ESC

Click the "allow" button if you want to receive important news and updates from immigrationboards.com


Immigrationboards.com: Immigration, work visa and work permit discussion board

Welcome to immigrationboards.com!

Login Register Do not show

Options for visa app if outside home country

Only for UK Student Visas, formerly known as Tier 4 (General) student visa

Moderators: Casa, push, JAJ, ca.funke, Amber, zimba, vinny, Obie, EUsmileWEallsmile, batleykhan, meself2, geriatrix, John, ChetanOjha, archigabe

Locked
AntonioS
Newly Registered
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2015 7:56 am

Options for visa app if outside home country

Post by AntonioS » Mon Apr 20, 2015 8:24 am

Hi, I apologise in advance for my many questions - I have tried emailing the UK visa & immigration office from outside the UK however both email replies have been generic and have not addressed my questions even remotely, and the phone has not been answered despite trying on multiple occasions within office hours.

My problem is that I had received bad information about when I would receive my CAS number for my studies in the UK and booked my flights for a week after my last exam of this semester. I have since found out that it is likely that I won't receive it until AFTER I have left the country. So my questions are..

1. I will be entering the UK without a VISA (for general travel) before my semester starts, can I apply from within the UK? On the UK visa website there is conflicting information - on the overview page for the tier 4 general student visa it states that you can apply from inside or outside the UK, but on the "apply" page it says that you can only extend an existing visa or switch to this visa if you're already in the UK.

2. If I am unable to apply from within the UK, can my mother apply for me from within Australia provided I give her my passport details before I leave? She will be visiting me in the UK 2 months after I have arrived.

3. If neither 1 or 2 are possible, can I apply from a country outside of the UK that is not my home country? Again, I have read conflicting information on this.

4. Is it possible to complete the interview stage in Aus before receiving my CAS number, and then finish the application while I am in the UK?

5. Are there any other options that might be available to me that I haven't thought of yet? I am trying to figure out if it is possible to apply for my visa without needing to either (a) change the date that I arrive in the UK (and pay whatever fees to change the date) or (b) pay for return flights JUST so that I can apply for my visa from Aus.

I appreciate any and all advice that you can provide, thanks!

Anthony

Wanderer
Diamond Member
Posts: 10511
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2005 12:46 pm
Ireland

Re: Options for visa app if outside home country

Post by Wanderer » Mon Apr 20, 2015 8:51 am

As far as I am aware you can't switch from a visit visa (or wavered visit visa) and you can only apply for a UK visa from you country of residence.
An chéad stad eile Stáisiún Uí Chonghaile....

AntonioS
Newly Registered
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2015 7:56 am

Re: Options for visa app if outside home country

Post by AntonioS » Mon Apr 20, 2015 9:29 am

Thanks Wanderer, that's as I feared. I am confused then as to what the role of the option to "apply for someone else" is then as part of the online application. What's the point of applying for someone else if they have to be in their home country anyway? Unless the option is solely targeted to those with dependents..

I was hoping that if I couldn't apply from the UK, that my mother could apply for me from Australia, but I'm assuming that is not possible if I am required to be interviewed from within Australia?

Petaltop
Senior Member
Posts: 673
Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2014 12:42 pm

Re: Options for visa app if outside home country

Post by Petaltop » Mon Apr 20, 2015 9:50 am

AntonioS wrote:
I was hoping that if I couldn't apply from the UK, that my mother could apply for me from Australia, but I'm assuming that is not possible if I am required to be interviewed from within Australia?
You need to send your current passport with your application.
https://www.gov.uk/tier-4-general-visa/ ... st-provide

AntonioS
Newly Registered
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2015 7:56 am

Re: Options for visa app if outside home country

Post by AntonioS » Mon Apr 20, 2015 9:59 am

Petaltop wrote: You need to send your current passport with your application from your home country. How will your mother be able to do that if you have used your passport to travel to the UK as a visitor?
https://www.gov.uk/tier-4-general-visa/ ... st-provide
Well I wasn't sure whether or not I could express post my passport from within the UK, seeing as you don't need a visa to be there I was hoping that being in the UK for a week (premium service) without a passport might be ok.

I might even see if I can apply for a concurrent passport, though I'm not sure this situation qualifies for one. If it does, I'm assuming my mother could then apply on my behalf and then post my second passport with the visa in it to me?

User avatar
CR001
Moderator
Posts: 86833
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 10:55 pm
Location: London
Mood:
South Africa

Re: Options for visa app if outside home country

Post by CR001 » Mon Apr 20, 2015 10:05 am

How will you submit your biometric details at point of application if you are in the UK but applying in Aus?
Char (CR001 not Casa)
In life you cannot press the Backspace button!!
Please DO NOT send me a PM for immigration advice. I reserve the right to ignore the PM and not respond.

