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Immigration Guidance/Instructions for Students Coming to the UK on Tier 4 visas
Immigration and visa information is now located at -
The below is intended as general guidance only and must be read in conjunction with the Tier 4 guidance issued by the UK Home Office. Please note that the UK Home Office guidance and procedures often change without notice and it is your responsibility to check the most current application information (available on the website -
Student Visas- Tier 4 (General) Student (Points Based System)
You will need the above type of visa if you:
a) Are contemplating any kind of paid or unpaid work in the UK
b) Intend undertaking an internship (paid or unpaid) orvolunteering.
If you are not working, interning or volunteering in the UK and you hold a US passport then you can enter the UK on a Student Visitor Visa, which does not require prior entry clearance.
Tier 4 student visas require prior entry clearance by the UK Border Agency and must be made in advance of your departing the United States. They cannot, under any circumstances, be obtained once you depart the United States. Please leave plenty of time to make your visa application.
In order for a Tier 4 (General) Student Visa to be issued students must meet the full requirements of the UK Immigration Rules. Tier 4 Student visas are part of the points based immigration system and in order to make an application, students musthave a total of 40 points awarded to them. Please see table below on how points are awarded.
Points required: 40
Having a valid Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies from a Tier 4 Sponsor(AIFS)
/30 points
Having enough money to cover course fees and monthly living costs (also known as maintenance or funds)
/10 points
Obtaining Your Prior Entry ClearanceTier 4 (General) Student Visa
Application Checklist
- Apply for your passport if you do not already have one
- Obtain CAS number from AIFS
- Using your CAS number complete online visa application, book your biometrics appointment and make payment for your visa – print a copy of the completed online form
- Attend your appointment for your biometrics data (facial scan and fingerprints).
- Have biometrics data taken
- Print out and complete VAF9 Appendix 8 form –following the SAMPLE provided by AIFS and submit/mail it along with your online application, biometric information if provided, ACTUAL PASSPORT, and colour photographs to the British Consulate (New York) at 845 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10022, United States
- Make sure you copy all your documents before mailing to the UK Consulate so you have a record of what was submitted.
- Please note that you must include a prepaid shipping return label for the documents you mail to the UK Consulate or it may delay your visa application. There are strict guidelines, please see below
- You must purchase a prepaid return shipping label from a recognised carrier (UPS, Fedex, USPS, DHL etc).
- You must mail us, along with your other documents, the electronic label as a printable e-mail attachment. - Confirm to your college and AIFS once visa is received.
What documents do I need to mail to the UK Consulate in New York to receive my Tier 4 visa?
You must send– please make sure to check at for the most up to date version of what to include.
- A valid passport or travel document - you are not legally required to have 6 months' validity on your passport at the time when you apply for your visa, but your passport must be valid when you apply and when you arrive in the UK;
- 2 recent passport-sized (45mm x 35mm) colour photographs of your face - this must meet the requirements in our photograph guidance- see below for further details
- A signed and dated printout of your online visa application form;
- A completed self-assessment (VAF9 Appendix 8) and personal details form (VAF9), signed and dated;
- Any supporting documents that are relevant to your application, and a photocopy of each document
- Any previous passports which show evidence of foreign travel
Photo Guidance
Your photos must be professionally printed and 45 millimetres (mm) high by 35mm wide - the standard size used in photo booths in the UK. Standard sizes in photo booths outside the UK can be different - make sure you get the right size.
You can’t use photos that have been cut down from larger pictures.
The photos
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
The image of you
Your photos must show a close-up of your full head and shoulders. It must be only of you with 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 (see example below).
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
AIFS and your home college cannot apply for your visa for you. Only you can make the visa application. Please follow the guidance below to apply for your visa.
Before you apply for your visa you need to havea valid current passport and a CAS number. If you do not have a passport, please apply for one as far in advance as possible. For more information on how to apply, please see
Prior Entry clearance visas cannot be obtained after your departure from the U.S. Instead, you must apply well in advance of your departure (but not outside 3 months before your departure date) since your actual passport is needed by the British Consulate for processing and you cannot leave the U.S. without your actual passport. Your passport, with your prior entry clearance visa secured inside, will be returned to you by the British Consulate once it has finished processing your application and your entry clearance is granted.
