Tier 4 visa - Important information
Prospective students or those already in the UK on a student visa now need to comply with Tier 4 of the new UK immigration points based system in order to or continue to study in the UK.
The purpose of this article is to comment on two very important points that prospective applicants need to consider and is not a substitute for becoming acquainted with all the requirements to be fulfilled under the Tier 4 route.
Requirements
Students need to score a total of 40 points from two categories. The points must be obtain 00004000 ed under the following categories:
- Sponsorship from an approved educational provider - 30 points
- Maintenance to cover costs fees and living costs - 10 points
Sponsorship documents
In order to evidence sponsorship, students need to obtain a 'visa letter' from their education provider which must provide specific specified information. Importantly, one of the points the education provider must verify in their letter is to state what document they used to admit the applicant onto the course, if applicable. If such a documentation was used to assess the applicant's suitability for the course, the applicant must provide the original of this document. This documents is going to be important particularly for those applying for an extension of stay.
Time limits
Furthermore, students already in the UK who are applying for an extension of stay must ensure that their new start-date is no later than one month before their existing expires. This is an important departure from the previous uk immigration law for students.
Applicants should seek advice from a firm authorised to provide legal advice. RLegal are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Evan Remedios is a partner at www.rlegal.com
