New London College
1 Martindale Road, Hounslow, London, TW4 7EW
Tel: +44 20 85707766.  Fax: +44 20 85770199
Email: info@newlondoncollege.co.uk

  

 


 

 

 


International Students: Travelling Abroad

This sheet gives basic information on the rules you need to be aware of if you are thinking of travelling abroad during your stay in the UK .

Please note that the immigration regulation has changed for non-visa nationals from November 2003. This information sheet covers the regulations and policy at the time of writing. For more information speak to a Student Adviser.

There are three main things that you need to consider:

  • Do you need a visa for the country/countries you intend to visit?
  • Do you need a visa to re-enter the UK on your return journey?
  • Do you meet the conditions of UK Immigration Rules to re-enter the UK as a full-time student?

Before you go

  1. Check that your passport will not expire while you are away: If it will, apply to your Embassy or High Commission for a new passport before you travel.  Remember to take your old passport with you because the Immigration Officer will need to see the stamps in it when you come back to the UK . 
  2. Immigration controls for the country you intend to visit: You will need to check with the Embassy or High Commission for the country/countries you intend to visit to find out whether you need a visa.  This will depend on what rules they have for people of your nationality.
    Even if you do not need a visa, it is worth checking what documents or letters you may need to show the Immigration Officers when you enter the country.

    Most countries will want to see that you have several months left of your UK Leave to Remain so that they can be sure that you will be allowed back into the UK when you have finished your visit.

    Travel to countries in Europe

    Several of the European Union countries belong to the ‘Schengen Visa Scheme’. This allows non-EU nationals to get just one visa to visit all the countries within the scheme.    The members of the Schengen Scheme (with the telephone numbers of their embassies) are currently:


    Austria 090 6550 8961
    Belgium 090 6550 8963
    Denmark 090 6550 8975
    Finland 020 7838 6200
    France 090 6550 8940
    Germany 090 6550 8922
    Greece 020 7221 6467
    Iceland 020 7259 3999
    Italy   090 6550 8984
    Luxembourg 020 7325 6961
    The Netherlands 090 6550 8916
    Norway 020 7591 5500
    Portugal 090 6550 8948
    Spain 090 6550 8970
    Sweden 020 7917 6400

                                                  
    NB: Most of these telephone numbers are at ‘premium rate’ so it may be cheaper to go in person.

    The list of countries may change.  For up-to-date information, check with one of the Embassies. 

    You apply for the Schengen Visa at the Embassy of whichever country you intend to visit.  If you plan to visit more than one country, you should apply to the Embassy of the country where you plan to spend most time.
    If you will be spending the same amount of time in several countries, you should apply to the Embassy of the country you plan to visit first. Each Embassy will have its own application form and they all make a charge for issuing the visa.  The amount varies between Embassies. 

    There are also variations in the length of time you need to have left on your UK leave to remain before you will be given a visa to visit another country. You also need to make sure that your passport is not about to run out.

    Some applications take longer to process than others even in the same Embassy and you may need to attend in person, rather than make your application by post.  It is important, therefore, that you allow plenty of time to get your Schengen visa. Once you have been issued with a Schengen Visa, it will be valid to visit any of the countries in the Scheme during the course of one trip, which can last up to three months. 


  3. Documents to take with you

    Before you travel, make sure you take all the following documents with you in your hand luggage:
    • Your passport or travel document
    • A letter from the College confirming:
    • that you are studying on a full-time degree course (or other full-time course) and stating the name of the course
    • your starting and finishing dates
    • that you have paid your fees,
    • that you are progressing satisfactorily and
    • (if you are travelling during term-time) that you have been allowed time off the course to travel
    • Evidence of your financial support, including bank statements for the past three months Returning to the UK after your trip

  4. Returning to the UK after your trip

    The first thing to find out is whether you are a Visa national or not. Visa nationals are nationals from a certain list of countries where the UK Government says it is compulsory to obtain a visa before you can enter the UK . 
    The list is long and changes from time to time.  If you are not sure whether you are a Visa National, please see the list of Visa National Countries at the end of this information sheet.

    Non-Visa Nationals

    If you are not a Visa National the UK government tends to takes a more relaxed attitude towards your entry in to the UK .   If your leave (permission to be in the UK) lapses while you are travelling outside the UK and the Common Travel Area* (see definition at end), you will normally be allowed to make a fresh application to re-enter the UK at a port of entry such as an airport. You will still need to meet all the student conditions and carry all the documentation listed in section three.   You will also have no right of appeal from within the UK if   you are refused entry.

    If your leave (permission to be in the UK ) has lapsed and you must apply for re-entry, in the situation where you are returning for six months or less you should specifically ask for student leave.  This is because the Immigration Officer may otherwise give you leave as a visitor and this may affect your status in the UK .  You should also ask for the stamp which gives you the right to work part-time.  You should never indicate that your reasons for wanting to work are financial, but rather that you want to improve your skills etc. 

    As a Non- Visa National the rest of the information sheet is not particularly relevant to you.

    Visa Nationals

    If you are a Visa National you need to be very careful that your leave (permission to be in the UK) does not lapse as a result of leaving the UK and the Common Travel Area*. The consequences are serious and could involve you having to apply for a visa outside the UK (usually in your home country).

