Tier 4

UNDERGRADUATE POSTGRADUATE
Advice and Counselling Service www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk

UK EU INTERNATIONAL FINANCE PERSONAL IMMIGRATION
Applying for Tier 4 (General)
Student immigration permission
About the Advice and
Counselling Service
The Advice and Counselling Service offers a free
and confdential service to all Queen Mary students,
including those from Barts and The London,
Queen Marys School of Medicine and Dentistry.
You can view our confdentiality policy on our
website: www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/procedures
Our Welfare Advisers
In this guide we sometimes advise you to contact
a Welfare Adviser for further guidance. Welfare
Advisers in the Advice and Counselling Service
have specialist training to offer you professional
advice on a range of fnancial, practical and legal
issues. This includes:
fnancial support (loans, grants, bursaries, etc)
tuition fee status
planning and managing a budget
cutting costs
hardship funds
dealing with debt
immigration law
international student issues
fnancial support for student parents
(childcare costs, etc)
postgraduate funding
welfare benefts, including disability benefts
housing rights and council tax
The Welfare Advisers role is to offer you advice
about your individual situation, explaining your rights,
and any options and solutions available to you.
You can then choose what you want to do. If your
situation is complex, a Welfare Adviser can advocate
on your behalf where appropriate, for example,
appealing against an incorrect assessment of
Student Finance or a welfare beneft.
You can get advice at any time during your course,
as well as before you start at Queen Mary.
How to contact a Welfare Adviser
You can see a Welfare Adviser in person during
one of our drop-in sessions (during term time only),
or at a pre-booked appointment, or you can email
questions via our website. If you need to speak
to a Welfare Adviser but you are unable to come
to the College, we can normally offer a telephone
appointment. Appointments are one to one and
confdential.
We also offer small group advice sessions on
extending your immigration permission for further
study, or after you complete your course.
For more information on how to contact us to book
an appointment or a place on a group advice session,
our opening hours, and the times of our drop in
sessions, visit www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/contact
Also see our AZ directory of support services
for information on how to contact other support
departments at QM, and external organisations
which can also offer you support.
Disclaimer
Law, regulations and policies can change quickly
so make sure that you are using the most up-to-date
version of this guidance. Check the Advice and
Counselling Service website for regular updates.
The information in this guide is given in good
faith and has been carefully checked. Queen Mary,
however, accepts no legal responsibility for its
accuracy.
Regulation of Immigration Advice
The OISC (Offce of the Immigration Services
Commissioner) is an independent organisation
that monitors immigration advice and services.
Welfare Advisers at Queen Mary are regulated
under OISC guidelines to give immigration advice.
We have to attend regular training to do this. If you
ever need to complain about the immigration advice
you receive, the Advice and Counselling Service has
a complaints procedure. You can fnd this on our
website at www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/procedures
Alternatively, you can complain directly to the
OISC. Their complaints form is on the website at
www.oisc.gov.uk
welfare.qmul.ac.uk Advice and Counselling Service

Applying for Tier 4 (General) Student immigration permission 3
Last revised 13 November 2013
Contents
Introduction 5
Making a successful immigration application 5
What is Tier 4 (General) Student immigration permission? 5
So what has changed? 6
Technical terms 6
Can I apply for Tier 4 (General) Student immigration permission? 8
Applications made to British visa centres and sections (outside the UK) 8
Extension applications (inside the UK) 8
Previous studies in the UK 9
Obtaining a CAS 11
New students 11
Check your CAS statement carefully: 12
Forms, application fees and where to apply 14
Applications made to British visa centres and sections (outside the UK) 14
Extension applications (inside the UK) 16
How much money do I need to show? 21
Maintenance 21
Tuition fees 24
I still need to show some money for my tuition fees and/or maintenance 25
What else should I submit with my application? 29
Evidence of your qualifications 29
The Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) 29
Parental permission for students who are 16 or 17 years old 30
UK Residence address for students who are 16 or 17 years old 30
What can I do if my documents (such as my ATAS certificate or CAS) are not ready before my
immigration permission expires? 31
Interviews at entry clearance posts 33
Advice and Counselling Service welfare.qmul.ac.uk
4 Applying for Tier 4 (General) Student immigration permission
Low risk nationals 34
Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan (ROC) passport holders 34
Do I actually need to have this evidence? 34
Should I submit this evidence anyway? 34
What about the immigration application form? 35
Will I be interviewed? 35
Application checklist 36
For applicants outside the UK 36
For applicants in the UK 36
All applicants 36
Keeping copies of your documents 37
Partners and Children 38
Babies born in the UK 38
Further information 39
After your immigration application has been decided 40
If you submitted your application to a British visa section or section outside of the UK 40
If you submit your application to the Home Office in the UK 40
Is your immigration permission correct? 42
Registering with the Police 43
What to do if things go wrong 45
Problems with immigration applications made outside the UK 45
Problems with immigration applications made in the UK 47
I have overstayed, what are my options? 49
Where can I get further information and assistance? 54
Contact the Advice and Counselling Service 54
Information provided by the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) 54
Other regulated immigration advisers 55
Appendix 1: Worked example showing funds in multiple bank accounts 56
Introduction
Making a successful immigration application
The UK immigration system for students has been and is going through a period of considerable
change. Between March 2009 and July 2013, there have been more than 25 changes to the
immigration rules for adult students. Thats an average of one change every 55 days. This
demonstrates how important it is to make sure that you are using the latest guidance when you
make an immigration application. You may find that a document, which you used in a previous
application, is no longer acceptable. Dont get caught out make sure you use the most up to date
guidance when making an immigration application.
When making an immigration application, do not take advice from your friends or other people who
are not regulated to offer immigration advice. They could give you bad advice, which could result in
your immigration application being refused.
Every immigration application is different as everyones circumstances are different. Do not assume
that your application will be the same as your friends because you think your situation is similar to
theirs.
This Advice Guide
The Welfare Advisers at the Advice and Counselling Service have written this advice guide to help
you make a successful immigration application. If you read this guide carefully, you should be able to
prepare your application so that it meets the immigration rules.
Video guidance
We have also created a number of video guides that explain the requirements, show you how to
prepare your supporting documents and how to complete your application form. The videos provide
an overview, but you will still need to refer to this guide for the details.
To access the videos, visit our website:
http://www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/international/immigration/permission/index.html
If your situation is unusually complicated or if something has gone wrong, you may need to seek
immigration advice. See the section in this guide Where can I get further information and
assistance?
What is Tier 4 (General) Student immigration permission?
Tier 4 is part of the Points Based immigration system. The Home Office administers this.
To obtain immigration permission to come to or stay in the UK as a student, you must score a total
of 40 points:
You can get 30 points for a valid Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from a
Licensed Sponsor
You can get 10 points for having a specified amount of money available to you
So what has changed?
If you applied for immigration permission before the new system was introduced in 2009, you will
find that the application procedure is now very different. Some things are more straightforward and
some things are now more complicated.
Since the introduction of the new system, there have been many changes. If you have applied for
immigration permission since the new system has been introduced, you should still read this guide
carefully.
The new system is very rigid which has the advantage that, if you follow the rules carefully and
provide all the correct documents, you can be quite sure that your application will be successful. The
disadvantage is that if you make a mistake, the Entry Clearance Officer or Caseworker who decides
your application is required to refuse your application, even if it is a very small mistake.
The Home Office will not normally give you any opportunity to provide any new documents after
you have submitted your immigration application. (See the section of this Advice Guide called What
else should I submit with my application? for more information about this). However, if the Home
Office contacts you to request more documents or information, it is important you contact a
Welfare Adviser at the Advice and Counselling Service before you respond to their request.
It is unlikely, especially if you are applying outside the UK, that you will be able to appeal a decision
to refuse your immigration application if you have made a mistake. Even if you are able to appeal a
decision, appeals can cost a lot of money and take many months.
If you fail to include a document or piece of information with your immigration application, you will
not be able to include them later with any appeal or administrative review.
For these reasons, it is very important that you make sure that you complete your application forms
correctly and submit all the required documents in the specified format with your application.
If you follow this guide carefully, you should be able to make a successful application.
Technical terms
There are some technical terms associated with the Points Based System of immigration:
What is a CAS?
To apply for immigration permission under Tier 4 of the Points Based System, you will need a special
reference number called a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). This reference number is
linked to a record on a secure Home Office database, which contains the details Queen Mary has
provided about you and your programme of studies. When you make your immigration application,
the Entry Clearance Officer or Caseworker will use this reference number to retrieve the
information Queen Mary has provided about you and your programme of studies.
If you take up an offer on an eligible programme, Queen Mary will provide you with a CAS reference
number. Queen Mary will also provide you with a statement of all the information the university has
provided to the Home Office, but this is only to help you complete your application form and you
do not need to submit this statement with your application.
Who will be my Licensed Sponsor?
Under Tier 4 of the Points Based System your immigration permission must be sponsored by an
education institution, which is licensed by the Home Office. In this context, sponsorship does not
mean financial sponsorship.
Queen Mary is licensed by the Home Office as a Highly Trusted Sponsor. This is the highest
possible rating.
If you accept an unconditional offer on an eligible programme, Queen Mary will normally agree to be
your sponsor.
Can I apply for Tier 4 (General)
Student immigration permission?
Even if you have a valid CAS and the specified amount of money (see later sections Obtaining a
CAS and How much money do I need to show?), there are some restrictions on if, when and
where you can apply.
Applications made to British visa centres and sections (outside the UK)
To be able to apply for Tier 4 immigration permission at a British visa centre or section, you must
satisfy the following criteria:
If you are starting a new programme or resuming existing studies, you cannot apply for your
immigration permission more than three months before the start date or resumption date
of your studies.
You must be at least 16 years old.
Extension applications (inside the UK)
To be able to apply for Tier 4 immigration permission in the UK, you must satisfy the
following criteria:
If you are starting a new programme or resuming existing studies (e.g. after a period out of
attendance), these must start within 28 days of the date that your current immigration
permission is curtailed or expires.
If you are starting a new programme, you cannot apply for your immigration permission
more than three months before the start date of your new programme.
If you are applying for an extension so that you can finish your current programme, Queen
Mary will not normally be able to issue you with a CAS more than six months before your
current immigration permission expires.
You must be at least 16 years old.
You must have last been granted immigration permission as one of the following:
o Tier 4 (General) Student,
o Tier 4 (Child) Student,
o Tier 1 (Post-study Work) Migrant,
o Tier 2 Migrant,
o Participant in the International Graduates Scheme (or its predecessor, the Science
and Engineering Graduates Scheme),
o Participant in the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme,
o Postgraduate Doctor or Dentist,
o Prospective Student,
o Student,
o Student Nurse,
o Student Re-sitting an Examination,
o Student Writing-Up a Thesis,
o Student Union Sabbatical Officer,
o Work Permit Holder
Has your previous immigration permission already expired?
Anyone who has overstayed their immigration permission by more than 28 days will usually have an
extension application refused. If this affects you, see the section in this guide: What to do if things go
wrong
Previous studies in the UK
Number of years spent studying in the UK under Tier 4
You will not be eligible for immigration permission to study in the UK under Tier 4 if you have or
will have spent more than 5 years studying in the UK at degree level and above as a Tier 4 (General)
student or as a Student (under the Immigration Rules before 31 March 2009).
Medicine and dentistry courses are exempt from this 5 year limit.
If you are applying for immigration permission to undertake a medicine or dentistry course, it
doesnt matter if you have or will spend more than five years studying in the UK. It is our
understanding that if you wish to make a future immigration application to study a course which is
not exempt, the time you have spent studying any exempt courses will not count towards the 5 year
limit (sometimes called the five year cap).
It is our understanding that only the time you spend studying in the UK with Tier 4 or Student
immigration permission will be included in the five year limit. This means that time spent in the UK
before and after studying, granted by the Immigration Rules (e.g. if you are on a degree level
programme of studies you are usually allowed to enter the UK one month before your studies begin
and stay for four months afterwards) should not be counted in the five year limit.
The five year limit is extended to six years if you wish to study a course at Masters level and you
have successfully completed a degree level course in the UK where the standard course length was
at least 4 academic years (this includes courses with a year in industry or a year abroad).
If you take longer than expected to complete your course, for example because you need to retake
part of your course or do resits, and to do so would take you over the five year limit, you can only
extend your immigration permission if you had very compelling circumstances, such as injury,
disability, or other compelling reasons.
Students studying towards a Postgraduate Research Qualification (who have not already been
awarded a Postgraduate Research Qualification in the UK) are also exempt from the cap. However,
please note that if you have already completed a Postgraduate Research Qualification in the UK, you
can only apply for immigration permission to study another course (at any level and in any subject
area) if that course will not bring the total number of years you will have been in the UK as a Tier 4
(General) Student or Student (under the Immigration Rules before 31 March 2009) to more than 8
years. Postgraduate Research Qualifications include PhD and MRes qualifications, for a full list please
see Annex 6 of the Tier 4 Policy Guidance: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-
immigration/studying/adult-students/apply-outside-uk/
UKCISA have created a webpage and flowchart to help you calculate if an application for a further
period of study will be possible under the cap: http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/International-
Students/Preparing--planning/Visas-and-immigration/Applying-for-a-Tier-4-General-visa/Time-limit-
cap-on-study/
For more detailed information on the five year limit, follow this link to refer to paragraphs 98-109
of the Home Office Tier 4 Policy Guidance:http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-
immigration/studying/adult-students/apply-outside-uk/
Progression of studies
Higher education institutions are required to check that new students studies are at a higher level
or complementary to any studies they have previously undertaken while in the UK with Student or
Tier 4 (General) Student immigration permission.
If you have studied a programme while you were in the UK with Student or Tier 4 (General)
Student immigration permission which is at the same or higher level than your proposed studies at
QM, it may not be possible to issue you with a CAS.
You will be asked to provide information about any previous studies in the UK as part of the CAS
request process. If you do not inform QM of your previous studies, your immigration application
could be refused.
If you have any questions about the level of your programme at QM or any previous programmes
you have taken, contact the admissions team responsible for your application.
Obtaining a CAS
New students
Once you have firmly accepted an unconditional offer, the Admissions and Recruitment Office will
send you an e-mail, which explains how you can apply for your CAS reference number. There is no
fee for this.
The Home Office has rules about when the university can issue you with a CAS, which relate to
your required level of English language. If you have any questions about what level of English is
required to get a CAS, contact the admissions team dealing with your application.
During the CAS request process, you will be sent an email asking you to verify your CAS by logging
into the web portal. You should check the CAS statement carefully to make sure that all the
information the university has provided is correct, and none of the required information is missing. If
anything is incorrect or missing, you will be able to correct this, before your final CAS is issued.
What should I do if I am a new student and I notice that something in my CAS
statement is incorrect or if something has changed?
If you have already been issued a CAS and something changes, Queen Mary will need to amend your
CAS.
If you pay any money to Queen Mary, such as your tuition fees, after your CAS has been issued, this
will not be automatically updated in your CAS.
If something needs to be changed in your CAS, you should email cas-admissions@qmul.ac.uk
Existing students
If you are part way through a programme at Queen Mary and you need to extend your immigration
permission, you can request a CAS by logging in to your MySIS profile: http://mysis.qmul.ac.uk/
You will find the form to request a new CAS under My Details.
In order to complete the form, you will need to provide a copy of the personal details page of your
current passport and a copy of your most recent visa sticker or biometric ID card (both sides).
There are photocopiers in the main library, which you can use to scan your documents onto a USB
memory stick.
A new CAS for existing students costs 20.
If you have recently started your programme, you should be able to use the CAS which the
Admissions and Recruitment Office sent to you as long as it is still valid (a CAS expires after six
months).
If anything has changed since you started your programme, you need to email casinfo@qmul.ac.uk to
ask for your CAS to be updated.
If you are applying for an extension of your immigration permission so that you can finish your
current programme, the university will not normally be able to issue you with a CAS until 6 months
before your current immigration permission expires.
Your CAS will not be valid if:
you have already used it to make an immigration application (even if your application was
unsuccessful); or
it was issued more than six months ago; or
it was withdrawn by either the university or the Home Office
Warning: During busy periods, it can take QMUL between 10 and 15 working
days to issue a CAS. Please request your CAS as early as possible.