Note: You cannot apply for a prior entry clearance visa until you are within 3 months
of your departure date. Due to the high volume of applications received by the UK Consulate in New York it is advisable for students to apply as soon as they are eligible.
While there are several British Consulates throughout the U.S. and an Embassy in Washington, D.C., only oneconsulate processes visa/entry clearance applications - the consulate located in New York. You can see information about this consulate at
Visa processing times are listed below - please only refer to PBS Tier 4 visa
Number of days to process application / 15 days% of applications decided / 100%
Note: actual processing times may vary depending on a range of factors.
The above data is for all decisions made in September 2014
PLEASE NOTE:
Any applicant who applies to study in the UK under Tier 4 of the points-based system must have a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from their prospective sponsor(AIFS is your sponsor and has been rated a Highly Trusted Sponsor –A rating by the UK Border Agency). TheCAS is a unique application number which must be used when you apply for your visa. As your sponsor AIFS will be applying for a CAS on your behalf. Please note that you should not submit your visa application until you have received your CAS from AIFS.You will also receive a CAS statement from AIFS which will contain important information you will need when completing your visa application, please ensure you read this carefully. Your visa application will be denied if you attempt to apply before receiving your CAS.
Instructions for Online Application for your tier 4 (general) student visa
Please note that the below is intended as general guidance only and should always be read in conjunction with the Tier 4 guidance issued by the UK Home Office. Please note that the UK Home Office guidance and procedures often change without notice and that it is your responsibility to check the most current application information (available on the website).
Please go to
Before making your application, please read the Tier 4(General) Student guidance, available online
This document gives the policy guidance for students coming to the United Kingdom under Tier 4 of the points based system.
Please note that the information contained on the above websites explains what you need to do if you wish to cometo the United Kingdom (UK) as an Adult (General) Student under Tier4of the Points Based System.Itis only a guide but it aims to answer some common questions.There are also notes to help you to complete an application form.
More comprehensive guidance is available on the UK Home Office website at is the definitive version.
There are several forms you will need to complete as part of your Tier 4 visa application. As you are applying from outside the United Kingdom the first application form is completed online, this form is located at the website address listed below, please ensure you complete this application first.
Please note: Where students have made a mistake on a Tier 4 application (Online or Print & Send), they should submit a covering letter with their supporting documents, rather than submitting a new application. Where students cannot see the link to re-enter their application on the World Pay confirmation email, they should ensure they are viewing the email in a HTML browser (in which the link will be activated) prior to contacting E-Support.
Please note that the UK Home Office have changed the online application (as of 19th November 2013), unfortunately we now can’t access it as the individual must actually be applying for a visa to do so.
Go to:
The following will appear and you will need to click on Register an Account
You will need to complete ashort section and once completed you will be sent an email on how to register.
- Takes around 30 minutes
- Includes offline steps
- Email address required
Please note that as we can no longer access the online visa application form we can only provide guidance on what we think may appear in each section, therefore we strongly advise you to follow the UK Home Office advice on applying for a Tier 4 visa.
Please note that at the very beginning of the application where it has you enter the date of arrival and the “Location”, you need to make sure you are selecting United States as the Location rather than United Kingdom so you will end up with United States listed twice (if you are travelling with a US passport) and a box that asks about “checking with homeland security”. It appears that the “Location” field is supposed to be about where you are applying from, you need to make sure you are selecting United States as the Location rather than United Kingdom. Otherwise an error will appear when you get to the point of scheduling your biometrics.
*However there is one question they will ask – Contact address and contact number in the UK so please list AIFS, Dilke House, 1 Malet Street London WC1E 7JN, UK and the contact number is ++44 207 636 0761.
