Immigrationboards.com

Hi,

I entered the UK in September 2015 (expiry 2020) on a student visa but then I had to switch my university in September 2016. So I applied for a switch from outside the UK and it got refused initially due to issue with bank statements but I reapplied within a week and this time it was granted.

So I left the UK with a valid leave (first uni visa), and returned to the UK on a valid leave (switch to new uni).
I made sure I didn’t stay outside the Uk more than 180 days or 540 days in total.

Now my concern is whether due to the refusal, it broke my continuity from Sep 2015 to Sep 2016?

If you left the UK with a valid visa and returned within 6 months, your continuous residence is maintained:

Paragraph CR 4.1.(d)(iii) also preserves the position in the rules as of 10 April 2024 for applicants who had permission when they left the UK and returned to the UK with a valid permission, provided they do not exceed the limit of permissible absences.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... accessible

zimba wrote: ↑

Sat May 24, 2025 4:50 pm

If you left the UK with a valid visa and returned within 6 months, your continuous residence is maintained:

Paragraph CR 4.1.(d)(iii) also preserves the position in the rules as of 10 April 2024 for applicants who had permission when they left the UK and returned to the UK with a valid permission, provided they do not exceed the limit of permissible absences.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... accessible

Thank you for your response zimba. Just to give you some more detail on the situation - date of refusal was on the 13th of September, then I reapplied for the switch on the 19th of September and got the visa granted on the 26th of September.

Will the days from the 13th till the 26th Sep count towards the continuity as well? I mean does the refusal mean that I automatically lose my previous visa status? Or will my previous permission continue despite the refusal of my new application?

Thank you in advance.

That refusal has no influence at all.

zimba wrote: ↑

Sun May 25, 2025 12:27 am

That refusal has no influence at all.

Thanks zimba, one final thing I want to mention and would like your advise on is that:

The reason for my switch was because I withdrew from my previous uni. The previous uni informed UKVI about my withdrawal on the 14th of September whilst I was already outside the UK. I did not receive any notice of curtailment email from UKVI, and applied for my new visa on the 19th of September which was granted on 26th September.

Will my long residency still be valid and include the time after the university informed UKVI of my withdrawal?

This does not change anything