If you have a problem concerning your CAS statement (E.g. you notice an error in your CAS
statement or if something changes), please contact the relevant university office below:
Existing undergraduate students (including medical and dental students) and all taught
postgraduate students
Contact the Student Enquiry Centre, Ground Floor, Queens Building, Mile End Campus:
By e-mail casinfo@qmul.ac.uk
By telephone +44 (0) 20 7882 5005.
You cannot request your CAS by e-mail or telephone.
Existing postgraduate research students
Contact the Research Degrees Officer for your school:
You can find the contact details of each schools officer here:
http://www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/research_degrees/contacts_resdegs.html
You cannot request your CAS by e-mail or telephone.
Check your CAS statement carefully:
You should check that all the information in your CAS statement is correct. We recommend that
you pay particular attention to the following:
Check that your personal details (name, date of birth, nationality and passport number)
exactly match those in the passport you are planning to submit with your immigration
application.
Make sure you actually have any documents listed in the Evidence Used section, and that
the documents you have are original. This section must also detail how the university has

assessed your English language ability in all four areas, and that your course of study shows
academic progression.

Forms, application fees and where
to apply
Applications made to British visa centres and sections (outside the UK)
The forms:
Application form VAF9 - PBS Migrant
PBS Appendix 8 General Student self-assessment form
Depending on where you are applying you may need to complete an online version of the form or
you may need to complete a paper application form.
You can find out whether you need to complete an online or paper
application form and download the forms by visiting the Home Office
website: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/
In most countries you will be able to apply and pay online. You will be
offered three options under the heading "Type of application". You
should choose:
Tier 4 (General) Student if you will be self or family funded,
otherwise privately funded or funded by a student loan;
Tier 4 (General) (Sponsored) Student if you are going to be fully funded by an "official
financial sponsor", which includes Queen Mary University of London or other university
scholarships or bursaries, the UK government, your home government (though this does
not include student loans), the British Council or any international organisation or
international company. If you are only partially funded by an official financial sponsor you
should not complete this type of application: complete the Tier 4 (General) Student
application instead;
Tier 4 (Scholarship) Student ONLY IF you are the holder of a Chevening Scholarship
or Fellowship, a British Marshall Scholarship, a Fulbright Scholarship or a Commonwealth
Scholarship and Fellowship Plan.
The fee:
298 in the currency local to the visa centre or section
Where to make your application
You can find which British visa centre or section you need to apply to by visiting the Home Office
website: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/countries/
You are normally required to apply to the centre or section where you are normally living.
Depending on the centre or section you may be able to make your application by post, online, or in
person.
Photographs
You must submit one UK passport sized photograph taken within the last six months. Check that
your photograph meets all of the Home Office requirements, which you can find on the last page of
the VAF9 application form.
Your application could be refused if your photographs do not meet the requirements.
Passport or travel document
You will need to submit your current passport or travel document. Make sure that it has not
expired.
You will also need to submit any previous passports youve held unless they have been lost, stolen
or returned to the issuing authority.
Other documents
You may need to submit other documents with your application, such as your previous qualifications
or bank statements. All the documents you submit must be originals (not photocopies faxes or
printouts from the internet), unless the Home Office policy guidance specifies otherwise.
Translations
If a document is not in either English or Welsh, you will also need to provide an English translation
of the document. Paragraph 15 of the Tier 4 policy guidance explains the requirements for
translations for students who are applying from outside the UK:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/studying/adult-students/apply-outside-uk/
Biometrics
You will need to attend a British visa centre or section to record your
biometric details. A scan of your fingerprints and a digital photograph of
your face will be taken. Your visa centre or section will give you
information on how and when you should do this.
Tuberculosis (TB) Screening
If you are travelling to the UK and a UK Visa Application Centre or
Section in one of the following countries will process your application,
you will need to show that you have been tested for Tuberculosis:
Bangladesh Burkina Faso

