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Student Visitor visa
Student visitor visa/entry-clearance is issued for a maximum of six months. Students coming to study on an English Language course only may wish to consider the 11 month student visitor visa.
Restrictions
If you enter UK as a student visitor, you cannot:
- work - paid, unpaid or voluntarily
- extend your visa in the UK for more studies, or apply for other visas from within the UK
- undertake a paid, unpaid or voluntary work placement, even if this is part of your studies
- bring dependants
This includes: Medical electives, The University of Edinburgh Parliamentary Programme and any programme of studies which contains a work-based element.
If you might wish to be able to do any of these activities, then you must make an application for a Tier 4 General student visa.
Applying
If you are a visa national: you need to apply at the British Embassy in your country before to travel to the UK. You will need an application form, the visa fee payment, your original offer letter, in addition to original financial documentation which shows how you intend to fund your studies.
Details on how to apply can be found on the UK Border Agency website.
If you are a non-visa national: you can apply for entry as a student visitor on arrival at UK Immigration as long as you arrive directly into the UK from outside of the UK/Republic of Ireland common travel area.
Bring your offer letter, financial evidence such as bank statements which demonstrate how you will pay for your studies/living costs and evidence that you intend to return to your home country - such as a return air ticket or a letter from your home University or employer stating that you are required to return. The Immigration Officer will stamp your passport and write the letters “S.V” (or similar) next to the entry stamp.
This article was published on Apr 11, 2013