Visas - Extending your visa in the UK as a student
Many students will require further time in order to continue their studies in the UK once their entry clearance visa expires. Some students will require extra time to complete their current course of study, while some will want to take up a new course of study once their first course is complete.
In this section:
Preparing your application for leave to remain
- What you will need to prepare
- How International Student Support can help you
- Charges for leave to remain applications
Options for making a new visa application:
1. Apply for fresh Entry Clearance Tier 4 Visa from home country
If you are returning home for the holidays you may be able to make a visa application from your home country. However, you must not choose this option if it will cause you to miss classes, unless you have the express permission of your School.
- Cost: £289
- Complete forms VAF9 and Appendix 8 (usually online). Please refer to UKBA website for full information
- Processing time: usually less than 10 days, but can be longer during busy periods
2. Extend your visa from the UK – apply for leave to remain under Tier 4
- Cost: £394 (postal application) or £716 (premium application)
- Complete Tier 4 (General) application form
- Processing time: between 6 -14 weeks (postal application) or same day decision (premium application)
- You should submit your completed application to ISS for checking at least 2 weeks before your visa expires
- QUB ISS will submit your Tier 4 visa application through the Student Batch Scheme
- This is when we assist you with extending your visa in the UK. We provide guidance on completing the form and deliver a visa extension workshop that you are expected to attend. We then post your visa application and documents to a specialised team in the UKBA and all documents are returned to our Office
- You can commence or continue studies before you receive a decision on your visa application
The Tier 4 application is currently a paper-based form, but from August/September 2012 it is expected the UKBA will release an online application form. We are awaiting further clarification from the UKBA regarding this, and will keep you updated on any changes.
Extending a Visa! The One Month Rule – for students starting a new course
The UKBA state that if your immigration permission (visa) runs out more than one month before your next course starts then you need to go back to the country where you normally live, and make an entry clearance application. If commencing a new course at Queen’s, the start date will be Wednesday 12 September 2012, the beginning of our International Welcome and Orientation Programme.
For both options, further information and guidance can be found on our ISS website under Immigration and Visas.
CAS Required for all students apply or renewing a VISA
Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)
In order to apply for a new visa or extend your new visa, you will require a CAS. For students commencing or continuing studies at QUB, the CAS is assigned by International Student Support. To request a CAS please complete a CAS request form and email to iss@qub.ac.uk. Please ensure you allow sufficient time for your CAS to be processed. Once assigned, the CAS statement will be emailed to you and you must use the CAS number and the information contained in the CAS statement to complete the visa application form, and apply for your visa.
Making your application to the UKBA
- Posting your own application
- Applying in person at a Public Enquiry Office
- Posting through the Student Batch Scheme by International Student Support
- Terms and Conditions of the Student Batch Scheme
- Posting by a legal representative
- Visa refusals
Further information about making a visa extension application
Preparing your leave to remain application form
International Student Support will help you prepare your application and check the documents needed to extend your student visa while in the UK and post it to the UK Border Agency using the Home Office Student Batch Scheme.
You will first need to submit a CAS Request Form to International Student Support.
International Student Support operates visa extension workshops which students are required to attend before a CAS will be issued. For further information about these workshops, or to book a place, please contact iss@qub.ac.uk. Students must then read the Policy Guidance and complete the Tier 4 (G) student application form. If you have any questions about your application form you can email International Student Support at iss@qub.ac.uk or you can come to a drop-in session in our centre.
When you have ALL the supporting documents and photographs, you should submit your completed application form and supporting documents to International Student Support. We will then check your application.
Checking your application
When you have prepared your documents and application form, you can come to a drop-in session to see an International Student Support Officer and submit your application. At the drop-in session, the International Student Support Officer will make a preliminary check of your application to ensure that you have submitted all of the correct documents. If you have submitted the correct documents the Officer will take your application form to check in detail. If you have not submitted the correct documents, the Officer will tell you what you need to do and you will have to return with your fully completed application form at another time.
When the Officer checks your application in detail and is satisfied that the application form is complete and you have fully satisfied the Tier 4 criteria, International Student Support will issue your CAS. You can then send your application to the UK Border Agency.
Charges for Extensions of Leave to Remain
Student visa extensions currently cost £394.00 for applications made by post and £716.00 for premium applications made in person at a Public Enquiry Office. If you are posting your application form we would recommend that you pay by postal order as this guarantees payment and is processed very quickly at the payment centre. You can get postal orders for a small fee at the local Post Office.
Applications for leave to remain for dependants which are made at the same time as the student's leave to remain application cost £197.00 by post and £358.00 for premium applications made in person. If a dependant is applying separately from the main applicant, the application will cost £561.00 for applications made by post, or £867.00 for premium applications made in person.
Making your application to the UKBA
Remember: It is your responsibility to make your application to extend your leave to remain as a student in good time. This means that your application must be received by the UK Border Agency (UKBA, Home Office) before the date your current visa expires.
If you make your application after the expiry date of your visa you will be 'overstaying'. Overstaying is a criminal offence. You will not have any immigration status in the UK and this will affect your right to study and work while you are waiting on a decision about your application. It could also cause you problems for any future immigration applications you make.
When you have completed your application form and prepared the necessary documents you must decide how you will apply.
Posting your own application
- You will need a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number which you can get from International Student Support using a CAS Request Form.
- You will have to sign a form agreeing to bring your new immigration documents to International Student Support to allow us to take a copy once your new visa has been granted.
- Your application will cost £394.00 + postage.
- If you post your own application you must take a copy of all of your documents, including your passport and visa.
- You must post your application to the address shown on the front of the application form.