Do you need TB
screening?
Cambodia
Cte d'Ivoire
Democratic
Republic of the
Congo
Ethiopia
Eritrea
Gambia
Ghana
India
Indonesia
Kenya
Laos
Lesotho
Malawi
Malaysia
Mauritania
Morocco
Nepal
Niger
Pakistan
The Philippines
Rwanda
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
Sudan
Swaziland
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Uganda
Vietnam
Zambia
Zimbabwe
For more information about Tuberculosis testing, visit the Home Office website:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/general-info/applying/
How long will my application take?
You can find out how long it is currently taking the UK visa application centre or section you are
applying to, to decide applications on the following Home Office website:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/general-info/processing-times/
The information on this website indicates the situation one month ago and may not represent the
current processing times. For example, from July onwards Visa Application Centres become
increasingly busy as students make their applications to start programmes in September.
Transliteration of Russian names
The UK Home Office has a systematic way of representing Russian names. If you are a Russian
national, your name as it is printed on the details page of your passport may be different to the name
printed on your Entry Clearance sticker. For example, on the details page in a passport,
may be translated to the nearest English equivalent as Alexander, but on the Entry
Clearance sticker it will be transliterated to Aleksandr. Passports issued by the Russian Federation
after 2003 should follow the same Russian to English transliteration rules.
Extension applications (inside the UK)
If you are applying in the UK you should make your application using the online form on the Home
Office website. To access the form, visit https://apply.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/iapply.portal, and then
select Forms A-Z. In the list that appears, select Tier 4 Student online application
When you have completed your application, you will pay for your application online. You will then
be prompted to print out a cover sheet, which you will send with your passport and supporting
documents to the Home Office. The address is on the cover sheet.
UKCISA have written guidance on applying using the Online application form, which you can read
by going to this link: http://bit.ly/13PIvSx
The fee:
406 for a postal application (The Home Office states that it usually takes 4 to 14 weeks to
decide an application plus additional time for postage and to register your biometric details.)
781 for an in person application (You will normally receive a decision on the same day, but
you will need to make an appointment in advance. You will normally receive your plastic
Biometric Residence Permit card with your new immigration permission in 3-5 days.)
Where to make your application
By post:
You should send your cover sheet, passport and supporting documents to the address on the cover
sheet.
We recommend that you send your application via Royal Mail Special Delivery so that you can track
your application and if it is lost or damaged, you will receive compensation.
In person:
If you are applying in person you will need to attend one of the Home Offices Public Enquiry
Offices. There are seven offices in the UK:
Solihull
Croydon (this is the closest to Queen Mary and is about an hour from the Mile End campus
by public transport)
Glasgow
Liverpool
Sheffield
Belfast
Cardiff
You can try to book your appointment when you pay for your online application. Be aware that
during busy periods, appointments may not be available.
Deadline for posting your documents or attending your appointment
Please note that there are currently two application forms on the Home Office website:

Be careful as the names are confusing you complete both of these forms on the Home Office
website, but the rules are different:
Tier 4 Student online application form
If you use the Tier 4 Student online application form, you must submit your online application form
before midnight on the day your immigration permission expires. If you have selected the standard
service, you then have a further 15 working days to post your documents to the Home Office. If you
have selected the premium service, you must attend an appointment within 45 working days.
Please note, if you use the Tier 4 Student online application form and you need to show funds, you
must have held your funds (see next section) for the 28 days before you submit and pay for your
application online.
If you are posting your supporting documents via Royal Mail, you must post them on or before the
15
th
working day after you submitted your online immigration application. If you are using a private
courier company, they must deliver your supporting documents to the Home Office on or before
the 15
th
working day after you submitted your online immigration application
Tier 4 Student print and send application form
If you use the Tier 4 Student print and send application form and are using the premium service, you
must attend an in person appointment with your application and supporting documents before your
immigration permission expires. The Tier 4 Student print and send application form the form will
allow you to book an appointment after your immigration permission has expired, but if you are
using the Tier 4 Student print and send application form you must not book an appointment after
your immigration permission has expired.
If you are posting your application form and supporting documents via Royal Mail, you must post
them before your immigration permission expires. If you are using a private courier firm, they must
deliver your application form and supporting documents to the Home Office before your
immigration permission expires.
Photographs
You must submit two UK passport sized photograph taken within the last month. Check that your
photograph meets all of the Home Offices requirements which you can find on their website:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2011/july/06-t4-dep-forms
Warning: in the UK,
one of the most
common reasons why
applications are retuned as invalid is
because an applicants photographs
do not meet the requirements.
You can obtain suitable photographs from the
universitys Digital and Photographic Imaging Centre,
which is located in room 3.06 in the G.E.Fogg Building.
The charge is 5. Your photographs will usually be available
for collection at the same time on the next working day.
See the Imaging Centres website for more information and
how to pay http://www.dpic.qmul.ac.uk/
Passport or travel document & UK Biometric Residence Permit cards
You will need to submit your current passport or travel document. Make sure that it has not
expired.

Make sure all the details (such as your given names and family names) are written correctly in your
passport. When Queen Mary issues you with any documents (such as your degree certificate and
your CAS) we will copy your name and other details exactly as they appear in your passport.
If you have renewed your passport since you were last granted immigration permission, you will also
need to provide your previous passport (unless it has been lost, stolen or returned to the issuing
authority).
If you have been issued with a United Kingdom Biometric Residence Permit, you will also need to
submit this with your immigration application.
Other documents
You may need to submit other documents with your immigration application, such as your
qualifications or bank statements. See the following sections of this Advice Guide on How much
money do I need to show and What else should I submit with my application?
All the documents you submit must be originals (not photocopies, faxes or printouts from the
internet).
Translations
If a document is not in either English or Welsh, you will also need to provide an English translation
of the document. Paragraph 14 of the Tier 4 policy guidance explains the requirements for
translations for students who are applying in the UK:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/studying/adult-students/applying-inside-uk/
If you are making an immigration application in the UK, please note that a translated document you
have previously used successfully may not meet the Home Office requirements for applications made
in the UK. The translation requirements for applications made in the UK are not the same for
applications made overseas.
Submitting your application before you have enrolled
If you have not yet enrolled you must take your passport and qualifications to the Student Enquiry
Centre (Ground Floor, Queens Building) so that they can take copies of your documents. If the
Student Enquiry Centre have not taken a copy of your documents and you are unable to provide
them because they are at the Home Office, you will not be able to fully enrol.
Biometrics
Before your immigration application is processed, you will need to register your biometric details (A
scan of your finger prints and digital photograph of your face).
If you post your immigration application, the Home Office will write to you to invite you to book an
appointment to register your biometric details. There are a number of places where you can choose
to go to register your biometrics details. You can register your biometric details at selected Post
Offices (currently Post Offices charge 19.20 for the service. You will need to pay by cash or debit
card: credit cards are not accepted). The letter inviting you to register your biometric details will
explain how to book your appointment and will give you details of the places where you can go. You
should normally receive this letter within 15 days from the date you submitted your application to
the Home Office. For more information about providing your biometric details at a Post Office, see:
http://www.postoffice.co.uk/counter-services/passport-identity/biometric-enrolment-foreign-
nationals
If you are submitting your application in person at a Public Enquiry Office, your biometric details will
be recorded when you submit your application.
How long will my immigration application take?
If you make your application in person at a Public Enquiry Office, you will normally receive a decision
on the same day. Your plastic Biometric Residence Permit will normally be posted to you within
three to five working days.
For postal applications, the Home Office expects to be able to process 75% of applications within 4
weeks and 90% of applications within 14 weeks. Some applications can take longer, but this is
unusual. These processing times are from the date when you register your biometric details and do
not include the time it takes to post your application to the Home Office and for the Home Office
to post your documents back to you.
During the summer, and before Christmas, the Home Office receives a very large number of
applications and it may take longer than normal for an application to be processed. If you are
applying in person, you may find that there are very few appointments available during these periods.
If your application takes longer than 6 months to be processed from the date you submitted it, you
may be able to check on its progress by telephoning the Home Office Immigration Enquiry Bureau
on: 0870 606 7766. The Immigration Enquiry Bureau will not check the progress of applications that
were submitted less than six months ago. If you call the Home Office after 6 months and you are not
satisfied with their explanation about why your application has still not been processed, you may ask
for the postal address of the team processing your application so that you can write to them for an
explanation for the undue delay.
Unfortunately the time it takes to process your immigration application is outside of Queen Marys
control, however if you need to travel urgently and your passport is at the Home Office, you can
contact the Advice and Counselling Service for advice.
How much money do I need to
show?
The amount of money you will need to show depends on how long your studies will be, if you have
recently been studying in the UK, and if you will be receiving official financial support, or a
scholarship.
Maintenance
Maintenance is the money you will need for your accommodation and other living expenses while
you are studying in the UK.
Reduced maintenance requirement
In some circumstances, you may be able to show a reduced amount of money for your maintenance
if you have an established presence in the UK.
Paragraph 14 of Appendix C of the Immigration Rules explains when a student will be considered to
have an established presence and can benefit from the reduced maintenance requirement:
14. An applicant will have an established presence studying in the UK if the applicant has
current entry clearance, leave to enter or leave to remain as a Tier 4 migrant, Student or as a
Postgraduate Doctor or Dentist and at the date of application:
(i) has finished a single course that was at least six months long within the applicant's last
period of entry clearance, leave to enter or leave to remain, or
(ii) is applying for continued study on a single course where the applicant has completed at
least six months of that course.
(iii) is applying for leave to remain as a Tier 4 (General) Student on the Doctorate Extension
Scheme
You will not have an established presence if:
Your current immigration permission is in another immigration category (E.g. Tier 1 Post
Study Work, or as a dependant); or
Your immigration permission has run out (E.g. because it has been cut-short or it has
expired); or
You did not complete your previous programme and you have not studied at least six
months of your new/current programme; or
You are re-sitting out of attendance and your previous immigration permission has run out
(E.g. because your immigration permission expired or you had Tier 4 Student immigration
and this was cut-short). If you are not sure if your Tier 4 Student immigration permission
has been cut-short, we recommend that you show the full amount of money for
maintenance.
Length of programme
You will need to show that you have 1,000 for each remaining month of your programme up to a
maximum of nine months (or two months if you meet the reduced maintenance requirement).
You need to check your CAS statement for start and the end dates of your programme, to calculate
the remaining length. If your CAS states that your programme starts or finishes part way through a
month, you need to include the whole of that month when you calculate how long the remainder of
your programme is.
Depending on the remaining length of your programme on the day that you apply, you will need to
show:
Remaining length of
programme in months
Full maintenance
requirement
Reduced maintenance
requirement
1 1,000 1,000
2 2,000 2,000*
3 3,000 2,000*
4 4,000 2,000*
5 5,000 2,000*
6 6,000 2,000*
7 7,000 2,000*
8 8,000 2,000*
9 9,000 2,000*
10 9,000 2,000*

*If you qualify for the reduced maintenance requirement and your programme is longer than two
months, the amount you need to show is capped at 2,000.
If your programme is longer than nine months, the amount you need to show is capped at 9,000
Things you can deduct from the amount you need to show for your maintenance
Money you have already paid to Queen Mary for your accommodation
If you will be living in Queen Mary halls of residences you can deduct up to a maximum of 1,000 of
the money paid to Queen Mary for accommodation for the year from the amount you need to
show towards your maintenance.
If you have paid more than 1,000 you can still only deduct 1,000 from the amount you need to
show for maintenance.
The amount you have paid should be shown in your CAS statement, up to a maximum of 1,000.
You can only use evidence that you have paid money for accommodation, if you have paid the
money to Queen Mary or the University of London. You cannot use money paid to other
accommodation providers.
Official sponsorship
If you will be receiving money for living expenses from any of the following:
The British Government
The government in your home country
The British Council
An international organisation
An international company
A university
An independent school
Then you can deduct the amount you will receive for the year from the amount you need to show
for maintenance.
If you will be receiving money for your living expenses from Queen Mary, this should be detailed in
your CAS statement.
If your living expenses will be paid directly to you, you will need to provide a letter from the
organisation as proof. Paragraph 194 of the Tier 4 policy guidance explains the requirements for the
letter:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/studying/adult-students/evidence/
Warning: If you are receiving or have received sponsorship in the last 12 months from
a government or an international scholarship agency which covers/covered both your
tuition fees and your living expenses, you must provide a letter from your sponsor
confirming that they give their consent for your immigration application. If you do not provide this
letter, your application will be refused.

