Extending your student visa

1. Extending your student visa Tier 4 (G) Student Visas In this Session: General information Requirements and rules Supporting documents How to apply Completing the application form

2. General Information Important! • Prepare early and take your time • Make sure you meet all the requirements. • Open & read letters from the Home Office • The ISA team are not always available to meet short deadlines • You are responsible for your application. Your visa is important, without it you cannot study or stay in the UK.

3. General Information How to avoid having your visa rejected • Make sure your application is sent in time so that it arrives at the Home Office BEFORE your current visa expires • Send your application by special delivery and keep the receipt from the Post Office • Must complete in BLACK ink • Must use CAPITAL LETTERS to complete the form • Answer all required questions and follow the directions. If a question does not apply to you, leave it blank • Make sure you have the most up-to-date form and all required documents • Have correct photos and fee payment Prepare early!

4. General Information If your application is refused… • You can appeal, if you have the right • You must have applied before your visa expired. This includes re-applying. • If your visa is refused or you loose an appeal, you do not have a valid visa • The university cannot continue to teach you, you must stop your course. • The university will have to report this to the Home Office • You will have to return home to reapply • This can affect your course If you fail to leave the UK you can get a 1 to 10 year immigration ban!

5. General Information The Application Process • Come to a UEA Visa Workshop • Complete form & get required documents • Come to a Visa Application Checking Session • We will send your application through the Student Batch Scheme. • or you can apply by yourself, by post or in person, however we recommend the Student Batch Scheme

6. General Information Next Steps • Biometric appointment – receive letter, book & attend appointment • Within 14 weeks (or more) we will receive your passport and documents. We will contact you by email. • Take your visa to your school/faculty, to check and photocopy.

7. Extending your student visa Student Batch Scheme • We will check your application • We will send your application for you • Costs £10 cash • Must pay application fee with Postal Order from the Post Office • Write on top of page 5 “Biometric Letter to applicant”

8. Extending your student visa Student Batch Scheme cont. • Contact Details on questions A2 & A3, B22 – B24 Paul Hartzler International Advisor Dean of Students’ Office University of East Anglia Norwich NR4 7TJ Tel: 01603 592281 Email: visa@uea.ac.uk

9. Requirements and rules Application Form You must print them off yourself • Tier 4 (G) available from the UK Border Agency website • PBS (Dependant) for dependants is also available online. They can apply at the same time as a student, but a separate form must be filled in for each dependant. Also can be found from our website Application Fees • £357 if you are sending your application by post or through the Student Batch Scheme • £628 if you are applying in person to the Home Office • £80 for each dependant application • £107 for each dependant if applying in person

10. Supporting documents Document Requirements Providing the correct documents with your application is very important. All documents must be original, recent and in English. Not producing the correct documents will result in your application being refused All documents must be sent at the same time as your application

11. Supporting documents Documents • Passport – You should provide all the passports that you have ever used in the UK. • Check is it valid and has at least 6 months left • If any of these passports have been lost or stolen, you will need to provide a police report and details of your initial trip to the UK.

12. Requirements and rules • Photographs – 2 UK passport size photographs of yourself. • These must be on a white or light grey background, you cannot smile, and nothing in front of your face. • Must be taken within 1 month • Photograph Guidance can be found on the UKBA Home Office website. If you fail to meet the requirements your application will be returned.

15. Requirements and rules Certificate of Acceptance for Studies • CAS Statement • From your Teaching/Research Office or Admissions Office (if a new course) • It will have: • Personal details • Course details • Fees owed and paid • Other documents needed *Make sure all information is correct **The started date on your CAS might not be the actual start date of your course. This is not a problem and is caused by the CAS computer programme. You must have a CAS to apply for a visa.

16. Supporting documents Documents to Support Application Proof of qualifications • Your CAS may list the ‘Documents used’ to obtain your place at UEA. • You must include all of these original documents and in English or translated. • If nothing is listed under ‘Documents used’ then you do not need to submit anything You only need the documents that are listed on your CAS!

