Extending your Student route visa in the UK

The VISA Advice team (formerly known as International@CampusLife) are trained student immigration specialists who can assist you with submitting your Student Route visa application. The University expects all students making a visa application from the UK to use this service as it reduces the risk of your visa being refused. The service is completely free but you have a responsibility to ensure you are preparing your application in a timely manner, well ahead of any relevant deadlines. 

Please note that the VISA Advice team can, in most cases, also help your family members who are applying with you as Dependants but at peak times, priority may be given to student cases.

Can I make my visa application from within the UK?

An in-UK application should be allowed if you are currently on a Student Route visa and you are either:

• progressing in academic level (e.g. from UG to PG) and have successfully completed the course for which your current visa was issued and your new course starts within 28 days of your current visa expiring; OR
• applying to complete a course you have already been studying with us at Swansea University
  
  Please note: You cannot make an in-UK Student Route visa application when you are switching institutions and did not complete the course with your previous college or University, even if you have time 'left' on your visa. If you cannot meet the relevant UKVI Academic Progression requirements, you must therefore Make a Student Route visa application from overseas.

When should I make my visa application?

• Continuing students completing an existing course: you need to submit your visa extension either before your new course end date or before your current visa expiry date, whichever is sooner. Ideally you should start preparing your visa application around 3-4 months before your current visa is due to expire. You must have a new CAS statement for every new visa application that you make. Continuing students can request a CAS from the VISA Compliance team. You may need to wait for end of year results before a CAS can be issued, the VISA Compliance team will advise you if this is necessary. 

• Students starting a new course: you would normally submit your application after you have received an unconditional offer to study at Swansea University. CAS statements for students starting a new course are issued by the Admissions CAS team. You cannot make your visa application more than 3 months before the start of the course. You cannot make the application from inside the UK if the gap between your current visa end date and the start of your new course is more than 28 days.

Students can start preparing for a visa extension application at any time. Although you need a new CAS before submitting the application, you should familiarise yourself with the extension process, start to draft your application form and gather documents as soon as possible. This is especially important if you are likely to be submitting your application close to your visa expiry date.

Depending on your individual situation it may take you 28 days or more to get the financial documents you need to make a valid application, so the earlier you work out what you need and start gathering this the better. 

All applicants will need to be able to provide the relevant documents in support of their Student visa application. Some applicants will be asked to provide these documents at the point of application but others will just need to have them in case requested by the UKVI- later in the process. This is called differentiation (known as 'low risk applications'); please see our Differentiation Leaflet for further information and the UKVI Appendix Student ST 22.1 to see whether you fall into the differentiation category.

However, we advise that students always make sure they have all necessary documents in hand in case requested. Being under differentiation does not mean you are exempt from the requirements - only from submitting the documents upfront.

All students applying in the UK must make their visa application either before their current visa expires or before their official course end date: WHICHEVER IS SOONER. If you miss your deadline to apply, you will not be able to extend your visa and, if your visa expires without you submitting an application, you will become an overstayer. If you become an overstayer you must stop all employment and contact a member of the VISA Advice team immediately for help and advice.

If you are applying for a Student visa extension from inside the UK and EITHER you have an expired biometric residence permit (BRP) OR you have an EU/EEA/Swiss passport you can verify your identity and provide biometrics using the UK Immigration: ID Check App which is available to download on both Apple iOS and Android phones.

You will be directed to use the Mobile App depending on your circumstances. The steps are as follow:

1. Start the visa extension application form on a web-browser on a phone, tablet or laptop.
2. Answer the intial questions on the application form as accurately as possible
3. If you are eligible to use the Mobile App, you will then be told to link your form to the Mobile App via QR code or numericla code.
4. Once linked, use the Mobile App to verify your identity by scanning your ID document (passport or in some cases expired BRP), scanning your face and taking a "selfie" before then going on to complete the rest of the application form.
5. You can complete the application either on your phone or by logging back into your UKVI Account and continguing your application on a laptop or ther device.

Note: If for any reason you cannot use the ID Check App either because you are not eligible to or because the Mobile App doesn't work when you scan your ID document, please do not worry. You will be able to complete the on-line application form, submit and pay for the application and then be directed to book and attend an appointment in person at a UKVCAS visa centre instead. 

