Tier 4 (General) visa

Student Advice Service Your money and immigration specialists Tier 4 (General) visa Understanding the application process and requirements for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK Student Advice and Funding Counselling, Health Advice and Chaplaincy Disability Service

Contents Page 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 10 11 11 11 12 13 13 14 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 17 17 18 18 19 19 19 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Chapter Introduction Student Advice Service - seeking help Understanding the basics When can I apply for my visa? What is a CAS and when will I receive it? How much is the visa application fee? Immigration Health Surcharge How long will it take to receive a decision on my visa application? When will my new visa start and expire? What is the Points-Based System? Visa application process Step 1: Register for online account Step 2: Prepare supporting documents What supporting documents will I need? Financial requirements and documents - Course fee - Maintenance (living costs) funds - How long does the money need to be held in my account? - What documents can I use to show I meet the financial requirements? - Whose name do the documents need to be in? - Can I use financial documents from more than one account? - Can I use online/electronic bank statements? - Can I use a non-uk account that is not in GBP ( )? - Financial documents from Bangladesh, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Iran, Pakistan, the Philippines and Sri Lanka - Financial sponsorship Translations of documents that are not in English or Welsh Students from low risk countries Step 3: Tuberculosis (TB) test Step 4: Complete the online visa application form Step 5: Check your form and supporting documents Step 6: Submit your online visa application form Step 7: Submit your supporting documents and biometric information Step 8: Receive your visa and travel to the UK - When will I receive my visa? - What must I do when my visa arrives? - Travel to the UK Step 9: Collect your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) Step 10: Register with police and enrol at College Appendix A: Sample bank statement Appendix B: Sample bank letter Appendix C: Sample parent s letter Appendix D: Photo guidance Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from INSIDE the UK) 1

Introduction This guide is for students who need to apply for a Tier 4 (General) visa from outside the UK. It has been produced using information taken from the UK Visas & Immigration Tier 4 Policy Guidance (version 04/16) which is relevant for visa applications made on or after 6 April 2016. It contains information about the application process and the requirements. It is recommended that all students: 1. Read this guide thoroughly, before starting the visa application process; 2. Contact the Student Advice Service if you have any concerns about the visa application process or requirements. You may find our other guides on Tier 4 (General) visas to be useful, which can all be found at www. arts.ac.uk/study-at-ual/international/immigration-and-visas/ Student Advice Service - seeking help Student Advice Service Your money and immigration specialists Telephone: +44 (0)20 7514 6250 Email: student.advisers@arts.ac.uk Visit us: search student advice service on arts.ac.uk for our locations Please contact us if you have any questions about making your visa application. Always include your UAL student ID number. We are the only staff at UAL who are qualified to give visa and immigration advice. We give this advice free of charge. If you have an issue which is outside our level of competence, you may wish to seek assistance from an immigration adviser regulated by the Office of Immigration Services Commissioner: https://www.gov.uk/find-an-immigration-adviser Some advisers charge a fee - check beforehand. Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 2

Understanding the basics When can I apply for my visa? You can apply for your visa up to 3 months before the start of your course, but only after: You receive your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), and; You meet the financial requirements set by UK Visas & Immigration, and; You have the correct supporting documents. Your visa application date is the date on which you submit your online application form and pay the application fee. What is a CAS and when will I receive it? A Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) is an electronic document which you must have in order to apply for a Tier 4 visa. Your CAS will be provided by one of the following, depending on your situation: Your situation Your CAS will be provided by Students starting a new course, who applied directly to UAL International Admissions: ual.internationalapply@arts.ac.uk Students starting a new course, who applied via a UAL representative in their home country The UAL representative in your home country The Immigration Compliance Officer at your UAL college: Current UAL students continuing on the same course Camberwell, Chelsea and Wimbledon: attendance@ccw.arts.ac.uk Central Saint Martins: attendance@csm.arts.ac.uk London College of Communication: tier4@lcc.arts.ac.uk London College of Fashion: attendance@fashion.arts.ac.uk Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 3