18. Requirements and rules Money Needed for Tuition & Maintenance • 1st year course/tuition fees (or all course fees for one year or less) + • Maintenance / Living Costs • £5,400 (£600 x 9 months max.) Full maintenance • or £1,200 (if you meet the requirement to show the reduced amount - £600 x 2 months). • Unless paid to UEA or have financial sponsor

19. Requirements and rules Reduced maintenance requirement • To show £1,200 you must: • Currently be studying a course and have been studying for at least 6 months of that course • Starting a new course and completed a single course in the UK that was 6 months or longer and finished no more than 4 months before you apply • If you do not meet this requirement you must show the higher amount of a maximum of £5,400

20. Supporting documents How to prove that you have paid • Tuition • Paid in advance, show on CAS or official receipt • Bank account in your name (statement or letter) • Letter from an Official Financial Sponsor • UEA Scholarship on CAS • Letter from your parent and birth certificate or other… • Maintenance • Paid in advance for UEA accommodation only • Bank account in your name • Letter from an Official Financial Sponsor

21. Supporting documents Bank Statements • All funds must be in a bank account in YOUR name • You must have the required funds in your account for 28 days • The bank statement or bank letter cannot be more than 1 month old • Must be originals (keep your statements)

22. Supporting documents • Bank Statements and Letters must have include the following: • Your (or your parents) name • Account number • Date of the statement or letter • The bank’s name and logo • Amount of money available • Ad hoc statements are accepted if on the bank’s letterhead paper • If a print out is used it must have all the above details and the official stamp on every page. • You can use an overseas bank account. But it needs to be an original document, in English, and convert the end balance to British Pounds • http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic

23. Supporting documents Proof of finances from Financial Sponsor • If you are receiving financial sponsorship, you must provide a letter from your financial sponsor confirming: • the details of your sponsorship, including • the amount of funds for tuition and maintenance • when the sponsorship will finish. • This needs to be on official letter headed paper and signed/stamped by your financial sponsor.

24. Supporting documents ATAS – Academic Technology Approval Scheme • Certain subjects must apply for an ATAS, before you make a visa application. • Check your CAS or with your school • Masters and PhD students must check if needed • To apply you will need to obtain the JACS code from your School Office and check it to the list on the ATAS website: www.fco.gov.uk/atas. *This is not your ATAS Certificate • You must apply for your ATAS certificate online at least 1 to 2 months before applying for your visa. • The certificate will be emailed to you and must be printed and submitted with your visa application.

25. Supporting documents Police Registration Certificates • If you are required to register with the police, you must include your Police Registration Certificate and those of any dependants also required to register. • Certificates must be up-to-date and include your current address and details of any visa extensions or changes of course. • To book an appointment call 01953 423795

26. Requirements and rules Translations in English • If any of your documents are not in English or Welsh you will need to get them translated by a professional translator. • The translation must include: • Details of the translator’s credentials • Confirmation it is an accurate translation of the original document • Translator’s contact details • The original signature & date of the translator • Must include both original and translation versions in your application • If the document provided is in English from your education institution or bank, that is acceptable

27. Supporting documents List of Required Documents This is only a guide • Application Form • Application fee • 2 passport size photos • Passport(s) • CAS Statement • Bank Statement and/or receipts • Any Education documents • Police Registration Certificate (if required) • ATAS Certificate (if required) • Financial Sponsor Letter (if required)

28. Extending your student visa How can we help you? • Information on our website www.uea.ac.uk/services/students/international/PBS • Visa Help Guide • Visa Workshops (see timetable) • Visa Application Checking Sessions (see timetable) • We will send your application to the UK Border Agency through the Visa Batch Scheme • Cost of the Batch Scheme Service is £10 per application • Email us at dos.internationaladvice@uea.ac.uk

29. Extending your student visa Dependants • The application fee is £80 for each dependant • £107 for each dependant for in person appointment • Each dependant needs their own PBS Dependant application form. • Include your dependants’ passports. • Photographs – 2 UK passport size photographs of each dependant. • Police Registration • Birth Certificate - only if your child does not have a dependants visa • Marriage Certificate – only if your spouse does not have a dependants visa

30. Extending your student visa Dependants • Maintenance requirement – if you meet the reduced maintenance requirement, then your dependants will too. • £800 (£400 multiplied by a maximum of 2 months per person) • Or if you do not meet the reduced amount you must show £3,200 (£400 multiplied by a maximum of 9 months per person). • You can use a bank statement in your name for your dependants, or it can be in the name of your dependant. • If you are financially sponsored and it states it covers your family, you can use the original letter. Dependants and their documents must meet all the same requirements as you do.