Extending your Student route visa in the UK

The International@CampusLife (ICL) team includes several trained student immigration specialists who can assist you in the submission of your Student visa application. The University expects all students who are 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 ICL 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?

If you are currently on a Student Route/Tier 4 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
 
Then an in-UK application should be allowed.

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. This is because you cannot meet the relevant UKVI Academic Progression requirements and must therefore apply from overseas. Please see our guidance to help you Make a Student Route visa application from overseas 

When should I make my visa application?

For 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 be starting to prepare your visa application around 3-4 months before your current visa is due to expire. You must have a new CAS for every new visa application that you make. Continuing students can request a CAS from the International Student Compliance team. You may need to wait for end of year results before a CAS can be issued, the International Student Compliance team will advise you if this is necessary. 

For students starting a new course, you would normally submit your application after you have received an unconditional offer to study at Swansea University. CAS 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 and you also 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 upfront as part of their initial application and some will just need to have them in case requested by the UKVI. This is called differentiation for applicants (sometime referred to 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 them in hand in case requested. Being under differentiation does not mean you are exempt from the requirements - only from submitting the documents up front.

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, will not be able to extend your visa and in the case of your visa expiring, you will become an overstayer. If you become an overstayer you must stop all employment and contact a member of the ICL team immediately for help and advice.

If you are applying for a Student visa extension from inside the UK and EITHER you have a biometric residence permit (BRP) OR you have an EU/EEA/Swiss passport you can now verify your identity and provide biometrics using the UK Immigration: ID Check App. You will be directed to use the App depending on your circumstances and the answers you give to the first few questions on the visa extension application form. If you are eligible, you will then be told to download the App (available on both Apple iOS and Android), verify your identity by scanning your BRP card or EU passport and taking a selfie before then going on to complete the rest of the application form.

If for any reason you cannot use the ID Check App either because you are not eligible to or because the 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 - it 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 think you are a '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 Student Compliance (CAS) (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. Be aware that ATAS can take up to 6 weeks or more to be received after application.
4. Start to complete the UKVI online application but 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.  choose to complete your form later. 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 App and need to attend an appointment at a visa centre, please use our alternative guidance here. 
5. Prepare your documents. The Guide to documents for Student Visa and our Differentiation Leaflet will help you to 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/Visa card) if you have one
• 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 your course requires it
• 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 submit your application to an ICL adviser for checking. Please download a PDF copy of your draft application form and send it to International@CampusLife 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 you used the UK Immigration: ID Check App

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. 

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. 

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 ICL 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.  If you need further advice, please contact an ICL Adviser.

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 visa processing time 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.  

If 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 it or your BRP or passport would 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 also send a copy of these to your ICL 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 centre to us are in Cardiff and Bristol but you can attend any centre you like. You will be given further information about biometric appointments from ICL when you submit your application.

At the appointment you will submit your original passport and biometric card (if you have one) 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.

How long until my visa comes back?

A standard visa application can take approximately 8 weeks to be decided and for a new BRP (if you are to receive one) to be delivered. If you paid for a priority or super priority application the processing time will be quicker. 

What happens once my visa is granted?

If you applied using the ID Check App, your new immigration status will be digital and you will automatically receive an eVisa. Only Visa nationals will receive a new biometric residence permit (BRP) in addition to their eVisa and these will be issued with a maximum expiry date of 31st December 2024.  The UKVI will stop issuing BRPs in Autumn 2024 and their use will be phased out completely from 1st January 2025. 

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. 

Please check your new visa expiry date carefully as soon as you receive your outcome email. You can check how long your visa should be by checking ST 25 of Appendix Student.  Let ICL know immediately if there are any errors.

After your visa application has been decided, your eVisa will be accessible to see via the view and prove your immigration status portal. Log into your eVisa as soon as possible and check that all your details including the visa end date are correct. 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.

If you are due to receive a new BRP in addition to your eVisa, please do not travel outside the UK until you have received the new BRP card. 

If you attended an appointment at a visa centre to give your biometrics, the UKVI will contact you once a decision has been made on your visa application. If granted, the email will tell you your new visa expiry date.

Please check your new visa expiry date carefully as soon as you receive your outcome email. You can check how long your visa should be by checking ST 25 of Appendix Student.  Let ICL know immediately if there are any errors.

You will receive a new BRP dated until 31st December 2024. The BRP will be delivered to the postal address used in your application form (we recommend using the University Student Compliance Services address) and you should receive it approximately 7-10 days after you have received the visa decision outcome email. UKVI will stop issuing BRPs altogether sometime in Autumn 2024.

Once your visa has been granted you must register for a UKVI Account and eVisa as soon as possible. Details of how to do this will be in your visa decision email and you can also find out more on our eVisas webpage. The eVisa will replace BRP cards as a means to prove immigration status.   

Regrettably, the time taken for any visa to be processed and for a BRP to arrive (if applicable) is controlled by the UK Government and not by the University. We understand delays can be very frustrating, but please remember that the ICL team are not responsible for delays and that we wish it was quicker as well.

You must not make any travel plans to leave the UK while waiting for a decision on your visa application as it is impossible to control an application and we cannot chase the UKVI to make it go quicker.

If you urgently need a quicker application then it is, sometimes, possible to make a faster application via the Priority or Premium application services. These are significantly more expensive and it is important to realise that all of these services incur an additional wait of a few weeks in the event you are going to receive a BRP card. If you would like further information about these services please ask your Adviser during the visa submission process or email the ICL team. 

Please resist the temptation to chase us for news regarding your visa. At times we have over 300 visa applications in process and the volume of queries is prohibitive to the team. You will be the first to know when your visa application is decided because the UKVI will contact you directly by email.

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

ICL and Student Compliance Services try to check all visas to make sure they are correct but you also need to do this - especially if the BRP card has been returned directly to you or you used the ID Check App and therefore you have been granted an eVisa. Please check any outcome letter, eVisa and/or BRP carefully and 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 changed as it could affect future visa applications.

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. 

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