Your CAS will contain information about: You The course you will study at UAL The qualifications you used to obtain your offer of a place on this course Your tuition fee The amount of tuition fee you have paid. You will receive your CAS by e-mail after you have: 1. Met the conditions of your offer, such as passing an English language course. The conditions of your offer are explained in your offer letter, and 2. Accepted your unconditional offer of a place on your upcoming course, and 3. Paid your tuition fee deposit.! A CAS is not a paper document; it is an electronic document. You do not need to include a printed version of your CAS in your application. How much is the visa application fee? The visa application fee depends on what type of application you make. 335 Standard application various Premium application Visa application centres in some countries have quicker, but more expensive services. Check at www.gov.uk/find-a-visa-application-centre Immigration Health Surcharge Anyone applying for a Tier 4 (General) visa lasting 6 months or more must get an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) reference number as part of the online visa application. You will then be able to use the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. Most students will need to pay a fee to get an Immigration Health Surcharge reference number, although there are some exceptions. The amount you must pay will depend on the length of your visa, not your course duration: 150 per full year 150 for any additional period of more than 6 months 75 for any additional period of less than 6 months The Surcharge for the whole length of the visa* must be paid in order to get your reference number. Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 4

Example Course duration Sep 2016 to Jun 2019 (2 years, 10 months) Visa length* Aug 2016 to Oct 2019 (3 years, 2 months) Immigration Health Surcharge 3 full years = 150 x 3 2 months = 75 (as it less than 6 months) Total: 525 *See When will my new visa start and expire? on page 6. You can check if you will be required to pay, and how much, at: https://www.immigration-health-surcharge.service.gov.uk/checker/type Instructions about how to get an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) number can be found in our separate guide (Tier 4 (General) visa: Guide to the online application form). More information about this can be found at: Immigration Health Surcharge www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application/overview Healthcare in the UK http://ukcisa.org.uk/information--advice/living-in-the-uk/health-and-healthcare How long will it take to receive a decision on my visa application? You can check processing times in your country using the tool found at www.gov.uk/visa-processingtimes You should select the following options in the tool: Visa category: Points Based System Visas Visa type: PBS Tier 4 Visa application centres in some countries have premium services, allowing you to receive a decision quicker than usual, but these are likely to have a higher fee. Find out more about your local application centre and how to contact them at www.gov.uk/find-a-visa-application-centre Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 5

When will my new visa start and expire? Permission granted for 6 months or less If you have been given permission to be in the UK for 6 months or less, your visa will be issued as a vignette (sticker) in your passport. It would be valid from 30 days before the course start date on your CAS, or seven days before the date that you specified on your visa application as your intended date of travel to the UK, whichever is later. Course duration Less than 6 months (not Presessional) Less than 6 months (Presessional) Visa expiry date 7 days after the end of the course 1 month after the end of the course 6 months 2 months after the end of the course Permission granted for more than 6 months If you have been given permission to be in the UK for over 6 months, your visa will be issued as a vignette (sticker) in your passport and a letter, valid for 30 days only. This 30-day period starts 30 days before the course start date on your CAS, or seven days before the date that you specified on your visa application as your intended date of travel to the UK, whichever is later. You must travel to the UK with the 30-day visa and letter before your 30-day visa expires. Once you arrive in the UK, you must then collect your visa for your course within 10 days from a specified location. Your course visa will be in the form of a credit card-size card called a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). See Steps 8 and 9 on page 19 for more information on this process. Your BRP will be valid for the entire duration of your course, with some additional time at the end: Course duration 6 months or more, but less than 12 months Visa expiry date 2 months after the end of the course 12 months or more 4 months after the end of the course Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 6

What is the Points-Based System? The Tier 4 (General) visa is part of UK Visa & Immigration s Points-Based System. In order for your visa application to be successful, you will need to acquire 40 points: 30 points for having: your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), and; the evidence listed on your CAS (e.g. previous qualifications). See What is a CAS and when will I receive it? on page 4. 10 points for having the required amount of funds and the evidence to confirm this. See Financial requirements and Documents on page 11. Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 7

