Latest student immigration news

Graduate Route News March 2021

We have now received more clarification on the Graduate immigration route which will provide international students with the opportunity to stay in the UK to live and work, or to look for work after they graduate.

The main points are:

• the graduate route will open for applications on 1 July 2021
• the route is for students who will complete a degree in or after the summer of 2021 and who hold a Tier 4 or Student visa at the time they apply
• students who began their studies in autumn 2020 now have until 21 June 2021 to enter the UK (updated from the previous date of 6 April 2021) to be eligible for the route. Students who began their studies in January or February 2021 will need to be in the UK by 27 September 2021. For details of this concession, see "Coronavirus (COVID-19): Student sponsors, migrants and short-term students", pages 15–16
• undergraduate and master's degree students will be able to apply to stay for two years
• PhD students will be able to apply to stay for three years
• you do not need to be sponsored by an employer or by your university, but the degree must be awarded by a Higher Education provider that is listed on the Register of Student Sponsors as a "Student Sponsor - Track Record"
• it will not be possible to extend this type of immigration permission but it will be possible to switch to another route if you meet the requirements
• there will not be a requirement to show you have a certain amount of money (known as the 'maintenance requirement')
• there will be an application fee (likely to be £700 for the Standard service) and you will need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)

We are still waiting for full information on the scheme and will update this page as soon as there are further details.

Travel news update March 2021

Before students think about travelling to the UK, the first step is for a student to talk to their education provider about what date in-person learning will start for their course.

The following information is from the England's Department for Education issued on 3 March 2021.

Before arriving, students should:

• check the latest information about entering the UK
• note that all inbound UK travel corridors have been temporarily suspended to protect against new international variants of Covid-19
• all passengers are now required to self-isolate for 10 days on arrival
• note that certain countries are now on a ‘red list’ – students arriving from these countries may need to quarantine in managed quarantine hotels
• remember to follow the safer travel guidelines and plan ahead to avoid busy times
• confirm that their course has resumed in-person teaching and learning
• speak to their travel insurer.

• take a coronavirus (COVID-19) test and get a negative result 3 days before they travel
• complete a passenger locator form detailing where they will quarantine upon arrival
• book and pay for a travel test package, which will include Covid-19 tests to be taken on or before day 2 and on or after day 8 of quarantine
• be ready to present proof of study documents on arrival to the UK.

British or Irish nationals, or third country nationals with residence rights in the UK, who have been in or passed through a red-list country in the 10 days before their arrival will need to quarantine in a managed quarantine hotel, unless they are exempt.  Third country nationals with residence rights include those with student entry clearance (i.e. Student/Tier 4 visas), those with EUSS leave, and those with biometric residence permits, among others. If an individual does not have residence rights, they cannot travel to the UK if they’ve visited or passed through a ‘red-list country’ in the last 10 days. Even those who have not been in or through a ‘red list’ country will need to quarantine in their own accommodation for 10 days if they are travelling to the UK, unless they ‘test to release’ and receive a negative test result

Travel advice may change while individuals are overseas. Everyone intending to travel to the UK is advised to regularly check all relevant guidance pages for www.gov.uk/coronavirus for updates

Travel news update February 2021

If you decide to travel to the UK, please read the following summary of the latest guidance. Please ensure you also check the UK Government COVID-19 webpages for the latest information which can change on a daily basis.

• If you have been in or through any of the countries listed on the UK Government ‘red list’ in the last 10 days, you will be refused entry to the UK. The red list is here. British and Irish Nationals, or third country nationals with residence rights in the UK will be able to enter the UK. They must self-isolate for 10 days on arrival along with their household. They cannot use the Test to Release scheme.
• The UK Government is set to announce that some travellers coming to England will have to quarantine in hotels amid concerns about new Covid variants. However, a timetable for the new measure has still not been confirmed.
• Travel corridors were suspended 4am, 18 January 2021. If you arrive in England from anywhere outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man you will need to self-isolate for 10 days.
• From 4am on 15 January 2021, pre-departure testing will be required for all inbound passengers to England until further notice. All international arrivals to England, including UK nationals, are required to present a negative COVID-19 test taken up to 72 hours prior to departure.
• Passengers will be subject to an immediate fine of £500 if they fail to comply with the new regulations on pre-departure testing.
• Passengers will still be required to fill in a passenger locator form and be subject to national lockdown restrictions.