Tuition fees
You must be able to show that you have the money to pay for your tuition fees for the year. Your
CAS statement should show how much you must pay for the year.
Definition of the year
If your programme is one year or longer, the Home office will assess your finances based on an
academic year. The academic year that the Home Office will use to assess your finances will depend
on your situation:
For new students it will be the first year of your programme
If you are applying part way through an academic year then it is the current academic year
If you are applying between academic years (E.g. during summer holidays) then it is the next
academic year.
In this section we will refer to this as the year.
Things you can deduct from the amount you need to show for your tuition fees
Money you have already paid to Queen Mary for your tuition fees
If you have already paid money to Queen Mary for your tuition fees, this information should be
included in your CAS statement.
Note: If the amount you need to pay for tuition fees has been reduced (E.g. because you have a
Science and Engineering Scholarships or a discount for prompt payment), this may be shown as
money you have paid to the university. The reason this is shown in this way is because the Home
Office systems are not able to account for tuition fee reductions.
Official sponsorship
If you will be receiving money for your tuition fees from any of the following:
The British Government,
The government in your home country
The British Council
An international organisation
An international company
A university
An independent school
You can deduct the amount you will receive for the year from the amount you need to show for
your tuition fees. Depending on how your sponsorship is arranged, your sponsorship may be
detailed in your CAS statement or you may need a letter from the organisation providing your
sponsorship. Paragraph 194 of the Tier 4 policy guidance explains the requirements for the letter:
Study abroad (associate) students
If you are a study abroad student and your home institution is paying your tuition fees, your CAS
should state that the tuition fee payable by you is 0.00, in which case, you will not need to show
that you have any money for your tuition fees. If your home institution will also be paying for your
accommodation at Queen Mary, this should also be detailed in your CAS statement.
I still need to show some money for my tuition fees and/or maintenance
If you have not been able to deduct all of your tuition fees and maintenance (see above), then you
will need to show that you have enough money to cover the remaining amount.
Whose money can I show?
You can only show money held:
In your name (this can be a joint account)
or in the name of:
Your parent(s) (you will need to include your birth certificate with your application)
Your adopted parent(s) (you will need to provide your adoption certificate with your
application)
Your legal guardian (you will need to provide a court document that confirms the
appointment of your legal guardian)
If you are from a county where birth certificates are not issued, the Home Office will accept another
type of official document such as a government-issued household register. They will not, however,
accept an affidavit, even one sworn before a court.
If you are using money held by your parent(s) or legal guardian, you will also need to provide a letter
from them confirming that they will allow you to use this money. Full details of the requirements for
this evidence can be found in paragraphs 203-205 of the of the Tier 4 policy guidance:
If you are applying in the UK, your parent(s) will also need to send you a signed copy of the
declaration in section N (a) of the Tier 4 (General) application form.
How long must I have had this money?
You, your parent(s) or your legal guardian(s) will need to show that the required amount of money
has been held continuously for 28 days. The closing balance (the last day of the 28 day period)
must be within 31 days of the date you submit your application.
If you submit evidence which covers more than 28 days, the Caseworker or Entry Clearance Officer
will only consider money held for the 28 days up to your closing balance. They will ignore any
balances before the 28-day period.
If you submit evidence from more than one account, the Caseworker or Entry Clearance Officer will
look at the combined total of all your accounts during the 28-day period before your closing balance.
If the closing balances for your accounts fall on different dates, the case worker will choose the date
of one of your closing balances and consider the combined total of all your accounts during the 28
day period up to that date. They will try to choose whichever closing balance date would allow you
to show that you have maintained the required amount of money for 28 days.
For more information about using multiple bank accounts, see the worked example in Appendix 1.
Warning about making an online Tier 4 application
If you are making an online Tier 4 application (not a print and send application) the
date of your application is the date that you pay for your application. If you need to
show funds, you must have held the funds for 28 days before you pay for you application. While you
have a further 15 working days if you are positing your application or up to 45 working days if you
are going in person to provide your supporting documents, the Caseworker who decides your
application will not look at any balances after the day you paid for your application.

Declaring that money is available
When you make your immigration application, you will have to declare that the money you are
showing is genuinely available to you for your tuition fees and your living expenses and will remain
available to you (unless you use it to pay for your tuition fees or living expenses).
Warning: Do not make a false statement about the availability of your money.
For example: if the money you show belongs to someone else and you have to give it
back before your studies are complete, you would not be able to make the above
declaration without making a false statement.
If you make a false statement to the Home Office, your immigration application could be refused. If
your immigration application is successful, but the Home Office later finds out that you had made a
false statement, your immigration permission could be cancelled. If your immigration application is
refused or your immigration permission is cancelled because you have made a false statement, any
application you make for immigration permission to travel to the UK may automatically be refused
for 10 years.
Which documents can I use as evidence?
You can use any of the following documents as evidence of the money available to you, your parents,
adopted parents or legal guardian:
A bank or building society statement
A building society pass book
A letter from your bank confirming your funds have been held for 28 days
A letter from a regulated financial institution confirming that you have a loan that is provided
by the national government, the state or regional government or a government sponsored
student loan company or that is part of an academic or educational loans scheme. (If you
have obtained a loan from a different source (such as from a bank) in order to finance your
studies then you must transfer the funds into your own bank account (or that of your

parents or legal guardian) and wait 28 days before using one of the other forms of evidence
listed above.)
Certificates of deposits are not listed in the Immigration Rules or policy guidance as acceptable, but
the guidance the Home Office issues to its staff states that a certificate can be accepted if it meets
the following requirements:
the certificate of deposit must have been issued within 31 days of the date of application
at least 28 days must have elapsed between the date of the deposit and the date of issue of
the certificate; and
there must be no wording on the document which indicates the funds are frozen or
otherwise inaccessible.
You can use a statement from an account in a bank, which is not in the UK. The Home Office uses
the currency converter on the O and A website (http://www.oanda.com) to look up the exchange
rate on the date you submit your immigration application. If your account is not in pounds sterling
then you will need to check that, according to that conversion rate, your account(s) show that you
have held enough money for the 28 day period.
The Home Office has very strict requirements regarding the documents they will accept as evidence
of the money available to you. There are some financial institutions which do not cooperate with the
Home Office and the Home Office will not consider evidence from these financial institutions. A list
of these financial institutions can be found at:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/policyandlaw/immigrationlaw/immigrationrules/appendixp/
This list is frequently updated, so you may find that a document from a financial institution that was
previously accepted, may not be accepted when you make a new immigration application.
To make sure that your financial documents will be accepted, please check the requirements in
paragraph 188-205 of the of the Tier 4 policy guidance:
If you are using a bank statement or statements, make sure that it has the following
features:

It is a good idea to use a highlighter pen to indicate each of the above features on your bank
statement, so the Caseworker or Entry Clearance Officer can easily see that your statement meets
the requirements.
Warning: one of the most common reasons why Tier 4 (General)
applications are refused is because an applicants financial evidence does not
meet the requirements of the policy guidance. Carefully check your
documents against the Home Office policy guidance to make sure this does not happen
to you.
30/06/2012
Mr J Smith
00-00-00 12345678 A BANK
Date Type Value Balance
01/06 Opening Balance 3000.00
05/06 Cash -200.00 2800.00
09/06 DD Phone -48.20 2751.80
13/06 Mum and Dad 500.00 3251.80
26/06 A shop -120.00
Cinema -12.00 3119.80
29/06 Travel tickets -57.00
B shop -42.00 3020.80
30/06 Closing Balance 3020.80

Your
banks
name and
logo
The date of the
statement
Your name or your parent/ legal
guardians name and account
number
Balances that show that you have
held the required amount of
money continuously for the 28
days up to and including the
closing balance
The date of the closing balance
must be within the last 31 days

What else should I submit with
my application?
Depending on what is stated in your CAS statement, you may need to submit other documents with
your immigration application.
Evidence of your qualifications
If it is stated in your CAS statement that the university has assessed your ability to undertake a
programme of studies based on your previous qualifications, you must provide evidence of these
with your immigration application. You should submit your original certificate or transcript. If your
certificates or transcripts are not in English, you will also need to provide an English translation of
the document. Paragraphs 14 -15 of the Tier 4 policy guidance explain the requirements for
translations:
Warning: one of the most common reasons why Tier 4 (General)
applications are refused is because an applicant hasnt provided the
documents listed in their CAS statement.
The Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)
Students from outside the European Economic Area and Switzerland are required to have a security
clearance certificate before starting studies that lead to postgraduate qualifications in some subject
areas (This includes undergraduate degrees that result in postgraduate qualifications, such as an
MEng degree).
If you are required to have an ATAS certificate for you studies, you will not meet the requirements
to apply for Tier 4 (General) Student immigration permission until you have your certificate.
If you are required to have an ATAS certificate for your studies, you will not be allowed to start
your studies or enrol at QM until you have your certificate.
It can take 20 working days for an ATAS certificate to be issued and sometimes longer during busy
periods.
If it is more than 30 working days since you have applied for your ATAS, please contact the Advice
and Counselling Service.

