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U.K. Immigration Overview (cont.)
<< back to U.K. Immigration
overview, page 1
U.K. Student Visa:
In order to travel to the U.K. to undertake a
course of study the applicant must show to immigration officials
that they have been accepted for a course of study at:
- A public funded institution offering higher education for
a recognized full-time degree course or,
- A course of duration no less than 15 hours a week from a private
education institution or,
- A full-time course of study at an independent fee-paying institution
The student must also demonstrate that they have
paid for the course (or have the funds to do so) and that they
have sufficient funds to support themselves for the duration of
their stay. Before the visa is granted other factors may be taken
into consideration by U.K. immigration officials such as whether
the applicant will be able to follow the course and that the applicant
indeed intends to do so, and that the applicant will leave the
U.K. at the end of that course. Documentary proof may need to
be shown such as a letter of acceptance from the teaching institution
and financial statements from your bank. |
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The visa should be applied for
at the local U.K. Embassy or Consul closest to where the applicant
resides normally. If the applicant is a citizen from a country
that does not require a visa and the course is for a duration
of less than 6 months the applicant does not need to apply for
the visa prior to arriving in the U.K.
The student may apply for extensions to their
visa to stay in the U.K. as long as they continue to meet immigration
requirements and that they do not spend more than 4 years on a
study visa.
Students from a country in the European Economic Area can enter
the U.K. freely by showing their passport or national identity card.
A visa is not required. The E.E.A. consists of: Austria, Belgium,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain,
and Sweden.
Students are permitted to work in the U.K. without the need for
a work permit for no more than 20 hours a week during the school
term and full-time during holidays. Students may not however run
their own business or work full-time in a permanent job.
U.K. Working Holiday Visa
The U.K. Working Holiday Visa scheme is a popular and easy way for
young people from participating countries to enter the U.K. essentially
as a tourist, but with the right to seek limited employment to fund
their stay and their travels.
Eligibility for the Working Holiday Visa is limited to people from
a Commonwealth country (or a British Dependent Territory) who are
aged between 17 and 30 and the visa is valid for a period of two
years. Recent changes to the legislation covering the Working Holiday
Visa scheme mean that it is now possible to apply to remain in the
U.K. after the Working Holiday visa expires under a general work
permit (a general work permit can lead to settlement in the U.K.
after 4 years so it is an attractive option for many people).
When applying at your local British Embassy or Consulate you will
need to demonstrate the following in order to apply for a Working
Holiday Visa (before travelling to the U.K.):
- That your intention is to enter the U.K for the purposes of
a working holiday
- That you are a citizen of a Commonwealth country (or a British
Dependent Territory)
- That you are aged between 17 and 30
- That you are unmarried (or if married, that you are married
to a person who qualifies for the Working Holiday Visa, and
that you intend to travel together)
- That you have no dependent children over the age of 5 years,
or who will be 5 years by the time your working holiday is over
- That you have sufficient funds to support yourself while on
holiday
- That you have sufficient funds to purchase a return or onward
ticket from the U.K.
Once you have satisfied the U.K. immigration authorities of these
points you will be issued a Working Holiday Visa which entitles
you to enter the U.K. and work for a period of up to two years.
There are no longer any restrictions on the type of work you can
do or how long you are permitted to work under the Working Holiday
Visa scheme. You are free to work the entire two-year period if
you so choose.
Your Working Holiday Visa is valid for two years but any time that
you spend outside of the U.K. during that time, for whatever reason,
is still counted as part of your two-year period. In certain circumstances
you may be permitted to apply to extend your stay under the Working
Holiday Visa scheme or you may also be entitled to apply for a full
Working Permit through your employer that will allow you to stay
in the U.K for 4 years. |
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