Immigration news update December 2020

If you are not sure what type of visa to apply for, look at this UK Government page here: Check if you need a UK visa

If you are a current EU student or will be a new EU student, please have a look at this information: Immigration for EU/EEA students. It is essential you seek advice before 31 Dec 2020. You can contact us by contacting us by email: internationalstudentadvice@plymouth.ac.uk, telephone 01752 587704 or you can join an International Student Advice Zoom session Monday to Friday from 09:30–10:30 (UK time) where you can speak with a member of our team face-to-face via Zoom. To join a session and speak to an advisor, please open this Zoom link at the times stated.

The Government is introducing a new Student visa which is to form part of the new Points-Based Immigration System. This new Student route will replace the current Tier 4 route. For EEA nationals, the new Student route will take effect for applications made in the UK on or after 1 January 2021.

The definition of a ‘partner’ has been expanded for those permitted to bring dependent partners to the UK. A ‘partner’ now includes a fiancé, or proposed civil partner, which is a new development. The Home Office has confirmed that a two-year period of cohabitation prior to application will also apply to fiancés and proposed civil partners.

If you, your dependent partner, or dependent child have been living in the UK for 12 months or more at the time of your application in the UK, you will satisfy the financial requirements. This means that you will not need to submit any financial evidence with your application. Students applying under the new route from either inside or outside the UK as Student Union Sabbatical Officers or as a doctor or dentist in training on a recognised foundation programme, will also be exempt from meeting the financial requirements.

All other applicants must continue to show evidence of maintenance requirement (living costs) which is now £1,023 a month for study outside London . The maximum amount of money you must have is £1,023 multiplied by nine. Dependants must also evidence £680 per month.

Nationals from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the USA, join nationals from the UK, EU, EEA and Switzerland who are exempt from obtaining ATAS clearance for postgraduate study in relevant subjects. You can read further information on what ATAS is and the requirements on our webpage.

Students applying under the new Student route from outside the UK, now have up to 6 months to do so prior to the start of their course rather than 3 months.

Time limits for those studying at postgraduate level have been removed. For further details concerning time limits and the requirements, please refer to our webpage.

Nationals from the EU, EEA and Switzerland have been added to the list of ‘low risk’ nationals. Students from these countries are not required to submit evidence to show that they meet the financial requirements or provide their academic qualifications used to obtain an offer of study. The Home Office however retain the right to request sight of these documents.

New ways of satisfying the English language requirement have been introduced. This can now be satisfied if:

This requirement was met successfully in a previous application made either outside or inside the UK.
You have obtained either a GCSE, A Level or Scottish equivalent in English language or literature following education at a UK school whilst below the age of 18.
Students who are nationals of Malta will be classed as being from a majority English speaking country. Such students can rely on their nationality, and students of other nationalities can submit academic qualifications taught at an institution in Malta.

From 1 December 2020, only the following students can apply under the short-term student route:

• you are aged 16 or older on the date of your immigration application
• you have an offer of a place to study an English language course that is between six and 11 months long
• you will not be studying any other subject
• you must leave the UK within 30 days of the end of your course, or at the end of 11 months, whichever comes first
• the course provider meets the definition of an 'accredited institution' - check this with them
• you must apply for entry clearance before you come to the UK
• you have enough money to be cover your fees, living costs, accommodation and the cost of your return or onward journey - you will have to provide evidence as set out in Appendix Finance
• you must study only the course for which you are granted permission.

Other students who currently use the short-term student route will be able to enter under the visitor route.

This will affect European Economic Area and Swiss nationals who enter the UK on or after 11 pm on 31 December 2020, if you are not eligible to apply under the EU settlement scheme - Brexit - EU Settlement Scheme.

Full details of all changes are set out in Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules HC 813.

You will be allowed to study in the UK if you apply for a visa or enter the UK as a visitor on or after 9 am on 1 December 2020. This route will replace, for most people, the short-term student route.

You will be able to study for up to six months at an accredited institution (not at a state funded school or academy) - check with a course provider if it meets this definition. You are not limited to studying one course and you are not required to have a place on a course before you arrive.

If you are at least 16 years old and studying a course equivalent to a UK degree in another country, you may:

• undertake research or be taught about research at a UK institution
• undertake electives at a UK higher education provider, but only if you are studying medicine, veterinary medicine and science, or dentistry as your principle course of study, and the electives are relevant to your course of study abroad, are unpaid and do not involve the treatment of patients.

These types of study are in addition to the current permitted study activities for visitors: taking part in educational exchanges or visits and attending recreational courses that do not lead to a qualification, and do not include English Language training, for a maximum of 30 days.

You will need to prove that you have enough money to cover all reasonable costs of your visit without working or accessing public funds, including the cost of the return or onward journey. You will be able to use someone else's money to prove this if you have personal or professional relationship with them, and they will provide support to you for the duration of your visit.

