Here at UCA we want to offer you Immigration help and advice as quickly as possible. We have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions.

Browse through the list and select a relevant option for further information and guidance. If you still can’t find what you need contact the visa advice team for assistance at visaadvice@uca.ac.uk.

You do not need to tell UKVI if your BRP expires on 31 December 2024 but your immigration status (for example, your visa) allows you to stay longer.

You will not need a BRP from 1 January 2025. You’ll be able to prove your immigration status online, without a BRP.

UKVI will update their information on how to prove your immigration status in due course. You do not need to do anything, and your immigration status will not be affected.

Click on the links below for up to date UKVI eVisa information.

In order to set up your eVisa you must first create a UKVI account.  You must wait for confirmation that your UKVI account has been created before trying to access your eVisa.  You must create your eVisa before the expiry of your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP).  All BRP's will expire 31st December 2024.

Once the UKVI account has been created, you should receive a second notification from UKVI stating your eVisa is ready to view.  This can take more than 48hrs.

When your eVisa has been set up you can then use the View and prove service to generate a share code.

If you experience problems when creating the UKVI account, accessing eVIsa or generate a share code, please use the UKVI eVisa webchat link to resolve the issue.

eVisa Webchat link

Please review UKVI the video links below to assist in creating and using your UKVI account and eVisa

 

 

If your BRP is lost or stolen, you must inform UKVI as soon as possible.  This must be done within 3 months of losing the BRP. You could be fined up to £1,000 and made to leave the UK if you do not correctly inform UKVI.

UKVI have stopped issuing replacement BRP's at the end of September 2024.  BRP holders will need to create UKVI accounts and access eVisa.

UKVI no longer issue New BRP cards as of 31st October 2024.  New visa holders will also need to access eVisa.

You must always report the loss or theft of your BRP, even if you will not be issued a replacement card by UKVI.

The link below will provide information to create your UKVI account and access eVisa.

eVisa | University for the Creative Arts

 

Under normal circumstances no, however there if there are compelling or compassionate circumstances these may be considered and would be authorised on individual merit.

Please contact the attendance team at attend@uca.ac.uk for further information.

Student permission includes a wrap-up time after the end date of the course, either 2 or 4 months depending on your course and your university. This normally allows enough time to receive your results and apply under the Graduate route.

In some situations, your student permission might expire before you get your results and you would need to leave the United Kingdom. This could happen for numerous reasons, including - the results process may take longer than normal, you may have changed course and have a new end date, or part of your course was rescheduled, and you have used some of your wrap-up period.  Under these circumstances you would not be able to make an application under the Graduate route.

No – Travel within term time is not permitted as your engagement and attendance on your course is monitored. However, if you would like to request absence during term time, please discuss this with your Programme Director in line with the current Engagement and Attendance policy. Examples of authorised absence within term time include:

  • A hospital/doctor’s appointment that cannot be arranged outside course hours.
  • Testing positive for COVID-19.
  • Antenatal and postnatal appointments.
  • Bereavement.
  • A funeral of a close relative (immediate family).
  • Significant disruption to transport (i.e., severe weather conditions, public transport strike).

Please contact the Attendance team at attend@uca.ac.uk for further information.

If you would like to travel within an official UCA vacation period, this is allowed as you are not required to be in attendance at this time.

This is for all students that the leave period applies to.

To request a letter please log into myRecords and submit a request on the Student Home Screen.

This can be found in the container labelled Student Letter Requests. Please ensure your address details are correct before submitting a request for a letter.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to extend your student visa once your course has ended. If you wish to remain in the UK after your studies, it is important that you regularise your stay before your visa expires by submitting a new valid visa application under a different visa route.

If you do not wish to remain in the UK and do not regularise your stay before your visa expires, it is important that you leave the UK before your visa ends. If you do not, you would be classed as an ‘overstayer’ and this can impact any future visa application you wish to make.

The Immigration Compliance Team will contact you 2-3 months before you are due to return to your studies with information regarding CAS. You will be required to complete a CAS request form and submit documents to assist with the CAS process.

If your BRP states that you can work up to 10/20 hours in term time, then you are able to work full time in official vacation dates and once you have received confirmation that your studies are complete.

If you have resits, we do not advise that you work full time until you have received confirmation from the university that you have completed your course.

If you require a visa to travel to the Schengen area, it is your responsibility to apply for your Schengen visa which will require you complete an application and book an appointment at a relevant embassy of where you would like to travel to.

Once you have booked your appointment at an embassy you can then request a Schengen Visa letter through myRecords, which Visa Advice will then send to you via email as a PDF.

If you are participating in an official UCA  trip you will need to supply a supporting letter from the trip organiser, or alternatively evidence letter that a deposit has been paid.  You can get this from the UCA website.

OFFICIAL TRIP DURING TERM TIME 

A letter of authority will be required from the trip organiser before the visa letter is issued or evidence of deposit paid from UCA website

  1. Obtain a letter of authority from trip organiser if travelling during term time on an official university trip to a Schengen state country.
  2. Identify which office you need to request your Schengen visa from and make an appointment for your visa.
  3. Access my records and make a request for a Schengen visa.
  4. Send authorising letter or evidence of deposit paid, to visa advice in support of your myRecords request.
  5. Await response from Visa Advice.
  6. Attend your Schengen appointment provide any evidence and pay any fees requested.
TRIP OUTSIDE OF OFFICIAL TERM TIME

Visa Advice will check term dates to ensure the visa you are applying for is in an official vacation period.

  1. Access My Records and make a request for a Schengen visa 
  2. Await response from Visa Advice.
  3. Attend your Schengen appointment provide any evidence requested and pay any related fees.

Please understand that the UCA will only provide a Schengen visa letter to support your application; for students that qualify as stated above.  You should be aware that UCA will not be able to influence any extended wait times with issuing authorities for Schengen Visa’s.  The Process for requesting a Schengen letter from Visa Advice will take between 5 and 10 working days.  Please take this into account when booking your Schengen appointment with the competent authority.

You will need to apply for a national insurance number through this link: https://www.gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number/how-to-apply.

If you are interested in remaining in the UK after your studies, then you may wish to research the post study visa options available to you including the Graduate route. You are then required to stay in the UK until you receive a decision.

If you are not interested in remaining in the UK after your studies, then you may wish to research visa options that will allow you to enter the UK for the time of your ceremony. For example the visitor visa.

UCA  aim to report successfully completion of your course to the Home Office UKVI within 3 working days.

The earliest possible date you can successfully apply under the Graduate route is the day UCA confirms that you have passed your course and you have your results.

Remember that UCA needs to notify the Home Office of your successful completion and your potential eligibility to apply.

If this is not logistically possible (for example because your Student permission ends before your UCA plans to notify the Home Office) we advise you contact UCA as soon as possible for support and advice. If you were to apply before UCA has notified the Home Office, the Graduate route caseworker guidance confirms (page 8) that your application should not be refused but that the caseworker needs to check with UCA before proceeding with your application. We advise you wait and apply after you know that UCA has made the notification.

Your deadline for applying is the expiry date of your Student permission.

You do not need to use the entire period of your Graduate route visa however it is important to remember that you are only ever eligible for one grant of Graduate route leave. The length of leave cannot be split across multiple grants (i.e., one year Graduate route, one year Student route, final year Graduate route) either so do make sure you consider your short, medium, and long term plans in the UK when considering whether to apply under the route.

Yes, unlike a sponsored work route such as Skilled Worker, the Graduate route is not tied to a specific job or employer. Whilst you hold Graduate route leave you are able to have multiple jobs at any skill level. The only restriction is that you are not able to work as a professional sportsperson or coach.

Your results can be published earlier than planned, before the end of your Student permission (this is unlikely, but you can ask).

You have not yet reached your formal end date of your course and your sponsor issues a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) to support an extension of your Student route visa.