USA & Canada: Tier 4 General Student Visa Immigration Guidance 2012-2013
Contents Do I need a visa?....................................................................................................2 Making a Tier 4 application..................................................................................3 Showing your funds...............................................................................................4 Tier 4 General visa..................................................................................................5 Links and contacts.................................................................................................7
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Tier 4 General student visa Do I need a visa? A visa is a certificate (also referred to as ‘Entry Clearance’) which gives you permission to enter the UK. The application for a visa is assessed by the British Embassy in your country of origin or ordinary residence. Non-EU/EEA/Swiss Nationals arriving in the UK to study for a degree at Edinburgh must arrange a Tier 4 General student visa, before travelling to the UK from the British embassy or consulate in your home country.
Non-visa nationals Some nationalities can enter the UK without a visa and be stamped in for up to 6 months as a visitor. If you are coming to study a degree, you must not enter the UK as a visitor. The University will not be able to enrol you, the visa cannot be changed from within the UK and you would have to return home, arrange the correct visa and return to the UK.
Tier 4 applicants of the above nationalities do not need to send official original points-scoring evidence (degree certificates, bank statements etc) in with their visa application to come to the UK, if applying in their home country. However, please be aware that you may still need to provide the required evidence in the required format, if the UK visa office considering your application asks for it. If you are applying outside of your home country (for example, you have residency in a different country from the country of your nationality), you will need to provide all the evidence as required with your application and you would not benefit from the ‘low risk’ concessions.
“Low risk” nationals The UK Border Agency considers the following nationalities as “low risk” nationalities, if they are applying for the visa in their home country: BNO
Argentina
Australia
(British National Overseas)
Brunei
Chile
Croatia
Hong Kong (HKSAR ‘blue’ passport)
Japan
New Zealand
Singapore
South Korea
Taiwan *
Trinidad and Tobago
USA
Canada
*Those who hold a passport issued by Taiwan that includes their national ID card number.
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Tier 4 General student visa Making a Tier 4 application Timing
The earliest you can apply for a Tier 4 (General) visa to begin studies in the UK is 3 months before the start date of the course. If you apply any earlier than this, your application will be rejected. Unless you are already in the UK under the Tier 4 or student visa regulations, you must apply in your home country or a country in which you are normally officially resident.
Application
More detailed information can be found at www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk by selecting your country in the ‘Where to Apply’, and online applications can be made at www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk - selected country-specific guides can be found below. For every document that you provide, you must include the original document and a photocopy. United States of America: 1. Complete and submit an online application form 2. Pay your visa application fee (289 GBP) online and be able to show proof of payment online 3. Pay your return courier service fee 4. Book an appointment to attend an Application Support Centre run by the US Citizenship & Immigration Services to enrol your biometric information 5. Submit a signed & dated print out of your completed application form (VAF 9 Appendix 8), your photographs, a stamped biometric receipt and your original passport to the UK Border Agency New York by mail or registered travel agent. Further possibilities, such as express consideration and in-person appointments in NYC are available. Check www.visainfoservices.com (choose UK, then USA) and refer to the information. Canada: 1. Complete and submit an online visa application form 2. Pay your visa application fee (289 GBP) as part of your online application 3. Book an appointment online with the UK Border Agency commercial partner WorldBridge to visit a visa application centre or mobile biometric clinic. Appointments at a visa application centre are free, but there is a charge for appointments at mobile biometric clinics in Halifax or St John’s; and 4. Send your application (VAF 9 Appendix 8) to the UK Border Agency processing centre in New York (unless you attend the visa application centre in Toronto). You will need to pay an additional courier fee to mail your documents to the processing centre and to have them couriered back to you. Only the Toronto visa application centre in Toronto will send your application to our New York office free of charge and allow you to collect your documents in person.
Return
UKVisas have published the following information advising on processing times in your country: www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/processingtimes You should allow around 28 days turnaround for the visa to be issued. At certain times of year, it can take longer.
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Tier 4 General student visa Showing your funds You can demonstrate access to the funds in one or more of four ways. Pages 29-34 of the Tier 4 Policy Guidance provide a full explanation of the documents required to score the points and what these must confirm. You should take time to look at these before applying for the visa: www.ukba. homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/ pbs/Tier4migrantguidance.pdf
1. Your bank statements If you use your own money to score 10 points, you must provide one month (at least 28 days) of original bank statements in your name. The statement or letter must confirm that the amount of money you need for your maintenance (tuition fees + living costs) has been at least the minimum balance available throughout a 28 day period. The balance must not fall below the required amount during the 28 day period, otherwise your application will be refused. The bank statement must be dated within 1 month of your date of application.
2. Parental/Legal guardian(s) bank statements You can use funds held by your parents or legally appointed guardians as evidence for your 10 points. You must ensure that the funds are demonstrated in cash funds as above. In addition, you must also provide: • your original birth certificate (professionally translated, if required) or an adoption certificate or official court document confirming legal guardian status. • a brief, signed letter from your parents which confirms that the funds can be used for your UK education. Note that only parents or official legally appointed guardians (through a court of law or adoption
procedures in your country) are eligible to be considered for ‘parental’ sponsorship. You cannot use financial evidence which belongs to other family relatives.