For more information about which subject areas and qualifications require an ATAS certificate and
to apply online, go to: http://www.fco.gov.uk/atas
There is no charge for applying for an ATAS certificate and you can apply for as many certificates as
you have offers.
If you already have an ATAS certificate for your programme, but something has changed (E.g. your
area of research has changed or your research is taking longer than expected), you will need to
apply for a new certificate.
The online ATAS application form is designed to work with Microsoft Internet Explorer. You may
find that it does not work properly if you use a different browser, such as Google Chrome, Mozilla
Firefox or Apple Safari.
If you have not had a response from the FCO about your ATAS application within four weeks, check
your email inbox is not full (and therefore rejecting the message). Also check your Spam folder or
Junk email folder to make sure that the email has not been filtered out. You can also contact the
ATAS Team at the FCO if you think you have missed their response, or if you have not had a
response after four weeks. You can contact the ATAS Team at the FCO through their website.
If you have been granted an ATAS certificate, but something changed, such as your research
area, course end date or JACS, you will need to apply for a new ATAS certificate with your
new details.
Parental permission for students who are 16 or 17 years old
If you are 16 or 17 years old you must provide a letter from your parent(s) or legal guardian giving
their consent for you to apply for immigration permission and travel to the UK to live
independently. The requirements for the letter are detailed in paragraphs 206-208 of the Tier 4
policy guidance:
UK Residence address for students who are 16 or 17 years old
If you are completing the VAF 9 Appendix 8 form, you only need to complete section 2 if you are 16
or 17 years old.
If you are 16 or 17 and will be living in Queen Mary accommodation, but your accommodation has
not been allocated, you can put the Residential Services address as the temporary address you will
use on arrival:
Housing Services
Student and Campus Services
Queen Mary University of London
Mile End Road
London
E1 4NS
What can I do if my documents (such as my ATAS certificate or CAS) are
not ready before my immigration permission expires?
Under the Points Based System, there is no official mechanism for submitting late documents (such
as an ATAS certificate, CAS reference number, or bank statements). Your Tier 4 application should
be fully complete with all supporting documents submitted at the same time. Sometimes this is not
possible, perhaps because you are waiting for your ATAS certificate, your CAS reference number, or
for bank statements, and these will not be issued before your immigration permission expires. If this
happens, you have the following options:
Option 1 - Return home
Prepare to return to your home country before your current immigration permission expires and
wait for your missing document(s) there. You may then make a Tier 4 application at home that will
be complete, without overstaying your immigration permission in the UK. You will need to consider:
The expense of travelling home; and
The time this process will take and how that may affect your studies. You will need to
discuss this with your academic school and check that they agree to you leaving the UK for
the required amount of time. If they dont, you will need to consider interrupting your
studies.
Option 2 attempt to send late documents
Send your Tier 4 application to the Home Office before your current immigration permission
expires, with as many of the documents as you have so far, but not all of the required documents.
This means that your application will be incomplete, and could be refused on this basis.
Write a covering letter to send with your application, explaining which document is missing, why it is
missing (for example, you are still waiting for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to process
your ATAS application), that you still have not received it and that you will forward it to the Home
Officeas soon as you do. When you get the late document, contact The Home Offices Immigration
Enquiry Bureau (0870 606 7766) and ask where you should send your late documents.
When you send your documents, make sure you use Royal Mail Recorded or Special delivery post
so you can prove when the Home Office received your documents.
A caseworker will not normally make a decision on your application until you have registered your
biometric details.
Please note that a caseworker may not wait for you to send your late documents. They can make a
decision based on the documents that are available to them. If this means that your application does
not meet the requirements, your application will be refused. If this happens you could:
Appeal against the decision if you can show that the Home Office had all the documents on
the day of the decision or the caseworker didnt follow the Home Office policy guidance
(see below). Please note you can only appeal if you applied for an extension before your
immigration permission expired.
After any appeal deadline has passed, attempt to make another new and complete
application in the UK. This could be refused on the grounds that it would be a late
application, as your immigration permission would have expired by this time. If you stay in
the UK after your immigration permission has expired you would be in the UK illegally. Your
new immigration application will normally be refused if you have stayed in the UK for more
than 28 days before making your application. Please see the next section on What will happen
if I make a late application.
Return home, to make a new application. If this would take a long time you may need to
interrupt your studies. If you stay in the UK for more than 90 days after your immigration
permission expires, you could be banned from making an immigration application to return
to the UK for up to one year from the date you leave the UK.
See the section of this Advice Guide called What to do if things go wrong for more information
about refused and invalid applications.
Home Office policy guidance on missing documents
The Home Office states in paragraph 17 of their Tier 4 Policy Guidance that:
If you have submitted specified documents in which:
Some of the documents in a sequence have been omitted (for example, if one bank statement
from a series is missing);
- A document is in the wrong format (for example, if a letter is not on letterhead paper as
specified); or
- A document is a copy and not an original document; or
- A document does not contain all of the specified information;
we may contact you or your representative in writing, and request the correct documents.
We must receive the requested documents at the address specified in the request within 7
working days of the date of the request. We will not ask for further information where we do
not anticipate that a correction of minor errors or omissions will lead to an approval or where a
specified document has been completely omitted.
You will still need to have met the requirements under Tier 4 on the date you submit your
application, but if you believe you can produce the documents in the correct format by the time the
Home Office request them, you may like to consider this option. If you are unable to provide the
required documents in the required format by the Home Offices deadline, your application may be
refused. You can read the Home Office Policy Guidance on this:
Note: even though the Policy Guidance explains that a Caseworker will normally contact you, this
might not happen and your application could still be refused on the basis of missing or incorrect
documents. If you are aware that a document is missing, or is in the wrong format, or is not an
original, we do not recommend that you wait for Home Office to contact you. Instead, you should
try and send it to the Home Office at the earliest opportunity (see above).
What will happen if I make a late application?
Sometimes, students wait until they have received their late document(s) so that they can submit a
fully completed application to the Home Office. This might mean they send their application after
their current immigration permission has expired. If you are considering sending your application
after your immigration permission has expired, you need to consider the following:
You would be in the UK illegally if you stay in the UK after your immigration permission
expires and you have not made a valid immigration application before it expired.
If you make a late application, you would not have a right of appeal if your application is
refused.
If the authorities become aware that you are overstaying (e.g. if you were in a car that was
stopped by the police) you could be detained and possibly removed from the UK. Your new
immigration application will normally be refused if you have stayed in the UK for more than
28 days before making your application. If your late application is refused or invalid, you may
be required to leave the UK. If you stayed in the UK for more than 90 days after your
immigration permission expired, you could be banned from making an entry clearance
application to return to the UK for up to one year from the date you left the UK.
You would have to declare that you have overstayed in any future immigration application.
If you are sending a late application, you may wish to include a covering letter explaining why you are
making a late application.
Please consider these options and their possible implications carefully.
Interviews at entry clearance posts
Unless you are a low risk national (see next section), you are likely to be required to attend a video
or telephone interview as part of your entry clearance application. If this raises a doubt over
whether your application is genuine, you may be required to attend an interview with an Entry
Clearance Office at the Visa Centre. If the Entry Clearance Officer is not convinced that you are
genuine, you may be refused entry-clearance. See the section of this Advice Guide called What to
do if things go wrong
Low risk nationals
To find out if you are considered to be a low risk national by the UK Government, please see the
list on the Home Office website: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-
immigration/studying/adult-students/evidence/
You will qualify for differentiation arrangements if you are a low risk national applying in the UK or
applying in the country or territory associated with your passport. This means that, when you make
your immigration application, you do not need to provide:
1. Evidence that you have the required funds for your studies
2. Evidence of your previous qualifications (as listed in the Evidence used section of your
CAS statement)
Instead, you will need to declare that you have access to this evidence.
Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan (ROC) passport holders
If you have a Hong Kong SAR passport or a Taiwan (ROC) passport and you are applying in the UK
using the online application the Home Office has confirmed that you should select 'Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region of China' or 'Taiwan' (as appropriate) in answer to the question about
your nationality, even though your passport states that your nationality is 'Chinese' or 'Republic of
China'.
Do I actually need to have this evidence?
Even though you are not required to submit the above evidence, you must have it in your
possession. After you have submitted your immigration application, the Entry Clearance Officer or
Caseworker who considers your immigration application may contact you and ask you to provide
your evidence anyway (we understand that this should only happen in a small minority of cases). A
Border Forcer Officer may also ask you to show your evidence when you arrive in the UK.
Should I submit this evidence anyway?
No. If you qualify for differentiation arrangements, your application will be processed more quickly
if you do not send this evidence. If you send your evidence anyway, the Entry Clearance Officer or
Caseworker will need to verify the documents that you have sent are genuine and meet the
requirements of the Immigration Rules. This may delay your application.
What about the immigration application form?
Applying in the country or territory associated with your passport
If you are one of the above nationals and you are applying in in the country or territory associated
with your passport, you can select evidence not required under guidance, but held by applicant,
where it appears on the VAF 9 Appendix 8 form.
Applying in the UK
If you are one of the above nationals and you are applying in the UK using the online Tier 4
(General) Student immigration application form, the form will automatically work out which
documents you are required to submit with your immigration application. The form will recognise
that due to your nationality you qualify for differentiation arrangements, and it will not prompt you
to provide evidence of your finances or your academic certificates or transcripts.
Will I be interviewed?
If you qualify for differentiation arrangements and you are making an application in the country or
territory associated with your passport, you will not be required to undertake a credibility
interview. In the vast majority of cases, immigration applications are decided on the basis of the
application form without an interview. An Entry Clearance Officer might contact you after you have
submitted your immigration application and require you to attend an interview, but this rarely
happens.
If you are making an immigration application in the UK, you will not be interviewed.
Application checklist
Use the following checklist to make sure that you are ready to submit your immigration application:
For applicants outside the UK
You have evidence of a tuberculosis test (if you are required to provide this)
For applicants in the UK
You have your UK Biometric Residence Permit card (if you have been issued with one)
You have your police registration certificate (if your immigration permission requires you to
register with the police). If you are required to register with the police, you must register any
new immigration permission and any changes of address within 7 days. You should take extra
care to make sure your registration certificate is up-to-date before submitting your immigration
application.
If you have not yet enrolled, you have shown your passport and qualifications to the Student
Enquiry Centre (Ground Floor, Queens Building) and copies have been taken of these
documents. If the Student Enquiry Centre have not taken a copy of your documents and you
are unable to provide them because they are at the Home Office, you will not be able to fully
enrol.
All applicants
Your passport is valid and that it has your correct details
All the information in your CAS is correct (check your CAS statement)
Your CAS is less than six months old (your CAS statement should state when it was issued)
Your CAS statement explains how Queen Mary has assessed your English language ability, and
that your current course shows academic progression
You have evidence of your qualifications (if listed in your CAS) and these are in English or you
have official English translations
You have enclosed your ATAS certificate (if required by your CAS)
You have enclosed permission from your parents (if you are 16 or 17)
You have evidence of your finances which you have checked meets the requirements of the
Home Office policy guidance
Your photograph(s) meet the Home Office photograph requirements
Your passport or travel document is still valid
You have the correct application payment
You have completed the form(s) correctly
Keeping copies of your documents
Warning: You must keep a copy of everything you send with your immigration
application and any correspondence you receive from the Home Office. This includes
your passport, your immigration application form and any supporting documents you
send (e.g. photographs, bank statements and certificates).
This is very important as the Home Office may keep all your documents if your immigration
application is refused. You will need copies of these documents if you wish to appeal or submit a
new application.
If there is a problem with your application, you may need to show your photocopies to a Welfare
Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service so that they can provide you with advice.
If you are a current student and you are in the UK, you can use the photocopiers in the main library
to scan your documents onto a USB memory stick.
There is a procedure to request the Home Office to return your documents however, it can take
the Home Office a long time to do this and, if you have an appeal deadline to meet you may not get
your documents back in time.

Partners and Children
On 04 July 2011, the UK Government introduced changes to the Immigration Rules for partners and
children. The new rules mean that your partner and/or child can only apply for immigration
permission to join you in the UK if:
you are studying a postgraduate programme at QM, which is 12 months or longer; or
you are a government-sponsored student and you are studying a programme at any level,
which is more than 6 months long.
There are transitional measures for partners and children who already have immigration permission
to join you in the UK.
In this context, partner includes:
Husband or wife
Same-sex civil partner
A partner who you have been living with for at least two years in a relationship similar to
marriage or civil partnership
The UK immigration rules state that you and your husband, wife or partner must be 18 or older on
the date when they arrive in the UK.
Your children must either be:
under 18; or
if they already have immigration permission as your dependant, they must not have formed
an independent life.
For children to be granted immigration permission as a dependant, in most cases, both parents must
also be in the UK or plan to travel to the UK with them, unless there are serious and compelling
reasons for only one parent being here. If you think this applies to you and your family, you may like
to get specialist immigration advice to see if you would have a strong case before you apply.
You will need to show that you have additional money to support your dependants.
There is more information on the Home Office website:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/partners-families/migrant-workers-students/
Babies born in the UK
Birth in the UK does not automatically make a baby a British citizen. The baby needs to have a
parent with British citizenship or settled status in the UK in order to be born British.
Further information
You can find more information about the requirements and how to apply for immigration permission
for your family on the UKCISA website:
http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/International-Students/Immigration-/Dependants/Babies-born-in-the-UK/
Warning: The immigration rules changed in 2012. Even if you have applied
with your dependents before, you may find that you are unable to apply
under the new rules or that the requirements have changed.
If you have questions after reading this information, see the section in this guide Where can I get
further information and assistance?

After your immigration application
has been decided
If your application is successful, the Home Office will return your documents and issue you with
immigration permission. There are different processes for applications made to British visa centres
and sections outside of the UK and applications made to the Home Office in the UK.
If your application is not successful see the section of this Advice Guide called What to do if things
go wrong for information about refused and invalid applications.
If you submitted your application to a British visa section or section
outside of the UK
If you submitted your immigration application to a British visa centre or section outside of the UK,
your documents may be posted to you or you may need to travel to the centre or section to collect
your documents and passport. Your passport should contain an Entry Clearance sticker:

Check all the details are correct. When you travel to the UK, the immigration officer at the
airport/seaport/Eurostar terminal will stamp your sticker (see photo above).
If you submit your application to the Home Office in the UK
In person applications
If you submitted your application in person at a Home Office Public Enquiry Office, they will return
your documents with a letter telling you if your application has been successful. They will usually do
this on the same day. Sometimes the Public Enquiry Office may keep your documents if they cannot
make a decision on the same day. If this happens, they will usually post your documents back to you.
Your immigration permission will be issued as a separate plastic card called a Biometric Residence
Permit (see below). You will not get your card on the day. Your card will be posted to you and this
usually takes about a week.
Postal applications
If you submitted your application online, the Home Office will post your documents to you with a
letter telling you if your application has been successful. The Home Office aim to decide most postal
applications within four weeks of the date you registered your biometric details.
Your immigration permission will be issued as a separate plastic card called a Biometric Residence
Permit (see below). This will be sent to you separately and may arrive before or after you receive
your passport and other documents. There could be a delay between receiving your Documents and
your Biometric Residence Permit.
If you have received only your passport and supporting documents and your Biometric Residence
Permit has not arrived, read the instructions on the cover sheet, which explains how to contact the
Home Office.
If you have received only your Biometric Residence Permit, and your supporting documents have
not arrived, call the Home Office on 0870 606 7766.
If it has been more than three weeks since your supporting documents or your Biometric Residence
Permit arrived, you have called the Home Office and they have been unable to help, you can contact
a Welfare Adviser at the Advice and Counselling Service for further advice.
Biometric residence permits
If you apply for immigration permission in the UK, you will be issued with a Biometric Residence
Permit. Your permit will look like this:

Check all the details are correct.
Is your immigration permission correct?
The Home Office will usually grant additional time before and after your studies. How much
additional time you receive will depend on the length of your studies. The caseworker or Entry
Clearance Officer will use the information in your CAS to decide how much additional time to grant.
This is detailed in the following table:
Length and type of
programme of studies
If applying outside the UK,
length of permission to be
granted before start of
studies
Length of immigration
permission to be granted
after studies
Any programme which is at
least 12 months long
1 month 4 months
Any programme which is at
least six months long, but
less than 12 months long
1 month 2 months
A pre-sessional programme
which is less than six months
long
1 month 1 month
A programme which is not a
pre-sessional programme and
is less than six months long
7 days 7 days
If you are re-sitting or interrupting your programme, it is our understanding that, the Caseworker or
Entry Clearance Officer should work out the total length of your programme when deciding how
much additional time to grant. For the caseworker or Entry Clearance Officer to be able to work
this out, the original start date of your programme must be detailed in your CAS (under the
Evidence provided field).
Correcting an error
Check your CAS statement
Check the dates on your CAS statement. If you have been granted the wrong length of immigration
permission because of an error on your CAS statement the Home Office will not normally correct
the error. Instead, you will need to apply for a new CAS statement and make a new immigration
application for the correct length of immigration permission.
Error on an Entry Clearance issued outside of the UK
If you checked your CAS statement and can see that an error has been made on your Entry
Clearance sticker, contact the visa section or centre that issued your immigration permission. If you
are unable to do this before you need to travel to the UK, bring a copy of your Entry Clearance
sticker and your CAS statement to Reception at the Advice and Counselling Service at Queen Mary.
One of our Welfare Advisers will contact you with further advice on correcting the error.
Error on a Biometric Residence Permit issued in the UK
If you have not been granted enough immigration permission from within the UK, or if the
conditions of your permission are not correct, you should e-mail BRPError@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
with the details of your Biometric Residence Permit and the error. If you are unable to fix the error
by e-mailing the Home Office, bring a copy of your Biometric Residence Permit and your CAS
statement to Reception at the Advice and Counselling Service at Queen Mary. One of our Welfare
Advisers will contact you with further advice on correcting the error.
Registering with the Police
If you have been granted immigration permission that is more than six months long, you may be
required to register with the police if you are a national of one of the following countries:
Afghanistan
Algeria
Argentina
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Belarus
Bolivia
Brazil
China
Colombia
Cuba
Egypt
Georgia
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lebanon
Libya
Moldova
Morocco
North Korea
Oman
Palestine
Peru
Qatar
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Sudan
Syria
Tajikistan
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
United Arab
Emirates
Ukraine
Uzbekistan
Yemen
You may also be required to register with the Police if you hold a Hong Kong SAR passport, a
Macao SAR passport, or a Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus passport or travel document.
Your immigration sticker or Biometric Residence Permit card should state Register with Police
within seven days or similar. However, if your immigration sticker or card doesnt include this
requirement, then it is our understanding that you dont need to register with the police, even if you
are a national of one of the countries listed above.
If you have made an immigration application in the UK, you cannot register with the Police until you
have received both your passport and your Biometric Residence Permit. You should count the seven
days from when you have received both your passport and your Biometric Residence Permit.
If you are not a national of one of the countries listed above, but your sticker or card says you must
register with the Police, this is probably a mistake. Take a copy of your sticker or card to Reception
at the Advice and Counselling Service at Queen Mary. One of our Welfare Advisers will contact you
with further advice on correcting the error.
If you are living in the London Metropolitan Police Area
If you are living in the London Metropolitan Police Area you will need to register with the Overseas
Visitors Records Office when you arrive in the UK and if you are issued with new immigration
permission while in the UK.
If you change your address you will need to update your Police Registration Certificate, but you can
do this at your local police station.
More details, including the location and opening times of the Overseas Visitors Records Office, can
be found on the Metropolitan Police website:
http://www.met.police.uk/overseas_visitors_records_office/
There is also information on the Advice and Counselling Service website, including special
arrangements for police registration at the start of the academic year:
http://www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/international/immigration/police/index.html
If you are living outside the London Metropolitan Police Area
If you are living outside the London Metropolitan Police Area, contact your local Police Station for
information on how to register.
What to do if things go wrong
Problems with immigration applications made outside the UK
What should I do if my immigration application has been refused?
If your application is refused, the visa section or centre will contact you and provide you with a
refusal notice. You should note the date when they give you the refusal notice. If you intend to ask
for your application to be reviewed you will need to submit your request within 28 days of the date
they gave you the notice.
You can get advice from a Welfare Adviser at the Advice and Counselling Service about your refusal.
For us to be able to advise you please forward us the following documents:
Your full refusal notice
Your CAS statement
Your completed application forms (VAF9 and Appendix 8)
Your financial evidence
Any other documents you were required to submit with your application
The details page in your passport
You will also need to provide us with the following details:
The date you submitted your immigration application
The date you received your refusal notice
Your contact details (e-mail is our preferred method of contact)
You can either scan your documents and e-mail them to welfare@qmul.ac.uk or fax them to us on
+44 (0) 20 7882 7013. If you are scanning your documents make sure your scans are high enough
resolution so that we can read your documents, but not so large that they will be returned by our e-
mail servers. We recommend that your scanned pages should not be more than 300KB per page.
Once we have a received your documents and details one of the Welfare Advisers in the Advice and
Counselling Service will review your documents and will then email you a Client Care Letter which
will explain if your refusal is correct or not and what your options are now.
If you are clear about the reasons for your refusal, you can use this guide to help you submit a new
application. If you are unclear why your application was refused, you may prefer to wait for a
Welfare Adviser to reply to you before submitting a new application.
My programme of studies is starting shortly, but I am not able to travel to the UK in
time. What should I do?
Your CAS statement will state a latest date you can enrol at QM. Sometimes students are unable to
travel to the UK in time to meet this enrolment deadline. There could be a number of reasons why
this might happen. For example, you might not get your immigration permission in time if you apply
shortly before you need to travel and there is a delay in processing your application. You might be
delayed for another reason, for example bad weather or personal difficulties.
If you are not able to arrive at QM in time for the latest date of enrolment, you need to contact
your academic school at QM, before travelling to the UK, to see if they will exceptionally allow you
to enrol late. If they will allow you to enrol late, your academic school will need to liaise with QM
Admissions to ensure that a sponsor note is added to your CAS, stating that your enrolment
deadline has been extended. Without this you may encounter problems trying to enter the UK.
Warning: If the university will not allow you to enrol late, you should not travel to the
UK, as you will not be allowed to enrol. The university will notify the Home Office that
you will not be allowed to enrol.
If the university notifies the Home Office that you will not be allowed to enrol, the following will
happen:
If your immigration application has not yet been decided, it will be refused, as your CAS will
no longer be valid.
If your immigration application has been granted, but you have not yet travelled to the UK,
your immigration permission is likely to be cancelled. If you try to travel to the UK, you are
likely to be refused entry at the airport, seaport or rail station.
If your immigration application has been granted and you are already in the UK, the Home
Office should curtail (cut short) your immigration permission to 60 days. During these 60
days you can try to find a new programme and make a new Tier 4 (General) Student
application to start that programme, or travel home.
If you are a new student and you will not be able to arrive in time for your programme, please
contact the admissions team at Queen Mary dealing with your application to Queen Mary to see if it
is possible to defer your offer of a place until next year. The contact details for the appropriate
admissions team will be listed in correspondence related to your admission at Queen Mary.
If you are a continuing student you may need to interrupt your studies. See our guide Resitting,
interrupting or leaving your course - a guide for international students
http://www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/international/leaving/index.html for more information.
If you are returning to the UK for re-sit examinations you may need to submit extenuating
circumstances. See the Advice and Counselling Service guide Extenuating Circumstances
http://www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/publications/studentadvice/index.html for more information.

