Visas and Immigration arrival information

Before you travel 

If you require a Student visa, you need to apply for this before you travel to the UK. Applying for a Student visa can be a complicated process, so please make sure you read our online information and guide here.

By now you will hopefully have received your CAS document from us and have submitted your Student visa application. Please remember, you must not travel to the UK until your visa has been granted. It’s not possible to travel to the UK as a visitor and then apply for or receive your visa when you’re here, even if you don’t usually need to apply for a visa to travel to the UK. 

You may see references about applying for a Student visa inside the UK on the UK Visas & Immigration website. However, this is only possible in certain circumstances where eligibility requirements are met and where this has also been confirmed by the University.

Your visa to enter the UK 

The type of visa you receive from UK Visas & Immigration depends on how and where you apply for your visa.

Passport visa vignette  

If you had to attend a Visa Application Centre to provide your biometric data as part of the visa application process, you'll receive a sticker in your passport (known as a vignette) which can last up to 90 days, depending on when you applied. You can use the vignette to enter the UK and need to create a UKVI account upon your arrival before registration or as soon as you receive a decision email. Instructions on how to set up a UKVI account can be found in your decision email/letter which you should have received from the UKVI. You can also use this link and follow the steps on the UK Government website.

Digital visa 

If you were able to use the UK Immigration ID check app to confirm your identity as part of your application process, you'll receive your entire visa as a digital visa. This can be viewed online and will show the dates you can enter on your Student visa (you must make sure you don’t enter the UK before your visa start date). You'll be sent an email by UK Visas & Immigration to inform you of when your visa has been granted and what your visa dates are. If you have digital status, you won't receive a physical document (such as a vignette) to prove your immigration status and only need the passport you used to apply for your Student visa to enter the UK.

When you arrive in the UK, you'll need to pass through UK Border Controls. It's important that you don't attempt to enter the UK before your Student visa start date. You'll usually need to speak to a Border Control Officer to receive a stamp in your passport at the airport, port or train station when you first arrive. 

Students from the EU, EEA, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland and the United States of America who already have their Student visa can enter the UK using eGates. If you enter via an eGate, you will not receive an entry stamp in your passport, confirming the date you entered the UK. We'll need to see alternative evidence of the date you entered the UK, such as a flight boarding pass or confirmed ticket. 

If you've been issued with a vignette (a visa sticker in your passport), you'll need to go through the standard Border Control queue. When you speak to the Border Control Officer, make sure to tell them that you’re coming to the UK to study and show them your visa and decision letter. They’ll need to stamp your passport with the date of your arrival. If they don't, ask them politely to do so, saying you were instructed by your University. If border officers do not stamp your passport, please ensure to keep your boarding pass to show proof of your date of entry to the country.

You must not travel to the UK before your Student visa commences, even if you can usually travel to the UK without a visa. If you enter the UK before the start date of your Student visa, then you will be granted entry as a Visitor. If this happens, you will need to leave and re-enter the UK within the validity of your visa and you will not be able to start your studies at Regent’s until you do. 

Creating a UKVI account

This section doesn't apply to those with a Digital Student Visa. 

Once you've arrived in the UK, you'll need to create a UKVI account and access your eVisa before registration (if you haven't done so prior to your arrival).

Documents 

You may be asked to provide documents to the University in line with UK Visas and Immigration requirements. 

You will receive an email from the Admissions team setting out which documents you need to provide and when. You may also receive further correspondence from the Visas team regarding this. Please ensure you reply promptly to these emails. 

If you have questions regarding specific document requirements, please contact the Admissions team at admit@regents.ac.uk.   

Your contact details 

You need to make sure we always have your current address, email, and telephone number. This is a UK Government requirement and key for us to communicate important information to you about your visa. If your details should change while you're a student at Regent's, you must update us and UK Visas & Immigration as soon as you can. 

If you hold status under the EU Settlement Scheme we will need to verify this online as part of your enrolment check. Please use the following UK Visas & Immigration service up to 30 days before you enrol as a student at Regent’s. This service can be used even if you’re still waiting for your EU Settlement Scheme application to be decided. Please send us your code along with your Student ID to visadocuments@regents.ac.uk.  

If you don’t hold status under the scheme you will need to apply for a Student visa. Please get in touch with the CAS team via cas@regents.ac.uk to start this process. 

Regent's University London
Inner Circle, Regent's Park
London
NW1 4NS 
United Kingdom 

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