AntonioS
Newly Registered
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2015 7:56 am

Re: Options for visa app if outside home country

Post by AntonioS » Mon Apr 20, 2015 10:43 am

CR001 wrote:How will you submit your biometric details at point of application if you are in the UK but applying in Aus?
Well this is sort of the bit I don't understand.. I'm assuming they have the facilities to do it in the UK, and they allow people in to travel without needing a visa, it just doesn't make sense that they can't get my biometric data while I'm in the country.. but then, I don't understand why I can't apply from within the country full stop.

I guess the best case scenario I was hoping for if I couldn't apply while I was in the UK was to somehow arrange an interview prior to receiving my CAS number and prior to leaving so that they had everything else they need in the system already (excluding my passport and CAS obviously), and then express post my passport from within the UK.

User avatar
CR001
Moderator
Posts: 86833
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 10:55 pm
Location: London
Mood:
South Africa

Re: Options for visa app if outside home country

Post by CR001 » Mon Apr 20, 2015 11:18 am

There isn't a way to circumvent the application rules that you are looking for. The rules are clear that if you do not have a valid visa (not tourist), you cannot apply to switch or extend in the UK. This also applies to submitting an application abroad and finishing the process while you are in the UK as a tourist, even though the facilities are obviously available in the UK for biometrics etc, they would not be available to you as a person applying for a new entry clearance visa.

Additionally, you will need to enter the UK with your new visa and get your passport stamped on arrival. Remember that the UKVI have access to all your travel in and out of UK across all their offices. If you attempt to do what you are proposing, they might pick up that you are actually already in the UK.
Char (CR001 not Casa)
In life you cannot press the Backspace button!!
Please DO NOT send me a PM for immigration advice. I reserve the right to ignore the PM and not respond.

Wanderer
Diamond Member
Posts: 10511
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2005 12:46 pm
Ireland

Re: Options for visa app if outside home country

Post by Wanderer » Mon Apr 20, 2015 12:14 pm

+1 to everything.

There is no other way other than return to Oz and do it properly.
An chéad stad eile Stáisiún Uí Chonghaile....

AntonioS
Newly Registered
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2015 7:56 am

Re: Options for visa app if outside home country

Post by AntonioS » Mon Apr 20, 2015 12:22 pm

Thanks CR001, I thought it might be a long shot. I thought that perhaps if I could post my passport and receive my visa from within the UK it would be easy (and considerably cheaper) to fly somewhere in Europe and back to the UK to get it stamped.

I guess I'll just have to pray that my CAS number arrives in time to apply for and receive my visa before I have to leave, otherwise I'll be forking out $2,000 on a return ticket just to apply for my visa. I don't think I'll ever understand why they don't just allow you to apply from within the country if you can enter freely anyway, but rules are rules I suppose!

Anyway, thanks to all that contributed, it has been very helpful :)

*edit*
Wanderer wrote:+1 to everything.

There is no other way other than return to Oz and do it properly.
I heard rumors of people applying from countries outside of the UK that weren't there home country by applying for temporary residency visas but I don't really want to do anything to risk my visa being rejected.

Petaltop
Senior Member
Posts: 673
Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2014 12:42 pm

Re: Options for visa app if outside home country

Post by Petaltop » Mon Apr 20, 2015 1:42 pm

AntonioS wrote: I don't think I'll ever understand why they don't just allow you to apply from within the country if you can enter freely anyway,
You can't enter freely. Non-visa nationals do not have to apply for a visa beforehand, but you are asking for entry at the border and can be denied entry.

AntonioS
Newly Registered
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2015 7:56 am

Re: Options for visa app if outside home country

Post by AntonioS » Tue Apr 21, 2015 3:32 am

Petaltop wrote:You can't enter freely. Non-visa nationals do not have to apply for a visa beforehand, but you are asking for entry at the border and can be denied entry.
My apologies, I didn't mean it quite so literally. I meant that you do not have to apply for a visa to enter the country, you can just purchase your plane tickets and away you go - again, there are obviously checks and questions when you land, but it has always been quick and easy when visiting. So my point was if you could enter the country without applying for a visa or having an interview then it seems pretty silly that you can't just apply from within the country for a visa.

Wanderer
Diamond Member
Posts: 10511
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2005 12:46 pm
Ireland

Re: Options for visa app if outside home country

Post by Wanderer » Tue Apr 21, 2015 7:48 am

AntonioS wrote:
Petaltop wrote:You can't enter freely. Non-visa nationals do not have to apply for a visa beforehand, but you are asking for entry at the border and can be denied entry.
My apologies, I didn't mean it quite so literally. I meant that you do not have to apply for a visa to enter the country, you can just purchase your plane tickets and away you go - again, there are obviously checks and questions when you land, but it has always been quick and easy when visiting. So my point was if you could enter the country without applying for a visa or having an interview then it seems pretty silly that you can't just apply from within the country for a visa.
The no-switching rule was brought in to prevent folks doing this and getting married etc on visit visas and applying to stay. Once in folks were applying ad infinitum to remain. UK doesn't like people being on wrong type of visa!

Remember a visit visa is leave to enter not leave to remain - different animals.
An chéad stad eile Stáisiún Uí Chonghaile....

Locked
cron