If you have Dependants remaining with you in the UK, they will need to extend their visas too. Adult dependant partners/spouse with a valid BRP or EU passport can use the ID Check App but they must submit their own separate application. Child dependants may not be able to use the ID Checking App, itt depends on their age at the time of the visa application and their age when their current visa was issued. If your Child dependant/s cannot use the ID Check App, you will be directed to book and attend an appointment in person at a UKVCAS visa centre instead. Please see our Dependants' guidance pages for full guidance. 

What is the application process?

In order for us to help all students as quickly and fully as possible, please follow the steps below: 

1. Prepare your finances: The leaflet Finance IHS Visa fees information sheet will help you work out exactly how much money you need to prepare and how you can demonstrate this if necessary. If you are a 'differentiation' (low risk) applicant you can check this and finance information in our Differentiation Leaflet
   Note: If you have been living in the UK with a valid visa for 12 months or more at the time of application you should not need to show all fees and living costs upfront. This is explained in the Finance leaflet linked to above. 
2. Apply for a new CAS statement: You can request a CAS either from the International Admissions team (for new courses) or VISA Compliance (continuing students). 
3. Apply for an ATAS certificate: Only students studying certain courses will need to apply for ATAS clearance. ATAS is fully explained on our ATAS webpage. ATAS certificates can take up to 6 weeks or more to be received after application.
4. Start the UKVI online application using our Top Tips in UK application leaflet to help you. STOP once you get to the Declaration page. You can save the information as you go along and can return to it later if you need to gather additional information. You can pick up the application again using the application account links sent to your registered email address. The application form should be straightforward and you should not experience any significant problems when completing it. If you cannot use the Mobile App and need to attend an appointment at a visa centre, please follow the instructions at the end of the application.
5. Prepare your documents. The Guide to documents for Student Visa and our Differentiation Leaflet will help you ensure that you collect the right documents and they will meet UKVI requirements.

A summary of documents is given below:

• Passport
• Current visa or Biometric Residence Permit (BRP, even if expired)
• CAS statement
• Financial evidence (e.g. bank statements or Official Financial Sponsor Letter) if necessary
• Evidence of any academic qualifications as listed on your CAS, if starting a new course
• ATAS certificate if required
• Debit or credit card to pay for the visa application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)

Once you have prepared all of the above you will be ready to email your application to a VISA Advice adviser for checking. Please download a PDF copy of your draft application form and send it to the VISA Advice team together with any necessary documents e.g. ATAS, financial evidence etc.

An Adviser will check your application form and documents and provide detailed feedback to you by email. Your Adviser will give you instruction when you are ready to go ahead and submit and pay for your application.  

If your course requires ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) clearance you will need to apply and be granted a clearance certificate before you can apply for a Student visa and enrol on your course. 

Please see our comprehensive ATAS webpages for more details. 

If you urgently need a quick application then it is possible to make a faster application via the Priority or Premium application services. These are significantly more expensive and it is important to understand these are processed faster from the date you upload documents or attend a biometric appointment. If you would like further information about these services please ask your Adviser during the visa submission process.

Please select one of the follow options:

You used the UK Immigration: ID Check App

Once an Adviser has checked your application and given you instructions to submit, log back into the application form and complete any changes recommended by your Adviser.

Sign the Digital Declaration page and proceed to the payment pages. You will make two separate payments, one for the immigration health surcharge (IHS) and another for the application fee. Keep your payment confirmation emails in a safe place. 

Your visa application is considered "submitted" once you have signed the declaration page and successfully paid for your IHS fee and visa application fee.

Once both payments are complete, download the PDF of your final submitted application form and keep it in a safe place. Please email a copy of this to your VISA adviser.

After the payment is made, you will be asked to upload any relevant supporting documents. You will be presented with a list of documents on screen and you will need to upload those relevant to your application. Once all the necessary documents have been uploaded, confirm and submit them by following the instructions on-screen. You can only do this once; you cannot upload new documents after selecting 'confirm and submit', so please make sure you have all the necessary documents before starting the upload process. If you are waiting for a document (e.g. ATAS) that hasn't yet arrived with you, do not proceed with the document upload part of the application until the missing document is available. This is very important.

