International Support Services Guide Inviting family and friends to visit the UK The information provided in this guide is correct at the time of publication (March 2013) however it is subject to change without notice. For the most up-to-date information, please check the online version of this guide at www.nottingham.ac.uk/internationalstudents/visasimmigration Anyone can come to visit you in the UK for a short period of time while you are studying here. Depending on their nationality, they will either have to apply for a visitor visa before they leave home - visa nationals - or they can apply on arrival at the airport - non-visa nationals. To find out if your visitor will need to apply for a visa before you come to the UK, please see www.ukba. homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/generalinfo/non-visa-nationals/ Visitors will be able to visit the UK for a maximum of six months. They are not permitted to work while they are in the UK and they will also not be entitled to claim public funds or attend school. This means that they must be able to prove that they have sufficient funds to finance their stay in the UK. Visitors are also not eligible for healthcare under the National Health Service (NHS). Non-visa nationals Generally, non-visa nationals are issued a visitor visa when they arrive in the UK. The immigration officer at the airport will ask to see documentation such as proof of finances available and evidence of the purpose of the trip in order to issue a visa. Visa nationals Visa nationals have to apply for a visitor visa before they travel to the UK. They will be able to apply for a visitor visa from the British Embassy or visa application centre in their home country. If they are successful in securing entry clearance as a visitor, they will be able to enter the UK for up to six months. The six-month period cannot be extended. It is important that visitors are genuinely seeking entry for a limited period and plan to return home at the end of their stay. Inviting family and friends to visit the UK Documents a prospective visa national should submit with their application Items marked with a *** should be supplied by you and posted to your visitor so that they can include the original copies with their visa application. • VAF1A application form which is available to download from the UK Border Agency website at www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/ visas-immigration/visiting/general/apply • valid passport • visa fee • recent passport photographs • evidence of funds to cover all expenses, for example, personal bank statements or evidence of earnings. As a rough guide, estimate £30 per day for basic expenses in addition to accommodation, travel and entertainment costs. It is possible to use the student’s original UK bank statements if you are covering all of your guest’s expenses for their visit in the UK. • evidence of medical insurance, perhaps as part of an overall travel insurance policy. Visitors are not eligible for National Health Service treatment. • evidence to show that they intend to return home at the end of their visit. This might be proof of a job, family members, study or a mortgage. • *** university letter giving course details and start, end and graduation dates of your course. Request the letter online at store. nottingham.ac.uk (Product Catalogue> Student Documents and Letters> Letters) • *** an invitation letter from you. This should provide details of any costs you will cover, accommodation such as a hotel reservation or a room in the student’s house (in which case also include a copy of the tenancy agreement), and the dates and purpose of the visit. An example letter is provided at the end of this guide. Study Abroad and exchange students (including those from the China and Malaysia campuses) should request their confirmation letter directly from the Study Abroad Team. Please email [email protected] with your name, student ID number, purpose of the letter and the number of copies you require. The Study Abroad Team will then contact you directly once your letter has been produced. Students studying a presessional English Programme through the Centre for English Language Education (CELE) should request a letter from CELE Reception. The UK Border Agency have a helpful checklist of the documents required for visitor visa applications at their website as well as links to the application forms required. www.ukba.homeoffice.gov. uk/sitecontent/documents/out-of-country/ visitors.pdf Travelling to the UK All visitors should carry relevant documents in their hand luggage to explain the purpose of their visit and their finances in case the immigration officer at the airport asks for more information before allowing the visitor to enter the UK. Visiting Europe If the visitor plans to go to any other European countries in the course of their visit to the UK and requires a Schengen visa, they should apply for this from the appropriate Embassy in their home country before travelling to the UK. Inviting family and friends to visit the UK Sample invitation letter to provide in support of visitor visa applications Your name Your address Your telephone number Dear…. I am writing to invite you to visit me in Nottingham on….. for …. days/weeks. I am a fulltime registered student at the University of Nottingham, and I’ve enclosed a letter from the University confirming the details of my course. I confirm that I will be responsible for the cost of your accommodation whilst you are staying in the UK. You will be able to stay in a spare bedroom in my rented house for the duration of your stay. I’ve enclosed a copy of my tenancy agreement to prove that I am renting this accommodation, and three months’ recent bank statements to show that I have sufficient funds to pay for your room. (Or…) I confirm I have arranged local hotel accommodation for you, please see reservation enclosed for the following hotel: I also enclose copies of relevant pages from my passport to show that I have valid leave to remain in the UK as a student until…… For further information, I can be contacted at the above address. Best regards… Name Signature Inviting family and friends to visit the UK We’re here to help, get in touch: We run a regular drop-in service at the International Office on Jubilee Campus between 1-4pm, Monday - Friday throughout the academic year. If you are submitting a visa application for yourself and your dependants, please make an appointment by calling +44 (0)115 951 5247. You can also make an appointment to speak to an advisor on University Park Campus. We offer a term-time appointment service between 2-4:20pm at the Student Services Centre. Appointments can be booked in person at the Student Services Centre in the Portland Building, or by telephone on +44 (0)115 951 3710. To see an advisor on the Sutton Bonington Campus, please call the Student Services Centre on +44 (0)115 9516004 to make an appointment. The International Office is located at: C Floor, YANG Fujia Building Jubilee Campus Wollaton Road The University of Nottingham NG8 1BB t: +44 (0)115 951 5247 f: +44 (0)115 951 5155 e: [email protected] We are always looking for ways to develop and improve our support service and welcome feedback from staff and students. The information in this leaflet is given in good faith and correct at the time of writing. It has been carefully checked with UKCISA and the UK Border Agency, but The University of Nottingham accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of the information. If you would like any further information or assistance, please contact the International Support Services Team. The advisors, Rosemary Gibson, Hong Sun, Ruth Hudson, Melanie Bentham-Hill and Deborah Webb, are authorised to provide immigration advice and services by an order made under Section 84 (4) (d) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. If at any time you are not happy with the advice you have been given by the International Support Services Team, in the first instance you should raise this with the Head of the International Support Services Team or the Director of the International Office. If the matter is not resolved or you are still unhappy, you can make a complaint to the OISC (Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner) via their website www.oisc.gov.uk If you require this publication in an alternative format, please contact us: t: +44 (0)115 951 4591 e: [email protected]