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Essentials International students Visa and immigration Visa compliance

Visa Compliance (and changes to personal or academic circumstances)

Before enrolling on your course at the University of Reading, you will need to provide evidence of your right to study in the UK. This could be in the form of your current visa or Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) or, if you have submitted an immigration application inside the UK and are waiting for a decision from UK Visas and Immigration, you will need to provide evidence of that application.  

Visa-vignette

This is a currently valid visa which is stuck in your passport or travel document. This may be your initial entry clearance visa to enter the UK or a visa which is valid for the duration of your UK immigration permission (leave).  Visas can be green, yellow and pink or blue and pink. Example Visa.

Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)

BRPs are now issued to all those from outside the European Economic Area who are granted a visa to enter the UK for more than six months. A BRP is a visa in the form of a small plastic card, the size of a credit card and holds your personal details (name, date and place of birth), biometric information (facial image and fingerprints) and shows your immigration status and working conditions while you are in the UK. Example BRP.

Digital immigration status

If you have been issued with a digital immigration status rather than a BRP or visa, the University of Reading will need to verify this online. You will have received guidance from the Home Office about how to share details of your status with others. If you can no longer find that guidance, you should visit the Home Office online status service 'View and prove your immigration status’ and follow instructions.

Once you have generated a ‘share code’, you should provide this along with your date of birth so that the University can carry out the verification check and update your student record. Please be aware share codes are only valid for 30 days. 

EU Settlement Scheme- holders of settled and pre-settled status 

If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss national, you may have been granted settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, which the University of Reading will need to verify online. 

You will have received guidance from the Home Office about how to share details of your status with others. If you can no longer find that guidance, you should visit the Home Office online status service 'View and prove your immigration status’ and follow the instructions. 

Once you have generated a ‘share code’, you should provide this along with your date of birth so that the University can carry out the verification check and update your student record. Please be aware share codes are only valid for 30 days. 

Outstanding immigration application made inside the UK

If you have made an immigration application inside the UK and are waiting for a decision from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), you can enrol on your course whilst the application is under consideration but you must provide evidence of this. The University requires confirmation of the date you made and paid for your application and the application must have been submitted before your previous immigration permission (leave) expired. Evidence the University can accept includes:

  • a payment confirmation email or a Document Checklist cover sheet (both of which would have been generated when your application was submitted); 
  • written confirmation from a solicitor acting on your behalf that your application has been submitted; or
  • written confirmation from UKVI that they have received your application. 

You will also be required to provide evidence of your previous immigration permission (leave) so that the University can confirm that your application was made before it expired. 

If the University is unable to confirm from your documents the type of application you made, the date it was paid for, that it was made before the expiry of any previous leave or if it has been outstanding for longer than the advertised processing time without a decision being received, the University may have to carry out a right to study check with UKVI.  The University will need your consent to do this. If your do not give consent and the right to study check cannot be done, you will not be allowed to enrol on your course until satisfactory (as determined by the University) evidence has been provided and verified.

Please note that this DOES NOT apply to individuals who hold a Graduate Route visa and who have applied from within the UK to switch to a Student route visa. You are NOT able to enrol onto your course until you have been issued with your new Student visa and provided evidence of your Student visa to the University.

Protecting your Student/Tier 4 Visa

You must ensure that you comply with the conditions of your Student/Tier 4 visa at all times. Failure to do so is a criminal offence and can have very serious consequences. It may adversely affect your immigration record and result in the refusal of future UK visa applications you might wish to make, for a period of up to ten years. You will also put the University’s sponsor licence at risk and may not be able to complete your programme as planned.

You must not stay in the UK beyond the expiration of your visa (unless you have made an application to remain in the UK before your visa expires).

You must not work more hours than your visa allows- find out more

Your Student/Tier 4 visa responsibilities

Your Student/Tier 4 visa is subject to certain conditions which you must adhere to. Please read and make sure you understand the University of Reading’s Institutional Tier 4 Compliance Policy. If you are undertaking a work placement, please also read the University of Reading's Tier 4 Work Placement agreement.

You must cooperate with the University of Reading in fulfilling its Sponsorship duties. By working together, we can ensure you comply with the conditions of your Student/Tier 4 visa. You must: 

  • Provide the University with your passport and visa documentation at enrolment. Thereafter, you should provide the University with any renewed/replacement passports and visas so that we always hold a copy of your current immigration documentation
  • Provide the University with evidence of any applications for further leave to remain in the UK during your studies with us and inform us immediately of the outcome of the application
  • Inform the University if you change into a different visa category and provide evidence of your new visa
  • Inform the University if you acquire a different nationality and provide evidence of your new nationality
  • Ensure your current UK term-time contact details (address and phone number) are held on your RISIS web portal at all times
  • Attend and engage in all academic aspects of your programme

For more information on your responsibilities as a Student/Tier 4 visa holder or if you are worried that you may have breached the conditions of your visa, please contact us immediately for advice at immigration@reading.ac.uk. 

The University of Reading’s Student/Tier 4 responsibilities

The University of Reading has various duties and responsibilities set by UKVI in order to retain our Student/Tier 4 visa sponsor licence, which enables us to continue sponsoring international students. If a University fails to comply with its responsibilities, it can lead UKVI to revoke their Student/Tier 4 sponsor licence. 

The International Student Advisory Team is responsible for overseeing The University of Reading’s compliance with the Home Office’s Student/Tier 4 visa policy. The University must: 

  • Notify UKVI if you do not enrol on your programme as expected
  • Hold a copy of your current passport and immigration documentation throughout your studies with us
  • Hold up-to-date UK term-time contact details for you, including both address and phone number
  • Monitor your attendance and engagement with your studies
  • Notify UKVI if there is a change of circumstances with your studies, for example if you change programme, suspend or withdraw from your studies prior to completion or you complete earlier than the expected programme end date given on your CAS
  • Notify UKVI if we believe you are breaching the conditions of your leave (e.g. working more hours than is allowed by your visa).

Changes to your personal circumstances 

If your circumstances change during your studies, the University of Reading may need to inform UKVI and there could be implications for your Tier 4/Student visa. There are also some changes in your personal circumstances which you are responsible for reporting to UKVI yourself. , fill in the form, and post it to UKVI.Migrant Change in Circumstances formTo do this, you will need to download and print the Read more about what to do if your personal circumstances change.

Changes to your academic circumstances

Changes to your academic circumstances, such as a change of programme or a suspension of your studies, must be reported to UKVI by the University and may result in a withdrawal of visa sponsorship. When the University submits a report to UKVI which may affect your immigration status, we will notify you by e-mail. Read more about changes to your academic circumstances and visa implications here.

Additional Resources

 

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