What do I do if the Immigration Officer refuses to let me into the UK when I arrive?
If you are refused entry to the UK when you arrive, you should seek immigration advice
immediately.
If you are arriving at Heathrow airport during Queen Marys arrivals weekend, there may be Queen
Mary Welfare Advisers at Terminal 3 of the airport. The International Office will have provided you
with a contact number for our staff at the airport.
You can contact the Advice and Counselling Service on +44 (0) 20 7882 8717 during office hours.
If you have problems at passport control, and are unable to contact one of our Welfare Advisers,
contact Community Legal Advice who may be able to put you in contact with an immigration
adviser:
Tel: 0845 345 4 345 (Mon - Fri 9am - 8:00pm, Sat 9am - 12:30pm)
E-mail: emailhelp@communitylegaladvice.org.uk
Alternatively, you can use the search facility on the Immigration Law Practitioners Association
website to find an immigration solicitor: www.ilpa.org.uk
Problems with immigration applications made in the UK
The Home Office have requested that I send them more information/documents. What
should I do?
The caseworker is not normally required to ask you for missing information, so you should ensure
that you submit a valid application. However, if the Home Office do contact you to ask for more
documents so that they can decide your application, it is important to get advice from the Advice
and Counselling Service to ensure that the documents you now submit to the Home Office meet the
requirements, as this will usually be your last opportunity to do so.
If you are using the Tier 4 Student online application form, the Home Office will automatically send
you a letter reminding you to send your passport and photographs. This letter is sent out if the
Home Office havent received and scanned your documents onto their system within 8 days. During
busy periods it make take the Home Office some time to scan your documents, so you may receive
this letter even if you can see from your postal tracking information that the Home Office have
received your documents many days before the letter was sent. If your postal tracking information
shows that the Home Office received your documents, you can ignore this letter.
Once your documents have been scanned, the Home Office will send you a letter inviting you to
register your biometric information.
My application has been returned to me as invalid. What should I do?
If you submit an invalid application, the Home Office will return your documents to you, with a
letter telling you why your application was invalid, for example you failed to provide a mandatory
document, or your passport photographs do not meet the Home Office requirements e.g. your
face is less than 29mm or more than 34 mm tall.
If your current immigration permission has not yet expired you can make a new immigration
application. If it has taken the Home Office some time to return your application, you may need to
provide updated documents. For example, you may need to provide new bank statements if the ones
you originally submitted are now more than 31 days old, or new photos if yours are now more than
1 month old. You should also check to make sure that you are using the current version of the Tier
4 application form and guidance. Normally, your CAS should not have been used by the Home
Office if your application was returned to you as invalid. As long as it has not been used and is now
not more than six months old, you can use the same CAS for a new immigration application, and
you do not need to apply for a new one from QM. You should also confirm with the Academic
Registry (e-mail casinfo@qmul.ac.uk or telephone +44 (0) 20 7882 5005) that the Home Office
caseworker did not use your CAS, just to be sure. If it has been used, you will need to request a
new one from QM as a CAS can only be used once.
If the Home Office has taken the application fee, they will usually post you a cheque as a refund.
If your immigration permission has now expired, see the section, Have you overstayed in the UK?
below.
If your application has been incorrectly returned as invalid
If your application is returned as invalid, but the reason given is not correct or not clear, you can
contact a Welfare Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service who may be able to seek
clarification from the Home Office.
Refusals: if you have made an in time application, which has been refused, see the section My
application has been refused, what can I do? below.
Have you overstayed in the UK?
Overstaying in the UK means being in the UK without immigration permission. Overstaying may
have implications for all future immigration applications, both within the UK and overseas. You may
have overstayed if:
You did not make a new immigration application on or before the date your current
immigration permission expired or was curtailed (cut short by the Home Office).
You made a new immigration application on or before the date of your current immigration
permission expired, but it was returned as invalid.
You made a new immigration application on or before the date your current immigration
permission expired, but it was refused and you did not submit an appeal.
If you have submitted an appeal against a refusal, and this appeal has been refused. If this has
happened, contact the Advice and Counselling Service for advice.
Please note: if you received the letter from the Home Office more than two business days* after the
date of the letter, keep your postmarked envelope as evidence and contact The Advice and
Counselling Service for advice.
When did I start overstaying?
If you did not make an immigration application on or before the date your immigration
permission expired you are considered to be overstaying from the date your immigration
permission expired
If you made an immigration application on or before the date your immigration permission
expired, but your application was returned as invalid, you are considered to be overstaying
from two business days* after the date on the letter from Home Office informing you that
your application was invalid
If you made an immigration application on or before the date your immigration permission
expired, but your application was refused and you choose not to appeal, you are considered
to be overstaying from the day after your appeal deadline.
I have overstayed, what are my options?
I have overstayed in the UK for more than 90 days
If you stay in the UK for more than 90 days after your immigration permission has expired and then
return home, any immigration application you make to return to the UK may automatically be
refused for at least 12 months from the date you leave the UK. You are not able to make a new
application within the UK, as you have overstayed for more than 28 days.
I have overstayed in the UK for 90 days or less, but more than 28 days
Any immigration application you make in the UK will normally be automatically refused. However,
you can return home before you have overstayed for more than 90 days and make a new application
there to return to the UK. You will need to discuss your absence with your academic school.
I have overstayed for 28 days or less
You have two options:
1. Return home before you have stayed in the UK for more than 90 days, and make an
application for entry clearance to return to the UK. As your immigration permission has
already expired, you will not meet the Home Offices definition of having an established
presence in the UK, so you will need to meet the higher maintenance requirements. Also,
you will need to check your academic school will approve this absence from your studies, to
go home and make a new immigration application. If not, you might need to consider an
Interruption of Studies (http://www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/international/leaving/index.html)
2. Make a further immigration application to stay in the UK This is a potentially risky option
as it could take the Home Office a long time to consider your new application. If your new
application is refused and you had, by then, overstayed for more than 28 days, and you try
to make a further application in the UK, it will normally be automatically refused. If your new
application is refused and you have overstayed for more than 90 days, and you try to make