3. Official financial sponsorship Sponsored Students If you receive sponsorship from an official financial sponsor – such as your national government, an international scholarship organisation – you must provide an original letter which details the funding.
University of Edinburgh Sponsorship If you receive sponsorship from the University of Edinburgh, your CAS must indicate this at the time you apply. When you request your CAS, please discuss this with your College to ensure it is included.
4. Student loans If you receive student loans from a student loan organisation or bank in your country, you need to provide a letter which confirms the details of the loan. Page 33 of the Tier 4 Policy Guidance provides detailed information on what information the letter should contain. The University administers US Department of Education Loans and Canadian student loans. Our Scholarships and Student Funding Office can arrange a letter which confirms your loan amount and payment schedule.
When can I travel to the UK? If you are coming to the UK to study a course lasting 6 or more months, your visa will be valid for travel for 1 month before the start date of the course. Please be aware that if you are living in privately rented accommodation before the start date of your course you will be eligible to pay Council Tax during this period, as Council Tax exemption only applies from the start date of your course onwards. Please see www.edinburgh.gov.uk for more information on Council Tax.
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Tier 4 General student visa www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/adult-students
Tier 4 General student visa A Tier 4 General visa is the study visa for the UK. It is a points-based visa and to successfully apply for it, you need to score 40 out of 40 points: Points
30
For
Evidence required
Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)
A CAS number issued by the University of Edinburgh
Previous/most recent qualification
Your CAS will be issued on the basis that the University used a previous qualification to confirm that you are suitable to take the course.
If you have applied to more than one University, you may have been given When you have accepted an unconditional a CAS number for each offer and provided a scan or copy of your unconditional offer. Only use passport, your College Office will arrange your the CAS number relevant to CAS number. The CAS remains valid for only the institution that you wish six months and can only be used within three to attend when you apply months of the start date of your course. for the visa.
This qualification will be noted on your CAS and we will use only one of your previous qualifications. We do not refer to references we may have requested, in the CAS. You need therefore only include the ORIGINAL degree certificate, qualification or transcript detailed in the CAS in your visa application. English Language
Progression
Further details
If you are a low-risk national, you do not need to send your degree certificate, qualification or transcript with your application.
Your CAS will confirm on what basis we have assessed your English language level and that it is above the required minimum level. The CAS will confirm whether you: i) Are from a majority English speaking country as defined by the UKBA (or) ii) have completed a degree from a majority English speaking country (including UK) as defined by the UKBA (or) iii) have passed a Secure English Language Test (such as IELTS or TOEFL) at the required level (or) iv) have been assessed as suitable by the University’s own criteria and methods.
If you are a low-risk national, you do not need to send your degree certificate, qualification or transcript with your application.
If you have studied in the UK previously, your CAS must confirm how the new course relates to the previous one. For example, A-levels to an undergraduate degree, or from postgraduate degree to PhD, are courses at the next level of academic studies.
In rare cases, the CAS may confirm that the course is ‘complimentary’ to a course studied at the same level.
If your CAS uses criteria i), ii) or iv): you do not need to send evidence to prove your English language level.
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Tier 4 General student visa
Points
For
Evidence required
Maintenance (Funds) In addition to the 30 points required for CAS Requirement and associated documents, you must score 10 points for your Maintenance (Funds). The money you must demonstrate you have access to, covers your tuition fees for the year + living costs as follows:
Further details If you are a low-risk national, you do not need to include these documents as part of your application but must ensure that you meet the maintenance requirement.
Course length 9 months or more: Tuition fees for the year as stated on CAS + 7,200GBP
10
How do I ensure payments are included on my CAS? Advise the University of payments (or any other Course length of less than 9 months: required changes to your Tuition fees for the programme of studies CAS) by replying to your CAS as stated on CAS + 800GBP per month/part email with the subject line: month of studies up to 7,200GBP “CAS for visa – UPDATE”, Tuition Fees with a message giving your Your CAS contains information about your student number (UUN), your tuition fees for the first year of the course or in CAS number with payment the case that your course lasts 12 months or information. less, the total tuition fee. Accommodation Fees If you pre-pay University-provided accommodation fees before making your visa application, the amount of money - up to a maximum of £1000 - can be offset from the 7,200GBP living costs.
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Tier 4 General student visa Links and contacts Complete Tier 4 guidance from UKBA The Tier 4 Guidance should be your primary source of information when preparing to make a visa application. It contains the rules, the requirements for documents and information about the visa application process. www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/ applicationforms/pbs/Tier4migrantguidance.pdf
ATAS certification information If you require an ATAS Certificate, you can find out more about the process and begin an application through www.fco.gov.uk/atas We have prepared information about this process at: www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/ international-office/immigration/downloads/atascertificate
UKCISA information The United Kingdom Council for International Student Affairs produces guidance and information to students on how to apply for the Tier 4 (General) visa. This can be found at: www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/immigration.php
Version 1 - May 2012 Published by The University of Edinburgh, The International Office, 57 George Square - EH8 9JU, Edinburgh
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