News
News articles of interest to international applicants
Student Visa Letters
Since tier 4 of the points-based system for overseas students was implemented on 31 March 2009, we have received a significant number of visa letters containing errors.
It is important to make sure that any visa letters issued to prospective students are completed correctly before they are submitted as part of a tier 4 application. If the visa letter is completed incorrectly, the application will be refused.
We want to encourage high-quality applications that are completed correctly and contain all the evidence required.
If you want to know what the visa letter must contain, you can find a checklist here.
Biometric Identity Cards
To help the increasing number of foreign nationals who have to enrol their biometric information (fingerprints and photograph) when they apply to extend their stay in the United Kingdom, the UK Border Agency is setting up new biometric enrolment facilities around the country. Since November 2008, we have been issuing compulsory identity cards to foreign nationals from outside the European Economic Area who extend their stay here as partners or students. In March 2009, we expanded the scheme to more categories of applicant. We are working with the Identity and Passport Service to set up biometric enrolment facilities for foreign nationals in four of its interview offices in June. The four offices are all in England:
- Elephant and Castle, London
- Birmingham
- Derby
- Brighton
Also in June, we will open a new UK Border Agency public enquiry office with enrolment capability in Belfast, Northern Ireland. This will replace the interim biometric enrolment solution in Armagh, Northern Ireland, which has been operating in partnership with IPS since last year.
We will continue to offer the biometric enrolment service at our UK Border Agency offices in Sheffield, Liverpool, Solihull, Cardiff, Glasgow and Croydon. Lunar House in Croydon is the United Kingdom's largest centre for biometric enrolment, and this month we increased the number of its enrolment booths from 10 to 15.
Enrolment will continue to be by appointment only at all offices. For up-to-date information, please see our page on biometric enrolment centres - this page will be updated with new sites as they open in the coming weeks. By recording and checking fingerprints and digital photographs against existing records before deciding whether to grant permission to stay, we can strengthen our border and reduce abuse of the system. The identity card issued to successful applicants helps to prove their right to live, work or study here, and helps employers, educational establishments and public service providers understand migrants' entitlements.