Visa application process Detailed information about each step of the visa application process can be seen in corresponding chapters of this guide, which you will find on the next few pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Register for online account Prepare supporting documents Tuberculosis (TB) test Complete online visa application form Check your form and supporting documents Submit online visa application form Submit supporting documents and biometric information Receive your visa and travel to the UK Collect your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) Register for an online UK Visas & Immigration account at www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk You will need to gather a range of documents to support your visa application and show that you meet UK Visa & Immigration s requirements. Get tested for TB if required. Complete all sections of the form until the Declaration section, which warns you that you cannot change your previous answers if you proceed further. The Student Advice Service can do this for you. Submit your online visa application form and pay the visa application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge. This is known as your visa application date. Depending on which country you are in, and the service type that you choose, you would be required to post your documents and/or visit a visa application centre. You may only be given a visa that is valid for 30 days to allow you to enter the UK (see When will my new visa start and expire? on page 6). If you are given a 30-day visa, you will need to arrive in the UK within that 30-day period. You must do this within 10 days of arriving in the UK. You will only need to do this if you were given a 30-day visa. 10 Register with police and enrol at College After you receive your Biometric Residence Permit, there are a couple of other things you will need to do to complete the process. Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 Register for online account You will need to register for a UK Visas & Immigration account to make your visa application: UKVI UK Visas & Immigration This contains your online visa application form. For step-by-step instructions on registering, see our separate guide (Tier 4 (General) visa: Guide to the online application form). Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 9

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2 Prepare supporting documents What supporting documents will I need? Before you submit your online visa application form, you will need to have a number of supporting documents to prove that you meet UK Visa & Immigration s requirements. A list of these documents is below and more information about each one can be found on the next few pages of this guide: Passport (or equivalent travel document). Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). Financial evidence e.g. bank statements, letter from bank. If you are using financial documents that belong to your parents, you must include: Birth Certificate or Adoption Certificate A letter from your parents or legal guardian confirming that you are their child and you have permission to use their money. Original evidence of qualifications listed on your CAS. Your CAS will state whether you need to provide the transcript or certificate. You do no have to submit your portfolio. Police Registration Certificate, only if your current visa states that you needed to report to the police. Tuberculosis (TB) test results if you are from a country that requires this. See www.gov.uk/tbtest-visa Official translations of any document that is not in English or Welsh. 2 recent passport photos on a cream or light grey background, measuring 45mm x 35mm, with your name written on the back see Appendix D. More information about these documents can be found on the next few pages of this guide.! All documents must be original. You cannot use photocopies or scanned versions of documents. Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 10

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Prepare supporting documents Financial requirements and documents Your funds must be held as cash and must be readily available for you to use. Shares, bonds or pension fund accounts will not be accepted. You cannot move or spend the money in the account in the time between obtaining your financial document and paying for your visa. The funds must still be in the account on the date you make your visa application. Course fee Maintenance (living costs) funds Course fee You must have: Enough money to pay for the first year of your course, or; Enough money to pay the full fee for your course if your course is less than 1 year long. Check your CAS for the exact course fee. You do not need to show any amount of course fee that you have already paid, but only if your CAS states that you have paid this amount.! If you pay your course fee after your CAS is issued, email the person who provided your CAS, attaching proof of payment. You must only submit your online visa application form and pay the visa application fee after they confirm that your CAS has been updated. Maintenance (living costs) funds Length of the course relating to your visa application 9 months or less Maintenance funds required 1,265 to cover living costs for each calendar month of the course (rounded up if there is a partial month) More than 9 months 11,385 to cover living costs for 9 months Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 11

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Prepare supporting documents How long does the money need to be held in my account? You must meet these requirements on the date you you pay the visa application fee: 28 days The full amount of money must be held in the account for at least 28 consecutive days up to the date of the closing balance. The money cannot drop below the amount you need at any time during these 28 days. 31 days The closing balance date on your financial document (see next page) cannot be more than 31 days old on the date you submit your online visa application form and pay the visa application fee. See Appendix A for an example bank statement which fully meets the requirements shown above. Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 12

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Prepare supporting documents What documents can I use to show I meet the financial requirements? Your funds must be held as cash and must be readily available for you to use. Shares, bonds or pension fund accounts will not be accepted. You cannot move or spend the money in the account in the time between obtaining your financial document and paying for your visa. The funds must still be in the account on the date you make your visa application. The following types of original documents are acceptable: Bank or building society statements See Appendix A for an example. Building society pass book Letter from your bank confirming funds See Appendix B for an example. Letter from a financial institution regulated either by the Financial Services Authority or, in the case of overseas accounts, the home regulator (official regulatory body for the country the money is held) confirming money or loan. Whose name do the documents need to be in? The documents can be in the following names: Your parent s Your name or name or Your legal guardian s name You must include the following extra documents if you use a financial document in your parent s or legal guardian s name: Proof that you are related e.g. birth certificate AND A letter from your parents or legal guardian confirming that you are their child and you have permission to use their money. A sample letter can be found in Appendix C. These extra documents must be original; not photocopies/scans. Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 13

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Prepare supporting documents Can I use financial documents from more than one account? Yes, but all documents must meet the Tier 4 (General) visa requirements as explained in this guide.if you are using two bank account, seek advice from a Student Adviser as the rules are complex when using more than one bank account. Can I use online/electronic bank statements? Yes, but you must ensure that either: Each page is stamped by the bank; or The bank gives you an original letter, with the bank logo, confirming that the statement is authentic. Some banks will not stamp your online statements or give you a letter. We recommend trying different branches of your bank or ask the bank to post original statements to you. It should take 3-5 working days to be posted to you and there may be a charge. Can I use a non-uk account that is not in GBP ( )? If the funds are not held in British pounds ( GBP), you must use www.oanda.com to convert these and include a print out of the conversion with your application. Enter the lowest amount of money held during the 28 consecutive days before the closing balance on your financial document. You must use the currency exchange rate on the date you submit your online visa application form and pay the visa application fee. Must be the date on which you submit your online visa application form and pay the visa application fee Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 14

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Prepare supporting documents Financial documents from Bangladesh, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Iran, Pakistan, the Philippines and Sri Lanka! UK Visas & Immigration has published lists of financial institutions in these countries that do not verify financial statements to their satisfaction. If you apply for a Tier 4 (General) visa with financial documents issued by these institutions, your visa application will be refused. See Appendix P of the Immigration Rules: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-p-lists-offinancial-institutions Financial sponsorship If you have financial sponsorship from one of the following sources, then a letter from them confirming they will cover all fees and living costs is enough: UK Government or your home government British Council An international organisation An international company A university A UK Independent School If the letter doesn t confirm that all fees and living costs will be covered, then you will need to combine it with other means of meeting financial requirements as explained in this guide.! If you had financial sponsorship which ended within 12 months of making your visa application, you must provide a document from your financial sponsor confirming that they give permission for you to stay in the UK and have no objection to you continuing your studies in the UK. Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 15

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Prepare supporting documents Translations of documents that are not in English or Welsh If a document is not in English or Welsh, the original document must be accompanied by a fully certified translation by a professional translator/translation company. The translations must meet all of the requirements listed below. Original Certified translation Date of translation Translator/translation company s contact details Details of translator/translation company s credentials Original signature of translator or an authorised official of translation company Confirmation from translator/translation company that it is an accurate translation of the original document Students from low risk countries If you are a national from one of the low risk countries listed below, you must meet the financial requirements and have the qualifications listed on your CAS but you are not required to submit the supporting documents if applying in the UK or your country of nationality. However, UK Visas & Immigration still has the right to request your documents, which must show that you met the visa requirements on the date you submit your online visa application and pay the application fee. If they do request the evidence, and you do not provide it, your application will be refused. We would encourage you to get the necessary documents before you submit your visa application and keep them in a safe place if they are required. The low risk countries shown below, and an up to date list can be found by searching for Immigration Rules Appendix H: Tier 4 documentary requirements at gov.uk. Argentina Chile Singapore Australia Japan South Korea Barbados Malaysia Trinidad and Tobago Botswana New Zealand United Arab Emirates (UAE) Brunei Oman United States of America Canada Qatar You would also be considered low risk if you hold: A Hong Kong SAR passport or a British National (Overseas) passport and you are applying for a visa whilst in Hong Kong, or whilst in the UK); A Taiwan (ROC) passport with a residence card number, and you are applying for entry clearance in Taiwan, or for leave to remain in the UK. Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 16

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 3 Tuberculosis (TB) test Visa applicants from some countries are required to provide Tuberculosis (TB) test results with their other supporting documents. Find out if you need to have a test at www.gov.uk/tb-test-visa 4Complete the online visa application form For step-by-step instructions on completing the online visa application form, see our separate guide Tier 4 (General) visa: Guide to the online application form. Whilst completing the online visa application form, you will: Book your appointment at a visa application centre to submit your supporting documents and biometric information; Pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (see page 4); Select a location to collect your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) after you arrive in the UK. 5 Check your form and supporting documents You can request that the Student Advice Service checks your application form and documents by using the online form at http://tinyurl.com/tier4check Please do this well in advance to ensure that you have enough time to get your documents and application checked and make any necessary changes. Do not wait until the last minute to organise your visa application! Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 17

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6 Submit your online visa application form For step-by-step instructions on submitting the online visa application form and paying the visa application fee, see our separate guide Tier 4 (General) visa: Guide to the online application form. 7 Submit your supporting documents and biometric information As part of completing the online visa application form, you must book an appointment at a visa application centre. During your appointment, you will submit your biometric information (fingerprints). Depending on the services available in your country and local visa application centre, you would either: Submit your printed visa application form and supporting documents during your appointment; Send your printed visa application form and supporting documents to UK Visas & Immigration separately. Find out more about your local application centre and how to contact them at: www.gov.uk/find-a-visa-application-centre Staff at the visa application centre will explain how your passport (containing your visa vignette) and supporting documents will be returned to you. Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 18

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8 Receive your visa and travel to the UK When will I receive my visa? See How long will it take to receive a decision on my visa application? on page 5. Once a decision on your application has been made, you will receive: Your passport containing your visa vignette (sticker); A letter with details of your visa; Your supporting documents. What must I do when my visa arrives? Check that all of the information on your visa and the accompanying letter is correct. If there are any errors, contact the visa application centre where you had your appointment. You should then plan your travel to the UK. Travel to the UK If you have been given a 30-day visa vignette (see When will my new visa start and expire? on page 8), you must arrive in the UK before the vignette expires, and then follow the steps in the next section of this guide.! If you do not travel to the UK before your 30-day visa vignette expires, you must apply for a new one. Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 19

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 9 Collect your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) If you have been given a 30-day visa (see When will my new visa start and expire? on page 8), you must do the following: 1. Arrive in the UK before the visa expires. You will need to show your visa vignette and the accompanying letter when you arrive at the UK border. 2. Within 10 days of your arrival in the UK, collect your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) from the Post Office that you selected in your online visa application form, or from the University is you selected this. The Post Office or University address will be in the letter that accompanied your visa. You must take your passport containing your visa vignette and the letter with you. You can use the postcode of your selected Post Office in Google Maps (google.co.uk/maps) to get an idea of where it is, and use Transport for London s Journey Planner (tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey) to plan your journey by public transport. Check your BRP Check that all of the information on your BRP is correct. You must deal with any errors promptly: If your name, gender, date of birth or place of birth are incorrect, or your BRP is damaged, you must report these to UK Visas & Immigration within 10 days by following the instructions on: www.gov.uk/biometric-residence-permits/report-problem If the length or conditions shown on your BRP are incorrect, please contact the Student Advice Service immediately for advice advice on applying for an administrative review. Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 20

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 10 Register with police and enrol at your college Register with the police Check if your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) or the accompanying letter you received with your 30-day visa vignette states that you must Register/report to police. If it does, you must visit the Overseas Visitors Records Office (OVRO) to register with the police and get a police registration certificate (or update your police registration certificate if you already have one). You must do this: Within 7 days of arriving in the UK if you wish to register with your 30-day visa vignette and accompanying letter, or; Within 7 days of collecting your BRP if you wish to register with your BRP.! You could be fined 5,000 and jailed for 6 months if you do not register when you have been told to.://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-rules-appendix-p You must keep your Police Registration certificate up to date during your time in the UK including your address, see the OVRO website for details of what changes need to be reported and where. For further information about OVRO and instructions for registering with the police, see: http://content.met.police.uk/site/overseasvisitorsrecordsoffice Enrol at your College Follow the enrolment guidelines set by your College they will specify which immigration documents they will need to see, and when they need to see them. For general information about enrolment, search for enrol at arts.ac.uk. Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 21

Appendix A Sample bank statement This example is for a student who has paid all of his tuition fee and has had his CAS updated to state this. Therefore, he only needs to show he has held 11,385 for Maintenance (living costs) funds. You can see on his bank statement that his balance never falls below 11,385 over the 28 day period leading up to the date of the closing balance. Royal Bank of Oz Bank s name and logo 06/09/2016 Account number Account number: 62579214 Mr Ha Yung 12 Queens Road Lodon E1 4TG Account holder s name Date Deposits (Money in) Withdrawals (Money out) Balance 01/08/2016 5,000.00 - transfer 13,000.00 08/08/2016 4.00 - Sandwich Co. 12,996.00 Required amount of funds held for 28 consecutive days prior to the closing balance 13/08/2016 46.00 - JK Books Ltc 12,950.00 22/08/2016 100.00 - transfer 13,050.00 05/09/2016 500.00 - JS Apartments 12,550.00 05/09/2016 Closing balance 12,550.00 Closing balance must not be more than 31 days old when you submit your online visa application and pay the visa application fee Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 22

Appendix B Sample bank letter Royal Bank of Oz Letter head with bank name and logo 06/09/2016 To whom it may concern, This letter confirms that [your name/parent s name] is holding an account in our bank. The account number is [xxxxxxxxx]. The total amount held on [date of letter] is [closing balance on issue date of this letter]. The minimum balance held for the previous 28 consecutive days was [lowest balance figure over the previous 28 days]. Yours sincerely, [Signature of bank s member of staff] [Name of bank s member of staff] Date must not be more than 31 days old when you submit your online visa application and pay the visa application fee. Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 23

Appendix C Sample parent s letter UK Visas & Immigration [Date] Dear Sir/Madam, [Your parent s address] [Your parent s telephone number] [Your parent s email address] This is to confirm that I am the [mother/father/guardian] of [student s name] and I give my consent for the funds in my bank account to be used by my [son/daughter] while s/he studies in the UK. Yours faithfully, [Signature] [Name] Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 24

Appendix D Passport photo requirements Your photos must be professionally printed and 45 millimetres (mm) high by 35mm wide - the standard size used in photo booths in the UK. They must show a close-up of your full head and shoulders, and contain no other objects or people. The image of you - from the crown of your head to your chin - must be between 29mm and 34mm high. You can t use photos that have been cut down from larger pictures. Your photos must be: in colour on plain white photographic paper taken against a plain cream or light grey background identical taken within the last month clear and in focus without any tears or creases unmarked on both sides (unless a photo needs to be countersigned) unaltered by computer software. Your photos may be rejected unless they show you: facing forward and looking straight at the camera with a neutral expression and your mouth closed without anything covering the face in clear contrast to the background without a head covering (unless it s worn for religious or medical reasons) with eyes open, visible and free from reflection or glare from glasses with your eyes not covered by sunglasses, tinted glasses, glasses frames or hair without any red eye without any shadows in the picture. See the next pages for example photos. Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 25

Photos dos and don ts Tier 4 (General) visa: Understanding the application process and requirements (for students applying from OUTSIDE the UK) 26

Student Advice Service Your money and immigration specialists Telephone: +44 (0)20 7514 6250 Email: student.advisers@arts.ac.uk Visit us: search for Student Advice Service on arts.ac.uk Front cover illustrations by Ewelina Skowronska, Camberwell College of Arts, MA Illustration, 2015 Published June 2016. University of the Arts London has taken every reasonable effort to ensure the accuracy and currency of this document. Information can change at very short notice, so we ask that you seek further advice from us before acting on its content. University of the Arts London does not take any responsibility for the content of external websites. Please contact us if you need this information in a different format.