New Immigration Rules came into effect on the 11th January 2018. Key information on the changes is listed below.
Tier 4 Placements
Tier 4 Work Rights
Short Term Study Visas
Please note: the changes listed above are not exhaustive and it is recommended that you contact the Home Office Compliance team if you think your circumstances have changed.
For further information regarding the rule changes listed above, and to find information about the changes that have come into effect for other visa categories, you should consult the resources below:
UK Council for International Affairs: https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/
UK Visas and Immigration: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-rules-statement-of-changes
New Immigration Rules came into effect on the 6th April 2017. Whilst we believe these rules are likely to have very little impact on most of our students, we are writing to you about the key changes. Please note the changes listed below are not exhaustive and it is recommended that you always come and try speaking to one of the advisers in our team if you think your circumstances have changed.
Leave to Remain
Please note, the University of Salford does not endorse applications made during any period of overstay including the first 14 days after visa expiry. We encourage all students to make visa applications before their leave expires or return home to make an application if they are required to do so.
Students sponsored by a government or international scholarship agency
Work
Placements
General grounds for refusal and overstay
Please note, the University of Salford does not endorse applications made during any period of overstay including the first 14 days after visa expiry. We encourage all students to make visa applications before their leave expires or return home to make an application if they are required to do so.
These changes are not exhaustive and there are also changes that have come into effect in relation to Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 5 and Visitor Categories. For further information you are advised to check the resources below:
UK Council for International Affairs
The UK council for International Affairs (UKCISA) provides immigration advice and support for International Students from within the UK. You can visit their website below:
UK Visas and Immigration
UK Visas and Immigration provide a large volume of information available for the general public. Their full history of immigration rule changes are detailed below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-rules-statement-of-changes
If you wish to speak to an advisor within the University, please either visit the team in University House (working hours are 09:00-17:00, Monday – Friday) or contact us using the contact details below:
Email: HomeOfficeCompliance@salford.ac.uk | Telephone: 0161 295 0023 (option 3 then option 2)
On the 24th November 2016, Immigration Rule changes came into effect which impact students currently sponsored under Tier 4. Below is a summary of the changes that are likely to effect students currently sponsored by the University of Salford:
Overstaying
Applications submitted within the 14 days of an overstay period will not be automatically rejected by the Home Office on the grounds that the applicant has overstayed. The overstay period normally begins:
The University of Salford does not endorse any visa applications made during the existing 28 day overstay period and does not issue CAS to students during this 28 day overstay period. The University of Salford will continue this policy when the existing rules surrounding the 28 day overstay period is reduced to 14 days.
Evidential Flexibility
Where a series of documents are have been submitted to the Home Office to support an application, and documents within the series appear to be missing, the caseworker can request the missing documents before refusing the application. From the 24th November:
Academic Progression
The exemption for student re-sitting or retaking an element of the programme of study from academic progression previously only applied to final year students who have a retake or resit pending. From the 24th November 2016 it will also apply to students who have already taken the resit or retake and require further time on their course of study as result.
It has also now been clarified that students applying for DES or to undertake a role as a student union sabbatical office are now exempt from academic progression.
Academic progression is also deemed to be satisfied where a student is progressing from the Bachelors element to the Masters element of a integrated masters (i.e. BEng level to MEng level).
English Language
Where a qualification equivalent to a Bachelors, Masters or PhD programme of study obtained from a majority English language speaking country has been used to show evidence of English language ability, the qualification must be accompanied by an original document from UK NARIC which confirms the assessment of its equivalency. Students completing short term study in the UK as part of their studies at a home institution in the United States must also show this.
Where relying on the exemption from providing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) to support a Tier 4 application on the basis that a student has obtained a qualification in the UK, the qualification obtained must be a Bachelors, Masters or PhD (not an equivalent of any of these).
Full details of the changes to the Immigration Rules can be found by clicking here.
Please see here for key information on the changes that came into effect on the 6th April 2016. Some of the key details are as follows:
You can find more information regarding these rule changes and what they mean for you here.
Please see here for key information on the changes that came into effect on the 15th July 2015. Some of the key details are as follows:
Please see here for key information on the changes that came into effect on the 6th April 2015. Some of the key details are as follows:
Brief summary of Immigration Rules changes |
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1. Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is set to change to £300 per year per student/student dependant subject to parliamentary approval; | Jan 2019 |
2. The UK in-country visa application process is changing: · Currently, submitting a standard Tier 4 visa application in UK requires postage of original documents(existing service) · From 9th November 2018, instead of posting your supporting documents, you can choose to book an appointment at selected UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service centres (UKVCAS), to have your documents scanned and sent to the Home Office. Here, you will also complete your Biometric Enrolment, by having your fingerprints and photograph taken.The nearest centre in Manchester is based in Manchester Central Library; · Same-day decision service offered by UKVI (Premium appointments) will no longer be available for Tier 4 applicants. Instead, you may select the priority service(where a decision is normally made in 10 working days) or super priority service (where a decision is normally made innext working day); | 9th November 2018 - first centre to be opened in Manchester |
3. Key benefit and point to note of this UKVI process change:
| 9th November 2018 - first centre to be opened in Manchester |
4. You can scan and upload either original or copies of genuine documents in support of your visa application in your Tier 4 visa application. | 5th November 2018 |
5. Photographs are no longer required in visa applications made from inside the UK. | 5th November 2018 |
March 2019
Tier 1(Graduate Entrepreneur)
The Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) category will close and be replaced by the ‘Start-up’ visa route. This change will take effect from 6 July 2019. Any student wishing to switch to the Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) category in the UK or make a new application from overseas, must submit their visa application by 5 July 2019.
Tier 2(General) visa
Students with Tier 4 visa will be permitted to apply to switch into the Tier 2 (General) work category in the UK, either once their course is completed or up to 3 months before their expected course completion date. This change was to take effect on 30 March 2019. However, students are not permitted to start full-time employment with their Tier 2 sponsor until their course has been successfully completed.
Tier 4(General) visa
Most UK visa applications made inside the UK (Including Tier 4 visa applications) now must be submitted and supporting documents uploaded online, and have their fingerprints enrolled and pictures taken in one of the 57 visa application centres around the UK. Students can no longer post their application supporting documents and enrol biometric information with Post Office. More information can be found here.
Application guides:
Tier 4& Dependants application links:
Replacement Visa or Passport: