bridging visa needed

[CambridgeDad]

Hi all,
My university has removed me from the register of graduate students and informed the Home Office of this. Because my visa expires before the 60 day limit normally imposed by the Home Office, I am required to leave almost immediately (visa expires 28 Feb). My university is happy to reinstate me to the student register and issue a new CAS when my thesis is completed and ready to submit. This is about 3 or 4 weeks away, so very close. Because I have a wife and children as my dependents, I am trying to find a way to remain in the UK so as not to disrupt their schooling. My university will not re-register me until I am ready to submit, and this will certainly not be for 3 weeks minimum, so there is no answer along those lines. I am trying to bridge this small gap. If one makes a visa application before the current one expires, then one is not an overstayer while the application is being considered. I wondered, might I make an application in a different category, like Tier 1 Investor (no, I don't have 2milGBP to invest), and then withdraw the application before I have to submit my passport and documentation, and having finished the thesis, apply for a new Tier 4 visa from the USA (its going to be the spring holiday then) or from the UK (if permitted)...would this be okay? Does anybody have any other ideas on how to bridge that 3 or 4 week time frame, or know if making such an application would get me in trouble? It is our intent to remain in the UK afterwards and work, so I don't want to do something stupid that will destroy our long term plans.Thanks for your help and suggestions.

[sah10406]

I wondered, might I make an application in a different category, like Tier 1 Investor (no, I don't have 2milGBP to invest), and then withdraw the application before I have to submit my passport and documentation, and having finished the thesis, apply for a new Tier 4 visa from the USA (its going to be the spring holiday then) or from the UK (if permitted)...would this be okay?

If you are going to the USA (which I assume is your home country) anyway, why not just go sooner?

It's hard to come up with any ideas given that your leave expires tomorrow, but I would advise leaving the UK as soon as possible, no more than 28 days after your leave expires. A spurious Tier 1 Investor application simply to spin out your time in the UK seems more likely to be detrimental to your future plans than a short overstay, but neither of them are a feather in your cap.

[CambridgeDad]

I agree. Its not worth risking our entire future just for the sake of a few weeks. Have bought tickets for flight to USA tomorrow, so no overstaying. Will expedite the visa application from there. Thanks.