Staying in the UK while waiting for a student visa result

[Davie]

Hi all. I hope you are fine. I'm a UK resident going to apply for a masters study starts next January and I have a temporary work visa that finishes in mid-October. I'm not sure I can back to the UK after receive the student visa in my country because of the pandemic so I want to apply for a visa in the UK.

If I apply for a student visa in the UK before my current visa ends, can I stay here until the UKVI delivers the result? Or apply in my country is a better choice? Thanks!

[sah10406]

If I apply for a student visa in the UK before my current visa ends, can I stay here until the UKVI delivers the result? Or apply in my country is a better choice? Thanks!

You have no option to apply in the UK anyway, because the gap between the end of your current visa and the start of the course is more than 28 days.

See Appendix Student, paragraph ST 4.3:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration ... ix-student

There is a pandemic-related concession to this rule but it is only for people with a current Student visa not a work visa, and only for people whose course starts by 27 September 2021.

See Coronavirus (COVID-19): student sponsors, migrants and short-term students, paragraph 3.7:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... m-students

[ywlgy]

When exactly is your course start date?

You can apply within the UK up to 3 months before the start date on your CAS.

[sah10406]

You can apply within the UK up to 3 months before the start date on your CAS.

That's the earliest anyone can apply in theory, but not if you have a 28+ day gap. You are conflating two different matters.

OP, I advise speaking to the international student adviser at your university about this.

[Davie]

Thanks, sah10406 and ywlgy.

If that is right, I think I have only one option available. I've already sent a message to the immigration advisor in the uni and would get a reply soon.

The uni didn't specify the exact date but it would be mid-January.