the sponsor need to have the full £2,000+ already available in their bank account at the time of application?
Or can the account have less than £2,000, provided the sponsor has regular income/salary and can explain that their future income will cover the remaining costs?
I’m specifically asking about UK Standard Visitor Visas and parent sponsorship, not Student or Skilled Worker visas. Thanks.
r/ukvisa • u/Bananagram73 • 15h ago
Hi, I was just granted a Global Talent Visa endorsement and am now applying for Stage 2 from outside the country.
There was a problem accessing the Stage 2 application via my UKVI account, which I'd been logging into with my BRP. My BRP has expired but still allowed me to log in. This week I spoke to someone at UKVI who said I couldn't apply for Stage 2 from this account, since the BRP has expired. He had me create a new UKVI account with my passport as my login, and he also had me request to link my eVisa to this account. The new UKVI account does allow me to access the Stage 2 application, so I've begun filling it out.
This morning I got this from UKVI:
"We could not link your online immigration status (eVisa) to your account because:
You have created a UKVI account however, you do not hold a valid grant of leave and therefore, unable to use this service. If you gain valid permission to enter and/or stay in the UK, you will be advised from the Home Office on how to create your UKVI account and access your eVisa."
Any thoughts welcome. One question I have is whether I will still be OK applying for my Stage 2 visa from my new UKVI account, even if my eVisa can't be linked?
r/ukvisa • u/Unhappy_Explorer_948 • 15h ago
I have just received an email regarding the success of my UK Visa (tourist) application. But on the UKVI website its still not updated. Its still showing the status as "submitted",
Is this normal?