Even if you do not have any documents you need to upload, you still need to click through the document upload screens until you reach the very end.

Once you have submitted your documents, your visa application will be processed. The UKVI might contact you during the process to ask for additional information or documents. Please check your emails regularly including your spam and junk email folders and respond to any requests promptly.  

It is very important that you do not travel outside the UK while your visa application is being decided, doing so will result in your application being withdrawn.  

You needed to book an appointment at a visa centre (UKVCAS)

If you are not eligible to use the ID Check App, could not download the Mobile App, or your BRP or passport will not scan, you will need to book and attend a biometric appointment at a UK Visas & Citizenship Application Service (UKVCAS) centre instead.

Your visa application is considered to be submitted once you have signed the declaration page and successfully paid for your IHS and visa application fees. Keep your payment confirmation emails in a safe place.

Once you have paid, download the PDF of your final submitted application form and document checklist and keep these in a safe place. Please email a copy of these to your VISA adviser.

You will then be directed on-screen to create a UKVCAS account in order to book your biometric appointment. There may be an additional charge for booking the appointment depending on the centre you choose to go to, and the type of service you choose (e.g. Standard or Premium) which you pay at the time of booking the appointment. The nearest centres to Swansea University are in Cardiff and Bristol but you can attend any centre you like. You will be given further information about biometric appointments from VISA Advice when you submit your application. At the appointment you will submit your original passport and supporting documents and enrol your biometrics (fingerprints and digital photos).

You must upload your supporting documents to the UKVCAS booking site before attending your appointment. If you don’t do this, you will be charged a fee to have them scanned and submitted on the day of the appointment.

It is very important that you do not travel outside the UK while your visa application is being decided. Doing so will result in your application being withdrawn.  

You must attend your biometrics appointment, upload and submit your documents in order to complete the visa application process, otherwise your application will become invalid. It is important to note that once you have given your biometrics or submitted documents, you will not be able to go back to add or change any documents to your visa application. If you are waiting for a documents (e.g. ATAS) that hasn't yet arrived with you, do not attend an appointment or complete the document upload on the UKVCAS site until the missing document is available. This is very important.

Regrettably, the time taken for any visa to be processed is controlled by the UK Government and not by the University. We understand delays can be very frustrating, but please remember that the VISA Advice team cannot chase the UKVI to make the application quicker.

You will be the first to know when your visa application is decided because the UKVI will contact you directly by email.

How long until my visa comes back?

A standard visa application can take approximately 8 weeks to be decided; you will receive an email to confirm the applicaiton has been successful and state the visa expiry date. If you paid for a priority or super priority application the processing time will be quicker.  

What happens once my visa is granted?

Your new immigration status will be digital and you will automatically receive an eVisa linked to your passport. When your visa application is decided, you will receive an email from the UKVI telling you the outcome. You should read this carefully and keep it in a safe place. If the application is granted, this email will contain your new visa expiry date and it is very important that you make a note of this date because you won’t have a physical document to remind you. You can check how long your visa should be by checking ST 25 of Appendix Student. Let the VISA Advice team know immediately if there are any errors on your visa.

After your visa application has been decided, your eVisa will be accessible to see via the view and prove your immigration status portal. Instructions about how to do this will be in the visa decision email and we also have guidance available on our eVisa website.

Once logged in to your eVisa account, from there you can generate a share code which can be shared with employers, the University or anyone else who needs to check your right to study, work or reside in the UK. The code lasts 90 days but you can generate as many as you need. This code can then be entered into the UKVI system by the 3rd party in order to verify your immigration status.

What should I do if there is a mistake on my new visa?

VISA Advice and VISA Compliance try to check all visas to make sure they are correct, but you also need to do this yourself as you will be granted an eVisa. Please check any outcome letter and eVisa carefully - if there is anything at all that is incorrect, please let us know immediately. We may be able to get errors corrected for you for free. Please see the Incorrect, lost or stolen documents page for the process you will need to follow to get help. Do not leave mistakes unchecked or unchanged as it could affect future visa applications.

To find out more about keeping yourself safe under the Student Route visa regulations, please see the VISA Compliance's information on Protecting your visa