- You must take your documents to the Post Office.
- You must post your application by special delivery.
- Write down your special delivery number and keep it somewhere safe.
Applying in person at a Public Enquiry Office
- If you wish to apply for your visa quickly, you can make an appointment at a Public Enquiry Office (PEO).
- You will need a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number which you can get from International Student Support using a CAS Request Form.
- You will have to sign a form agreeing to bring your new immigration documents to International Student Support to allow us to take a copy once your new visa has been granted.
- Students will normally have a decision on the day of the application and their Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) posted to them within 7-10 working days (this is not always the case).
- You will be able to make your application at the PEO in Belfast.
- This application will cost you £716.00 + travel costs.
- To make an appointment you can telephone 0870 606 7766 or book online (you must ensure that the appointment date and time are before the expiry date of your current visa).
- Make a copy of your application and documents and take these with you when you go for your appointment.
- You can find more details about applying in person at the UKBA website.
Posting to UKBA by Queen's to the Student Batch Scheme
International Student Support can post your application directly to the Home Office Student Batch Scheme. The Student Batch Team is based in the UK Border Agency and allows universities to send their students' applications to be dealt with by UKBA caseworkers who only deal with student applications. The UKBA can then contact International Student Support if they have any questions about your application. When your passport and documents have been processed they will be returned to the International Student Support office. To post your form to the Student Batch you must:
- Ensure that you are submitting your application in good time (before your current visa expires);
- Ensure that you have not breached the terms and conditions of your student visa (e.g. working more than the hours which are permitted by the conditions of your visa or failing to attend your course or make progress on your course);
- Obtain a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number which you can get from International Student Support ;
- Bring the completed, signed and dated application form, the necessary original documents and your passport to a drop-in session;
- Tell International Student Support if you are planning on travelling within the next three months;
- Bring payment for your application, which will cost the application fee of £394.00. Payment should be in the form of postal orders;
- Be fully aware that the application process usually takes around 8-14 weeks, but can take longer. You should not expect to have your documents returned during this time and should not make any plans to travel outside the UK before your documents have been returned to you.
Terms and Conditions of the Student Batch Scheme
The Student Batch Scheme is run by the UK Border Agency to process visa extension applications for students. University staff will post your application to the Batch which is staffed by UK Border Agency caseworkers who specialise in student immigration. The advantages of the Batch is that it is normally faster and if the caseworkers have queries about your application they will telephone International Student Support instead of writing to you, which saves time.
- Your immigration status is between you and the UK Border Agency (UKBA).
- It is your responsibility to ensure that you apply for your new visa before the expiry date of your existing visa.
- It is illegal for you to remain in the UK without valid leave to remain.
- It is your responsibility to complete (including signing and dating) your Tier 4 (G) student application form and provide the correct documentation.
The International Student Support Team will:
- Check your application form and documents subject to your application being received on time;
- Contact you to request any documents you have not submitted or, if there is not enough time before the expiry date of your visa, we will ask you to collect your documents and post them to the UK Border Agency yourself;
- Notify you to come and collect your documents and complete your application correctly should there be missing information on the form;
- Keep the photocopies of all your documents in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998;
- Post your documents to the UK Border Agency on time (so long as you have submitted them to us on time) by special/recorded delivery;
- Liaise with the UK Border Agency caseworker should they have any additional queries;
- Contact you when your documents have been returned by the UK Border Agency;
- Keep a copy of your new visa.
We will expect you to:
- Read the information provided by the UK Border Agency and by International Student Support before you fill in your application form;
- Complete and sign the application form;
- Complete the application form truthfully;
- Ensure that you have enough money to make your visa fee payment - we recommend that you pay by postal order;
- Provide the correct documents;
- Submit your completed, signed and dated application form and documents, together with a full set of photocopies of your application form, documents and your passport (photo page) and current visa in a sealed envelope;
- Keep the receipt you will be given for your documents;
- Not book any travel until your passport has been returned to you;
- Co-operate with us should the UK Border Agency request any additional information or documents.
If you do not submit a correctly completed application form and documents we cannot send them to the Student Batch. It is YOUR responsibility to ensure that you do this correctly.
Posting by a legal representative
- This will cost you the application fee of £394.00 and fees for the representative. You must ensure that you ask what their fees are in advance.
- You might choose, or be referred by International Student Support, to use a legal representative if you have had previous immigration problems (including visa refusals) or if you have been in breach of your visa conditions and have a high risk of refusal.
Please tell International Student Support if you have experienced visa problems in the past or if you are in breach of your visa conditions.
Visa refusals
Sometimes students will have problems which might affect their visa decision. If we know about any previous problems or issues which might affect your visa, we will take advice from UKCISA to ensure that you are given as much information as possible about any risk of refusal. We will give you options to help you decide what to do.
We follow strict guidelines when dealing with a visa refusal. Sometimes it may be necessary to refer you to an immigration specialist.
The Citizen's Advice Bureau can provide you with information about solicitors
Further information
Further information about making an application for extension of stay in the UK can be found at:
UKCISA - Making a student immigration application in the UK
UKCISA - Your family's immigration
UKBA - Applying
You will find the application forms and guidance notes at the links below. Please ensure when completing the application form that you have the most up-to-date form. It is very important that you read the policy guidance before you complete the application form. If you have any queries about completing the application form or if you need to clarify any part of the policy guidance please contact us.
Students
For the Tier 4 (G) Student application form, Guidance for Tier 4 (G) Student Applicants, and Tier 4 (G) Student application form help text, click here.
Dependants
Application for an extension of stay as a dependant of a PBS migrant
Policy Guidance for PBS Dependants
Photo Guidance
