I am an international student at London Metropolitan University studying Bsc Biomedical Science. I am currently in my first year of the three years but have been studying in the UK for more than 2 years now. I came to the UK on 20/01/2010 on a student Tier 4 General. I took a foundation in engineering course at Cavendish College 35-37 Alfred Place for 8 months. Although I had outstanding results I felt engineering was not for me. I then applied to London Metropolitan University to take the foundation in life sciences. My visa was to expire at the end of October 2010 so I applied by post for an extension sometime around the 24/09/2010 and in the mean time I applied to a few medical schools. I booked the UKCAT and BMAT and took preparatory courses at Kaplan. I missed my UKCAT because the invigilator refused to acknowledge the UKBA's letter confirming they had my passport and my university's letter of admission combined with my student ID. My visa application came back sometime at the end of November. The reason being that the UKBA was unable to collect the charges, £350 for my application from my account. Since I had applied in September my balance has gone below the required £350 and given that I didn't have an overdraft facility on my account my bank could not pay the fee. I was not aware of this till I got my application back.
With my application came a letter explaining the the fee issue as well as the fact that the application forms had been changed. I resulted to calling the number on the letter and the woman on the line explained that all I needed was to refill a new form, put some money in my account and resend the application. She also mentioned that my passport number was a reference for my application and that this meant my application would be processed faster. I reapplied and again my application was rejected at the end of January 2011. Stating as reasons the non-payment of fee.
I booked a premium visa appointment, £650, at the UKBA Croydon at the beginning of the month of February 2011 (around 06/02/2011) and I went in person. On the day everything went well till the last person I met. She said she didn't understand the bank statements I had provided for maintenance so she withheld my application and told she will pass it on to a case review unit. About two weeks later I got a letter asking me to make arrangements with my local police station so as to collect my passport and to leave the country. I went on to consult a friend of my family who in turn consulted a lawyer who advised us to take the case to the First Tier Tribunal in an attempt to challenge the decision. This appeal was rejected by the Judge who stated he had no power to do so in May 2011. Since this happened I happened I haven't done anything else. Especially because I do not understand my status as an overstayer or how I can solve this issue. Only today was I advised to contact you.
Till today I haven't retrieved my passport and it has stopped me from volunteering at Barnet and The Chase Farm Hospitals where I have undergone all the training pending a CRB check. I live at private where I rent the property with some friends. I have been here for close to a year now. Prior to this I resided at private and I am 20 years and male.
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