Application Security – enter your email address and a password
*May ask for your Visa Requirements – following questions or similar may appear
Enter your current location, State and Country of Nationality
Type of visa:Select “Study”
Purpose of application:Select “PBS Tier 4 Student”
Type of application:Select “Tier 4 (General) Student
*Please note that the following notice will appear so please ensure you have followed these instructions
*May ask for your Visa Appointment Location – following questions or similar may appear
You must also book an appointment to submit your biometric data.
Select your State
Select your closest Visa Appointment Centre location
*May ask - Section 1: About You– following questions or similar may appear
1. Given Name:Enter your first name.
2. Family Name or Surname:Enter your current last name.
3. Other Names:List any other legal first or last names you have held.
4. Gender:Select male or female.
5. Date of Birth:Enter your date of birth.
6. Place of Birth: Enter the city and state where you were born.
7. Country of Birth:Select “United States” unless you were not born in the US, in which case you should select your country of birth.
8. Nationality:Select your Nationality.
9. Do you hold any other Nationalities?Select Yes or No
10. What is your Marital Status?Select your marital status. If you are married or have a partner, you may have to enter information for them too.
*May ask - Section 2: Passport Information-– following questions or similar may appear
Current Passport or Travel Document Number: Enter your nine digit passport number.
Place of Issue:Enter where your passport was issued – i.e., Los Angeles, Chicago, etc.
Issuing authority:Enter the issuing authority noted in your passport. This may be the “U.S. Dept. of State.”
Date of Issue: Enter the date your passport was issued.
Date of Expiry: Enter the date your passport expires.
Is this your first passport?Select yes or no.
*May ask - Section 3: Your Contact Details - following questions or similar may appear
Apt/Floor/Suite/Room/Street:Enter your complete street address. Do not list a P.O. Box. This must be a physical address.
City/Town/Village:Enter the town or city in which you live.
Select the Country:Select the country where your permanent physical address is located.
Postal Code/ZIP Code:Enter your five digit ZIP code.
How long have you lived at this address:Enter how long you have lived at the address (in years or months).
Home (landline) Telephone Number: Enter your permanent home phone number.
Mobile Telephone Number: Enter your cell phone number.
Will this be your contact details duringEnter yes or no.
the application process?
*May ask - Section 4: Your Family - following questions or similar may appear
Do you have any children?Enter yes or no.
Will any other children be travelling with you?Enter yes or no.
Father’s Given Name:Enter your father’s first name.
Father’s Family Name or Surname: Enter your father’s last name.
Father’s Date of Birth:Enter your father’s date of birth.
Father’s Place and Country of Birth:Enter his city and country of birth.
Father’s Nationality/Nationalities:Enter his nationality/ies.
Mother’s Given Name:Enter your mother’s first name.
Mother’s Family Name or Surname: Enter your mother’s last name.
Mother’s Date of Birth:Enter your mother’s date of birth.
Mother’s Place and Country of Birth:Enter her city and country of birth.
Mother’s Nationality/Nationalities:Enter her nationality/ies.
*May ask - Section 5: Immigration History - following questions or similar may appear
Have you ever travelled outside of yourSelect yes or no.
country or residence in the last 10 years?
Have you ever travelled to the U.K.?Select yes or no.
in the last 10 years?
Have you ever been refusedSelect yes or no.
a visa for the UK?
Have you ever been refusedSelect yes or no.
a visa for any country?
Have you been granted a UK visa in the Select yes or no.
last 10 years?
Have you ever been refused entrySelect yes or no.
on arrival to the U.K. in the last 10 years?
Have you ever been deported,Select yes or no.
removed or otherwise required
to leave the U.K.?
Have you ever been deported,Select yes or no.
removed or otherwise required
to leave another country?
Have you made an application to the Select yes or no.
Home Office to remain in the UK in the
last 10 years?
Do you have a UK National InsuranceSelect yes or no.
Number?
Do you have any criminal convictionsSelect yes or no.
in any country?
Have you ever been charged in anySelect yes or no.
country for an offence for which you have
not yet been tried in court?
In times of either peace or war have youSelect yes or no.
ever been involved in, or suspected of