This will affect European Economic Area and Swiss nationals who enter the UK on or after 11 pm on 31 December 2020, if you are not eligible to apply under the EU settlement scheme - Brexit - EU Settlement Scheme.

The advantage of this change from the short-term student route is that you do not have to see a border force officer on arrival if you are permitted to use automatic ePassport gates - see uk-border-control.

Full details of all changes are set out in Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules HC 813.

Under the Common Travel Area (CTA), British and Irish citizens can move freely and reside in either jurisdiction. British and Irish citizens enjoy associated reciprocal rights and privileges, including the right to work, study and vote in certain elections, as well as to access social welfare benefits and health services. Once free movement ends on 1 January 2021, Irish citizens’ status will continue to be protected. This will be provided for under section 3ZA of the Immigration Act 1971, which means that they will not require permission to enter or stay in the UK for any reason, including to visit, except for in a limited number of circumstances outlined below.

There are some key dates for current students who want to work in the UK after their studies. The headlines are:

• The new Skilled Worker for sponsored skilled work route replaced Tier 2 (General) on 1 December 2020. The changeover from Tier 2 (General) to Skilled Worker includes some changes, mostly beneficial and helpful for students who wish to work after studies. Updated information is here Skilled worker route (formerly Tier 2).
• 31 December 2020 is the deadline for EEA and Swiss nationals to move to the UK under their right of free movement under EU law. They can secure their ongoing right to work by applying under the Brexit - EU Settlement Scheme by the deadline of 30 June 2021. Those who arrive on or after 1 January 2021 will be subject to immigration control and will need visas for study and work
• In summer 2021 (actual date yet to be confirmed) the new 2-year Graduate immigration route is due to open. Students who are due to graduate in 2021 and currently distance learning outside the UK due to the pandemic will need to return to the UK for their last semester, deadline 6 April 2021, in order to be eligible under the Graduate route.
• The current Doctorate Extension Scheme is expected to close and merge with the Graduate route. PhD graduates will get 3 years' permission under the Graduate route, not two years.
• Separate from visa matters, the Coronavirus pandemic continues to affect all aspects of life in the UK including the economy, employment and recruitment. The most striking impact is on applications under the Skilled worker route (formerly Tier 2) where eligibility depends on securing a job offer.

Immigration Health Surcharge update 27 October 2020 

The UK Government committed to increase the Immigration Health Surcharge to a level that broadly reflects the cost of treating those who pay it. On 27 October 2020, the Immigration Health Surcharge increased.

The Immigration Health Surcharge is paid by people applying to work, study or join family in the UK for a time-limited period of more than six months. It also applies to those who seek to extend their stay. Individuals who pay the charge may access the comprehensive range of NHS services in broadly the same manner as a permanent UK resident. This means they generally only pay charges that a UK resident would also pay, such as prescription charges in England. 

The surcharge for students has risen to £470 for each year of leave granted, prorated. Dependants need to pay the same amount as the main applicant.

For further information about the Immigration Health Surcharge, visit gov.uk.

New Student Visa route October 2020

On 5 October 2020, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) introduced a new immigration system that includes a new Student Visa route. The Student Visa is replacing Tier 4 so, over the next few months, we will replace the term "Tier 4" where this is mentioned on our webpages and in documents, and will instead refer to the "Student Visa route".

We do not anticipate that there will be any significant changes in visa requirements for our current Tier 4 students, but we will advise students further once the full immigration rules for the new route are published and in use.

For those with visas expiring between the 24/01/2020 and the 31/08/2020

The Home Office guidance page Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice for UK visa applicants and temporary UK residents was updated again, on 30 July 2020.  

Importantly, the guidance now provides a safety net for those with immigration permission expiring between 1 and 31 August.
 
The guidance now states that anyone with immigration permission expiring between 24 January 2020 and 31 August 2020 will be able to stay in the UK until 31 August 2020, and any conditions attached to the immigration permission will continue until this date. There is no requirement to request this permission from the Home Office, but the guidance instructs that people should now regularise their stay by either making an application before 31 August 2020 or otherwise by making arrangements to leave the UK.
 
Those who are intending to leave the UK, but who cannot do so before the 31 August 2020, can contact the coronavirus immigration team (CIT) to request ‘exceptional indemnity’. This is not immigration permission but is stated as acting as a “short-term protection”. However, as covered in UKCISA news item of 29 July 2020, it is not clear how people will receive details of their ‘exceptional indemnity’ and how this might affect future applications.  
 