* Business days are any days which are not a Saturday, Sunday or a UK bank holiday.
an entry clearance application overseas, this will normally be automatically refused for 12
months following the date that you leave the UK. You can try to save time by making an
application in person at a Public Enquiry Office, but you should make sure that the Home
Office is clear that you are making an out of time application when you book your
appointment. You may find that you are unable to get an appointment at a Public Enquiry
Office as there are more people who want appointments than there are available
appointment slots.
As your immigration permission has already expired, you will not have the right to appeal
any decision the Home Office makes on your new application. As your immigration
permission has already expired, you will not meet the Home Offices definition of having an
established presence in the UK, so you will need to meet the higher maintenance
requirements.
You should also confirm with the Academic Registry (e-mail casrequest@qmul.ac.uk or telephone
+44 (0) 20 7882 5005) at QM that the caseworker did not use your CAS. If your CAS has been
used, or is now more than six months old, you will need to request a new one as a CAS can only be
used once.
Please note that if you are in the UK and you have overstayed for more than 28 days, our
understanding is that the Academic Registry will not normally issue you with a CAS as you will not
be able to make a successful immigration application in the UK. You will have to leave the UK before
the Academic Registry will issue you with a CAS.
Making a new application
If you are making a new application, you should check that all the documents you are providing are
still valid. Make sure that in your new application:
Your bank statements are not more than 31 days old, and your photos are not more than
one month old
Your bank statements show you have held the specified amount of money in your account
for the 28 days leading up to the closing balance.
You have a valid CAS.
My application has been refused. What can I do?
Your application will be refused if it does not meet the requirements of the immigration rules, for
example, if you do not provide evidence of adequate funds, or if you do not have a valid CAS, or if
there was more than 28 days between the end of your most recent immigration permission and the
start date of your new programme of study.
If you are in the UK and your application was in time and has been refused, you have the following
options. If your application was not in time see section Have you overstayed in the UK? above. It is
your decision which option you choose. Please be aware that if you want to formally appeal against a
refusal, you must do this before the deadline that is stated in the letter you receive from the Home
Office:
Option 1:
You can get legal advice by contacting an immigration solicitor. Make sure that the immigration
solicitor you choose is authorised to provide immigration advice and services by the Office for the
Immigration Services Commissioner. You can find an immigration solicitor by using the directories
listed in the section of this advice guide called Where can I get further information and assistance,
under Other regulated immigration advisers at the end of this advice guide. You will normally need
to pay for legal advice.
Option 2:
You can bring all of the following documents to the Advice and Counselling Service Reception:
A copy of your Tier 4 (General) application form (you should be able to print this from your
account on the Home Office website)
A copy of all the documents that you sent with your application (but do not include any
documents that you did not submit with your application, as this may confuse the advice
you receive)
A copy of the pages in your passport that contain your personal details and the stamps or
stickers relating to your studies in the UK
A copy of the refusal letter that the Home Office sent you
One of the Welfare Advisers in the Advice and Counselling Service will look at these papers and we
will email you or call you within five working days to advise you whether you have grounds to appeal
against the decision to refuse your application. It is unlikely that you will be able to successfully
appeal a decision if you:
have not completed the application form correctly
have not provided all of the specified documents or they do not include all of the specified
information
do not meet the specified requirements in order to score the required points e.g. you have
not had the specified maintenance funds for the specified period
If you do not have valid grounds to appeal against the refusal, you will normally have to make a new
immigration application, see above.
Option 3:
You can telephone UKCISA, the UK Council for International Students, for advice about your
situation. UKCISA staff are experienced in advising students about the UKs immigration regulations
and can give you advice by telephone. The service is free.
We advise you to have the documents listed above with you when you telephone, so that you can
refer to them.
The UKCISA advice line is open Monday to Friday, 1-4pm: +44 (0) 20 7788 9214.
For more information, see their website: www.ukcisa.org.uk
My application has been refused and the Home Office have kept some/all of my
documents. What can I do?
If you wish to appeal the refusal of your Tier 4 application, or to submit a new application, and want
to see copies of the documents you sent to the Home Office so you can better understand why
your application was refused, you can ask Home Office to return certified copies to you for the
purpose of your appeal. Your original documents will be retained by Home Office while your appeal
or new application is considered.
Download the Return of document request form at:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/contact/contactspage/immigration/
Complete the form and email it to the Home Office, who say that documents will be returned
within a few days.
If instead you decide you want to leave the UK, call the Regional Case Ownership Unit (sometimes
referred to as the Local Enforcement Office) with your travel plans. The Regional Case Ownership
Units phone number is on your refusal notice. They will then arrange for your passport and
documents to be returned to you. Your documents will usually be returned to you at the airport,
seaport or Eurostar terminal, when you leave the UK.
You should call the Regional Case Ownership Unit before you book your flights, to make sure that
they would have enough time to arrange for your passport and documents to be returned to you.
I have posted an immigration application, but I need to travel soon. What can I do?
At certain times of the year, it can take the Home Office many months to process postal
immigration applications.
If you need to travel urgently, you can fax the details of your situation to 0114 207 2536 and explain
the reasons why your situation is particularly urgent (e.g. to attend the funeral of a relative). You
should include your details and any reference numbers connected with your immigration application.
However, the Home Office do not make any guarantees that they will be able to process urgent
applications more quickly.
If you cannot wait for the Home Office to process your application, you can ask to withdraw your
application. This means that the Home Office will return your application to you unprocessed. If
your immigration permission has already expired, you will be considered an overstayer (see above)
from when your application is returned to you. You will not receive a refund of your application fee.
To withdraw your immigration application, see the following page on the Home Office website:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/contact/return-of-documents/
At certain times of the year (e.g. before Christmas), it can take the Royal Mail longer than usual to
deliver post. If you are going to withdraw your application, it is important that you withdraw it in
time for the Home Office to post your application back to you. It can also take the Home Office a
number of days to locate your documents and post them out to you. You cannot, normally, collect
your passport and documents from the Home Offices offices.
If you decide to withdraw your application so you can travel home, you will need to apply for entry
clearance from your home country before returning to the UK. Normally, your CAS should not
have been used by the Home Office if you withdraw your application. As long as it has not been
used and is now not more than six months old, you can use the same CAS for a new immigration
application, and you do not need to apply for a new one from QM. You should also confirm with the
Academic Registry (e-mail casinfo@qmul.ac.uk or telephone +44 (0) 20 7882 5005) that the Home
Office Caseworker did not use your CAS, just to be sure. If it has been used, you will need to
request a new one from QM as a CAS can only be used once.
My application has been decided, but my immigration permission is wrong
See the information in the earlier section of this Advice Guide After your immigration application
has been decided.
Where can I get further
information and assistance?
If you follow this Advice Guide and the resources it mentions, including our video guidance, you
should be able to make your Tier 4 application by yourself. However, if you do feel that you need
some help or if you have a specific question about your application, here are your options:
Contact the Advice and Counselling Service
If you have used this guide and the resources it mentions, including our video guidance, but your
situation is unusually complex or something has gone wrong with your application, you can contact
the Advice and Counselling Service at Queen Mary, where qualified staff can provide immigration
advice that is regulated by the UK government.
Please note - we will not normally help you check your application form or documents. You should
be able to use this guide and our video guidance to help you make sure that you have completed the
application form correctly and that your supporting documents meet the requirements of the
Immigration Rules.
Information provided by the UK Council for International Student Affairs
(UKCISA)
UKCISA is an organisation funded by UK academic institutions to provide support and guidance to
international students. UKICSA are not part of the Home Office and provide independent advice on
a range of issues affecting international students including immigration.
Website
UKCISAs website contains lots of useful guidance and resources for international students including
applying for immigration permission: http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/
Advice Line
You can telephone UKCISA for advice. UKCISAs staff are experienced in advising students about
the UKs immigration regulations and can give you free advice by telephone.
We advise you to have all your documents with you when you telephone, so that you can refer to
them.
The UKCISA advice line is open Monday to Friday, 1-4pm: +44 (0) 20 7788 9214
For more information, go to www.ukcisa.org.uk
Other regulated immigration advisers
The Advice and Counselling Service at Queen Mary and the UK Council for International Student
Affairs are regulated by the UK Government to provide immigration advice to students. There are
other advisers, but you must make sure that they are regulated to provide the advice that you need.
You can find other regulated advisers through:
The Immigration Law Practitioners Association - http://www.ilpa.org.uk/
The Law Society for England and Wales - http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/for-the-public/
The Ministry of Justice - http://find-legal-advice.justice.gov.uk/
Appendix 1: Worked example
showing funds in multiple bank
accounts
This is an example only. You will need to refer to the section How much money do I
need to show? to work out what you need to show in your situation.
Student As situation is as follows:
Do they meet the reduced maintenance
requirement
No
Length of programme remaining 9 months or longer
Tuition fees All fees have been paid for this academic year
Living in Queen Mary or University of London
halls of residence
No
Receiving official sponsorship No
Based on the above, they will need to show that they and/or their parents have held 9,000 for a 28
period ending not more than 31 days before they submit their immigration application
Student A has three different bank accounts, which are either in his name or his parents names. He
has obtained a bank statement for each account:
The statement for account 1 shows balances from 05/09/2013 to 19/09/2013. The opening
balance starts at 9,000, but on the 14/09/13 the balance falls to 8,000, where it remains
until the closing balance on 19/09/2013.
The statement for account 2 shows balances from 13/09/2013 to 08/10/2013. The opening
balance starts at 5,000. On the 20/09/2013 the balance rises to 8,000. On the 25/09/2013
the balance falls back down to 5,000, where it remains until the closing balance on
08/10/2013.
The statement for account 3 shows balances from 19/09/2013 to 05/10/2013. The balance of
this account is 4,000 for the whole period.
If you are using multiple bank accounts to show you have the required funds, you may find it helpful
to use spread sheet software, so you can see whats going on. Here is a spread sheet that explains
student As situation:
Date Account 1 Account 2 Account 3 Total available Day
05/09/2013 9,000

9,000

06/09/2013 9,000

9,000

07/09/2013 9,000

9,000

08/09/2013 9,000 9,000 1
09/09/2013 9,000

9,000 2
10/09/2013 9,000

9,000 3
11/09/2013 9,000

9,000 4
12/09/2013 9,000

9,000 5
13/09/2013 9,000 5,000

14,000 6
14/09/2013 8,000 5,000

13,000 7
15/09/2013 8,000 5,000

13,000 8
16/09/2013 8,000 5,000

13,000 9
17/09/2013 8,000 5,000

13,000 10
18/09/2013 8,000 5,000

13,000 11
19/09/2013 8,000 5,000 4,000 17,000 12
20/09/2013

8,000 4,000 12,000 13
21/09/2013

8,000 4,000 12,000 14
22/09/2013

8,000 4,000 12,000 15
23/09/2013

8,000 4,000 12,000 16
24/09/2013

8,000 4,000 12,000 17
25/09/2013

5,000 4,000 9,000 18
26/09/2013

5,000 4,000 9,000 19
27/09/2013

5,000 4,000 9,000 20
28/09/2013

5,000 4,000 9,000 21
29/09/2013

5,000 4,000 9,000 22
30/09/2013

5,000 4,000 9,000 23
01/10/2013

5,000 4,000 9,000 24
02/10/2013

5,000 4,000 9,000 25
03/10/2013

5,000 4,000 9,000 26
04/10/2013

5,000 4,000 9,000 27
05/10/2013 5,000 4,000 9,000 28
06/10/2013

5,000

5,000

07/10/2013

5,000

5,000

08/10/2013

5,000

5,000

Column 1 shows the date. Columns 2, 3 and 4 show the daily balances covered by each account
statement. Column 5 shows the total available balance on any day.
The box indicates the balances that the caseworker or entry clearance officer will actually consider
when making a decision on the application. Notice that the caseworker will choose to count the 28
days back from the closing balance from account 3. The case worker will try to choose whichever
closing balance will allow student A to meet the requirements of the rules.
The end of the 28 day period must be within 31 days of the date student A makes their application.
As the end of the 28 period is 05/10/2013, student A must submit their application on or before
04/11/2013.
If student A is not a low risk national they will have to submit the bank statements for each of their
accounts with their immigration application. Because the situation is complicated, it would be helpful
to submit a copy of the spread sheet so that the caseworker or entry clearance officer can easily see
what is happening and make the correct decision.
If student A is submitting a statement from one of their parents accounts, student A will also have
to submit their birth certificate and a letter from their parents.
Remember that it is a good idea to highlight the relevant parts of your bank statements, so that the
caseworker or entry clearance officer can easily see that your documents meet the requirements.
H
o
w

t
o

n
d

t
h
e

A
d
v
i
c
e

a
n
d

C
o
u
n
s
e
l
l
i
n
g

S
e
r
v
i
c
e

M
i
l
e

E
n
d

C
a
m
p
u
s
A
d
v
i
c
e

a
n
d

C
o
u
n
s
e
l
l
i
n
g

S
e
r
v
i
c
e

1
H
e
a
l
t
h

C
e
n
t
r
e

2
G
e
o
g
r
a
p
h
y

3
M
u
c
c
i
s

4
F
r
a
n
c
i
s

B
a
n
c
r
o
f
t

B
u
i
l
d
i
n
g

5
Q
u
e
e
n
s

B
u
i
l
d
i
n
g

a
n
d

O
c
t
a
g
o
n

6
G
.
O
.

J
o
n
e
s

B
u
i
l
d
i
n
g

7
L
i
b
r
a
r
y

8
Other advice guides published by the Advice and Counselling Service:
What immigration permission do I need to study at Queen Mary?
Applying for Tier 4 (General) Student immigration permission
Resitting, interrupting or leaving your course a guide for international students
Banking a guide for international and EU students
Student Finance: loans, grants and bursaries for home and EU undergraduates
Additional sources of funding for home and EU undergraduates
Postgraduate Funding A guide for home and EU students
Resitting, interrupting or leaving your course a guide for home and EU students
Extra Money: Disability and ill health
Managing your budget and cutting costs
Money for Lone Parents
Council Tax
Part time and vacation work
Childcare
Extenuating Circumstances
A to Z of support services
Funding for medical and dental students
You can download up-to-date versions of all our advice guides from our website:
www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/leafets
For further information contact:
Advice and Counselling Service
Student and Campus Services
Queen Mary, University of London
Mile End Road
London E1 4NS
tel: +44 (0)20 7882 8717
fax: +44 (0)20 7882 7013
www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk

Tier 4

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Originalbeschreibung:

Originaltitel

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Tier 4

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

UNDERGRADUATE POSTGRADUATE

Advice and Counselling Service www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen