UK Student visa and Indian nationals
UK Student visa and Indian nationals
Working overseas and be an NRI (Non Resident Indian) is a dream of every Indian. From time immemorial Indians traveled round the globe or had trade connection with the rest of the world. Before independence some came to United Kingdom as a national of British overseas territory. After independence and partition there was a substantial flow of people from India as well as Pakistan to UK. Currently Indians come to UK as workers and students. UK qualification is recognized through out the world as one of the best. In India as we are a common law country we consider UK qualification as a ladder to creep in our career.
However UK universities look India as a huge and viable market for selling their courses. The Indian context is a quiet different one, we consider it as a route to get an entry into UK and to acquire a job in UK which enables us to earn in Pound Sterling.
Before entering in to United Kingdom as a student one should know regarding the Immigration laws that are in force in UK. A person who enters into UK should secure an entry clearance from the British High Commission or any of Deputy High Commission in India. The Immigration Law is hard and fast and the person who is entering UK had to follow it.
Now for UK student visa (Entry clearance) is a point based system (PBS) and it comes under Tier 4. Student visa applicant had to have a Visa Letter from an educational institution which could sponsor a student. It is the duty of the student to verify the authenticity of the UK institute and confirm that it is in the list of approved institutions published by the Home Office, before paying any fees or filing an application for visa.
A student is only allowed to work part time for 20 hours per week in an employment which is not a permanent one that means he/she can only work in a part time temporary vacancy. He/she can work for only up to 20 hours during the term time and more than 20 hours during the vacation, provided that it is a temporary job. None of the students can take up an employment which fills a vacancy of a permanent one. If you work for more than 20 hours or take up an employment and was noticed by the authorities, the Home Office can deport you. The only exemption to work for more than 20 hours is that if such work experience is a part of the course of study. A United Kingdom qualification itself is not a passport to a job, once you complete a course if you want to work you should change your visa status to one under Tier 1 , Tier 2.
All the Tier4 sponsors (educational establishments in the list of sponsors) had to furnish the Home Office regarding the progression of study of any Tier 4 migrant. The Home Office can ask for the attendance of the Tier 4 migrants, the examinations if any conducted by the institute or the awarding body and any other information regarding the course. So the migrant student had to attend the classes regularly or else it will amount to a violation of the immigration rules. If the Home Office get to know from the available records that a Tier 4 migrant is not attending regular classes he can be deported.