The guidance still states that applications can be made in the UK where these would otherwise need to be made outside of the UK. People wanting to make an application to stay in the UK must still meet the relevant requirements of the immigration route and make their application before 31 August 2020.

Updates to the Covid-19 Guidance for Tier 4 students and Short term students

• Students may be able to continue/start their course via distance/blended learning on their tier 4 visa if their course allows as long as the student intends to transition to face to face learning as soon as circumstances allow. Any student who has a tier 4 visa regardless of whether in Plymouth or not will still have to have their attendance/engagement on their course monitored.
  
• Students who are unable to complete their course of study within their current period of leave due to Covid-19 can apply in country to complete that course. This includes students who need further time to complete an assessment or sit examinations.
  
• Existing Tier 4 students, excluding those awaiting a decision on an Administrative Review of a previous application, who would otherwise be unable to extend in country, will be able to exceptionally apply for further leave within the UK, provided they do so before the expiry of their current leave, or, if their leave expired between 24 January and 31 August and they were granted an extension, by 31 August, or by 1 October if they have been issued ‘exceptional indemnity’ by the Coronavirus Immigration Team. This includes students studying at providers who would otherwise be required to apply from 13 their home country for further leave, such as students at non Higher Education Providers with a track record of compliance.
  
  
• Students whose leave expired between 24 January and 31 August, or who need to make a new application, and would normally be unable to demonstrate academic progression because their new course is at the same level as the previous one, or because they had been undertaking an integrated Masters or PhD/MPhil but will be continuing with the lower level qualification, but who cannot travel overseas to make an application due to Covid-19, will be exempted from the academic progression requirement if the sponsor confirms on the CAS that the previous course and the new course in combination support the applicant’s genuine career aspirations.
  
  
• If a student is studying by distance or blended learning and is in the UK the new guidance confirms that students will be limited to term-time work hours stated on their visa.
  
  
• Those in the UK on short term study or visit visas are exceptionally allowed to switch into tier 4 in the UK as long as applicants arrived in the UK before the 31st of July 2020 and must still meet all the other requirements of the route. This will be allowed until the 1st of October. Those arriving after the 31st of July 2020 will not be permitted to switch to Tier 4 from within the UK.
  
  
• Visa Application Centres (VACs) are reopening in many locations both in the United Kingdom and abroad, subject to local pandemic-related restrictions. A limited number of VACs are initially opening for passport return only before resuming other services. For updates to the status of VACs, including opening times in your country, check Sopra Steria for the United Kingdom; TLS contact for Europe, Africa and parts of the Middle East; or VFS global for all other countries.
  
  
• Those outside the UK with recently-expired UK 30-day entry visas, or entry visas about to expire, can apply for a free replacement visa through 2020 by contacting the Coronavirus Immigration Help Centre. Applicants will be contacted when visa application centres reopen to arrange for a replacement visa to be endorsed in their passport.

Immigration news update June 2020

Updated guidance for tier 4 migrants and short term students affected by Coronavirus has been recently released. We have included a breakdown of the key points below

If you have specific questions relating to your visa or immigration status, please email Student Services.

If you’re in the UK and your leave expires between 24 January 2020 and 31 July 2020

• Your visa can be extended to 31 July 2020 if you cannot leave the UK because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to coronavirus (COVID-19).
• You must request an extension online.

Extending Tier 4 permission inside the UK

The guidance now makes clear that there is no concession in relation to the maintenance requirements.

There is a new concession which deals with the requirement in the Tier 4 Rules that there must be no more than 28 day gap between the end of the immigration permission and the start of the course. Paragraph 3.5 introduces a concession to this which accounts for those already in the UK who intend to start a new course in the autumn. It says that the Home Office will exercise discretion in not applying this 28-day rule if:

• the student had to apply before 31 July because their current leave would expire on or before that date, and
• the start date of the new course named on the CAS is no later than 1 October 2020

There is a new concession on academic progress at paragraph 3.7 for those applying for immigration permission in the UK to start a new course at the same level as their previous course and whose leave expires between 24 January and 31 July. They will be exempt from the requirement to demonstrate academic progression if the sponsor confirms on the CAS that the previous course and the new course in combination support the applicant’s genuine career aspirations. This concession will apply to courses with a start date before 01 October 2020.

Police registration

The police registration concession has been rewritten to be made clearer.

Working hours

There is an expanded list of professions who are able to work more than 20 hours a week (at paragraph 3.11).

Switching into the Tier 4 route in the UK

Paragraph 4.1 has been made clearer by saying that switching into Tier 4 from other immigration routes (not just ‘short-term’ routes) is allowed on exceptional basis.

