This message is for international students with a Student visa. The UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has advised that the UK border and immigration system is becoming digital.
This means that physical documents such as BRPs and vignette visa stickers are being replaced by eVisas. Learn more about eVisas in this video from the Home Office.
What do you need to do?
If your Student visa is valid after 2024 but your BRP expires at the end of the year, you will need to take action before your BRP expires. You will be required to create a UKVI account to access your eVisa before the end of this year. If you already have an electronic visa of the correct duration, no further action is required at this time.
If you do not have an eVisa yet, the UKVI should send you an email between now and June with instructions on how to create an account to access your eVisa.
Do not worry if you have not received the email yet, but do monitor your inbox to make sure you don’t miss important communications. Even if you do not receive the email, we expect that the process will open for everyone around June and the University will send further information as we receive it.
BRP holders should visit the Government's eVisa website for the latest information.
Even when you have your eVisa, you will still need your BRP if travelling abroad in 2024.
Once you create your UKVI account, please check that your eVisa has the correct end date.
The length of your visa is determined by the length of your course. Your Student visa should be granted until the end of your course as stated on your CAS plus some additional time at the end:
- A course of 12 months or longer, + 4 additional months
- A course of between 6 months and 12 months, + 2 additional months*
- A course of less than 6 months, + 7 additional days*
- If your course is a pre-sessional course, + 1 additional month
For example, if your one-year course ends in September 2024, your visa should be valid until January 2025.
*If you received a new CAS for a visa extension (for example, due to module retakes), your new visa should be granted based on the overall length of your course, not just the remaining period for which you are returning to your studies, and your eVisa should reflect it.
If you have any doubts about this or spot any errors on your visa, please contact Student Advice by emailing [email protected].
