Your VISA outcome next steps
After you have applied for a VISA – Next Steps.
After you have applied, you will be contacted by Entry Clearance Post (UKVI) once they have made a decision on your visa application.
When your visa is issued, it will be in the form of a transit vignette (sticker) in your passport and you will need to use this to travel to the UK. This vignette will be valid for 90 days, or the length of your course if less than 6 months, and you must travel to the UK within the validity of this visa.
You must not travel to the UK before the start date of your transit vignette. If you do, you will not have been entered on your Student Route visa and you will be unable to enrol at Northumbria University.
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) have developed a digital immigration system. This means UKVI are replacing physical documents with an online record of your immigration status.
This is known as an eVisa.
Biometric residence permits (BRPs) have already been replaced by eVisas. Other documents being replaced are:
biometric residence cards (BRC)
passport endorsements, such as indefinite leave to enter wet ink stamps
vignette stickers in passports, such as entry clearance or visa vignettes
What is an eVisa?
An eVisa is an online record of your immigration status and the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK. You need to create a UKVI account to be able to access your eVisa.
Updating your physical document to an eVisa does not affect your immigration status or the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK.
You can use an eVisa to travel to the UK together with your current passport, which must be linked to your UKVI account. You should also get a share code to prove your immigration status before you travel. Your carrier may ask for it. A share code is valid for 90 days
EEA nationals who have used the UK Immigration: ID check app receive their visa in the form of an online digital status. This can be shared with anyone who needs to check your visa status. Those with an online digital status must not enter the UK before their leave starts, they should keep their boarding pass as evidence of the date of entry.
In most cases your visa will be granted, but there are unfortunately times when applicants may receive a Visa Refusal or a Visa Rejection.
A Visa-Refusal is a valid application that has been refused as it does not meet the requirements for a Student Visa. You will be issued a Visa Refusal notice, which will detail why your application has been refused.
If you are refused you will not be refunded your visa application fee.
Why might my visa be refused?
There are several reasons why your visa may be refused, and most can be avoided with good preparation.
- Failure to provide the correct documents/document formats
- Failure to provide the correct evidence you meet the financial maintenance requirements
- Failure to provide a TB certificate or ATAS clearance certificate if they are applicable to you
- Fraud/deception
An application may also be refused if the entry clearance officer does not consider that you have credible grounds for study and may not consider you a genuine student. We refer to this as a credibility refusal.
What do I do if I am refused?
You should inform Northumbria of your visa refusal as soon as possible by emailing a copy of your refusal notice to the email address that your offer came from.
Can I reapply for my visa?
If your visa has been refused, we may consider issuing you a new CAS, but this will depend on the reason for your refusal.
If you have been refused on financial grounds we may issue a new CAS but we will require evidence that you meet the financial rules, such as your bank statements that you plan to use in your visa application.
If you have been refused on credibility grounds, it is unlikely that we will reissue a new CAS unless you are successful in an Administrative Review.
This can be used when you feel that the Home Office has made an incorrect decision on your visa application. Your visa decision letter will inform you if you are eligible for an Administrative Review and what your next steps are. If you are successful in challenging the refusal your original visa decision will be overturned. If unsuccessful, it will be unlikely we would issue you a new CAS as it is likely that any future visa application will be refused.
In some cases, there may be a delay in you receiving your visa. To avoid this, you should apply in good time for your visa.
Updated waiting times can be found on the gov.uk website.
The university does not have any influence over the processing time for your visa so if you are experiencing delays, you should contact the decision-making centre/post directly.
You should not travel after the last date of enrolment, specified on your CAS statement as you may not be permitted to enter the UK or enrol on your programme. If you do not feel that you will be able to arrive in time for your programme you should inform the university as soon as possible, to discuss your options.
A visa rejection is different to a visa refusal. A visa rejection/Invalid application decision is received when an application does not meet the basis for the application. If a visa is application is rejected it will be returned unprocessed and your visa application fee will be refunded.
You can avoid visa rejections by ensuring that:
You use the correct form and complete all the mandatory information.
You pay the correct fees
You include all the requested/required documents
You attend an appointment and submit biometric data if applicable
If you receive a visa rejection you can make a new visa application, providing your CAS is still valid, your finances are still in date, and you still have time to arrive for the start date on your programme.
If you are unsure about any of the application process you should contact an immigration adviser for advice on applying.