Permitted study for short-term students

A new paragraph (paragraph 4.5) has been added to the guidance which permits short-term students whose leave expires after 31 July 2020 to study a further course. However, this is only if they are "unable to continue the course that they entered the UK to study by distance learning or they have completed their original course". This paragraph also states that the requirement to leave the UK within 30 days of the end of study will not be applied to those who are unable to leave the UK due to travel restrictions caused by the Covid-19 outbreak.

ATAS

If you are applying for a tier 4 visa and need to have an ATAS you can now apply online again

Immigration news update April 2020: coronavirus (COVID-19)

The Government has more detailed information about self-employment. It explains when you are likely to be self-employed even if you have not yet told HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), for example, running your own business selling goods and services for profit, including online and through apps or working as a private tutor.

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Immigration update: Statement of Changes HC667 from 4 November 2016

Updated 4/11/2016

The Home Office has announced changes to the new immigration rules that were introduced in April 2016. The majority of the changes will affect applications made on or after 24 November 2016.

Here are some of changes:

Students who have failed modules or coursework:

Students who need to extend their Tier 4 visa because they had to repeat parts of their degree programme in the past can now apply to extend their visas from within the UK.

Transferring to a different degree programme:

Students who intend to transfer to a new programme or have already transferred to a new programme will probably have to apply for a new Tier 4 visa from outside of the UK. If this is relevant to you, please make an appointment with an advisor in the ISA team.

Students doing an optional work or study placement:

Students who have added an optional work or study placement year to their undergraduate course may find their Tier 4 visa is not long enough to complete the degree. You will need to extend your visa to ensure you have enough time to complete your degree programme. You must apply to renew your Tier 4 visa from outside of the UK.

Overstayers

Students who did not put in a Tier 4 leave to remain visa application on time before their visa expires will only have their application accepted if made within 14 days (instead of 28 days as in the past) of leave expiring and must provide evidence of the good reason (included in the application).  

Maintenance evidence for dependants of Tier 4 students

The Home Office has changed its guidance on how to calculate the money a dependant needs to show when they make their immigration application. It used to say that it depended on the length of a student’s course. Now it says that it depends on the length of the student’s immigration permission.

Example:

A PhD student needs three months for corrections. She has two dependants. She would normally be granted three months leave to complete the PhD plus an extra 4 months.

Before 24th Nov 2016, she needed to evidence three months of maintenance (living costs) for herself plus three months for her dependants. The new rules state dependants now need to show the monthly maintenance for the whole of the immigration leave granted. So, in this example, the dependants need to show evidence of seven months maintenance.

If you are looking to extend your visa and you are concerned about this then please book an appointment with an advisor in ISA.

For further details on all changes, please read the summary of changes on the UKCISA website.

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Tier 4 entry clearance application (submitted out of the UK) fee is now £322 and a fee for a leave to remain application (submitted in the UK) is now £439. For the full list of fees please visit the UKCISA website.

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) requirement

Students applying for leave under Tier 4 in order to do a course, or undertake research, in the subject areas listed in Appendix 6 of the Immigration Rules are required to obtain ATAS clearance. On 6 April 2015 this requirement was extended to include a number of other immigration categories. This means that students applying in a category other than Tier 4 (General) Student - for example dependants or spouses - will now need to apply for ATAS certificate as well. Please visit the UKCISA website for more information.

Curtailment (cancellation) of leave

From 6 April 2015, anyone who has limited leave to enter or remain can be asked by the Home Office to provide information/evidence, or attend an interview, in order to check whether their leave should be curtailed for a variety of reasons. For more information please visit the UKCISA website.      

Tier 4 time limit (cap) on study

There is a maximum time limit ("cap") on studying with a Tier 4 visa which is currently five years to study at a degree level. It is very important to always remember the cap especially if you intend to undertake an optional placement or are repeating a part of your course. For more information please visit the UKCISA website.

Immigration procedures after arrival will change in future

The UK Government is going to change the way that it issues permission for people to come to the UK from abroad for more than six months. Since 18 March 2015 it has been applicable only to students applying from Pakistan. The scheme is going to be extended from mid-April to people applying in many other countries including Armenia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Libya, Maldives, Nepal, North Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and many European Economic Area (EEA) states. All the remaining countries in the world will be included on 31 July 2015. Please visit UKCISA website for more information.

Increase in Tier 4 visa application fees

There is an increase in application fee for Tier 4 visa applications made on or after 18 March 2016. The fee for a standard visa application will increase from £439 to £448 per applicant. The fee for a Premium visa application will increase from £839 to £948 per applicant (faster service).

If you are applying from outside of the UK, the fee will increase to £328.