    Although the following rules are complicated, the vast majority of international students should be able to travel outside the UK for short trips abroad and return to the UK relatively easily, although they must be returning to resume their course.  If you are returning after your course has finished then please read the final section of this information sheet.

    Please ensure you take care to know what your rights are and what you need to do.

    Students Granted Leave (permission to be in the UK ) for More than Six Months

    Leave Granted on or after July 30 th 2000

    Since 30 th July 2000 if you are granted leave (permission to be in the UK ) as a student for more than six months at a time, you will be allowed to come and go from the UK up to the expiry date of your leave (see the date on your stamp or sticker). The leave (permission to be in the UK ) must be the last one granted to you and it can have been granted outside the UK , at a port of entry such as an airport or via a visa extension from within the UK .

    N.B. Please note that leave must have been granted in one continuous block.

    We would also recommend that you take all the documentation listed in section 3.  The only problem that might arise is if an Immigration Officer decides that your circumstances have significantly changed since your original application for leave.

    Most new students on degree courses will have been given this type of leave (permission to be in the UK ) and will have no difficulty returning to the UK.

    Examples
    • A student applied for a student visa in their home country. The visa was granted in August 2000 and allowed the student 2 years in the UK . Because the visa was granted after the July 30th 2000 and is for more then 6 months, the student will be able to come and go from the UK with a minimum of difficulty.  This is because their leave (permission to be in the UK ) will not lapse.
    • A student was given a visa for 12 months, they then extended their leave (permission to be in the UK ) for another 3 months.  Though the student has had leave for over 6 months, the last 6 months was not granted in one block. Therefore, the student’s leave (permission to be in the UK ) would lapse if they left the UK and the Common Travel Area*. In these circumstances the student should see a Student Adviser and should read the later section ‘Students with multiple periods of leave amounting to over six months’.


    Leave Granted before July 30th 2000

    If your last leave (permission to be in the UK ) was granted before 30 th July 2000 , it will have been for more than six months and therefore you may be allowed back into the UK under the ‘visa exemption scheme’ described later.


    Students Granted Leave for Six Months or less

    Students with a Joint Entry Clearance/Leave to Enter vignette

    If you have a joint entry clearance/ leave to enter vignette (sticker) in your passport for six months or less, your leave (permission to be in the UK) will not lapse if you travel out of the UK or the Common Travel Area*. Therefore you should be able to re-enter the UK with a minimum of difficulty. There is an example of a Joint Entry Clearance / Leave to Enter vignette on the last page. You must ensure that you re-enter the UK before the expiry date of your leave (see the date on your stamp or sticker).  We would suggest that you take the documentation listed in section 3 if possible.

    Students with multiple periods of leave (permission to be in the UK ) amounting to over six months

    Although the last leave granted to you may have been for less than six months, you may have accumulated periods of leave (permission to be in the UK) as a student, and if these periods amount to more than six months, you may benefit from the visa exemption scheme (described later). However, assessing whether your periods of stay amount to more than six months can be very difficult, as is shown in the second example. We recommend that you see a student adviser and do not rely on the Visa exemption scheme without first seeking advice.

    Examples:
    • A student enters the UK for one year on a Student Visa, at the end of that year they apply for a further 3 months leave (permission to be in the UK ) as a student, this is granted. The student assumes that this means they have accumulated leave of over six months. But, in their previous period of leave, they left the UK (and the Common Travel Area*) and went on holiday.  On their return they were re-admitted to the UK with no difficulty (as is described in the rules relating to students with leave for more then six months). However, without the student’s knowledge, when they were re-admitted to the UK the Immigration Officer gave them a stamp, which effectively stopped their leave from accumulating. Therefore, the student cannot rely on an accumulation of leave (permission to be in the UK ) as their leave has been unwittingly broken.
    • A student enters the UK for one year on a student Visa, at the end of the year they apply for a further 3 months leave (permission to be in the UK ) as a student.  This is granted and as the student has never travelled outside the Common Travel Area* it is likely that they have accumulated leave of over six months.  This student can take a trip outside the UK and the Common Travel Area* and then re-enter the UK using the Visa Exemption.

Students who will not be able to re-enter the UK without applying for a visa outside the UK

If you are a Visa National and your last student leave (permission to be in the UK ) is for less then six months and you do not have

Either

    1. a joint entry clearance/ leave to enter vignette in your passport (example on following pages), or,
    2. a multiple entry visa, or,
    3. Accumulated leave (as described in the last section)

      - your leave will lapse if you leave the  Common Travel Area*. Please see a Student Adviser, as the  implications could be very serious.

      * Common Travel Area means the United Kingdom (including Northern Ireland), the Isle of Man , the Channel Islands and Eire ( Republic of Ireland )
    The Visa Exemption Scheme

    To be allowed back in under the Visa Exemption Scheme rules, you need to meet the following conditions. You need to:  be one of the groups that are allowed to use it; you need to travel back to the Common Travel Area* before the date that your leave expires; you need to be returning as a student; and you must still meet all the conditions for being allowed to stay as a student.  Please make sure that you have all the documents listed in section 3. in your hand luggage so that you can show them to the Immigration Officer.

    As you will be returning to continue your full-time course, you will normally be allowed back in to continue your present leave to remain.  However, you may be given a new stamp with a new time limit on it.  Please check so that you know when your time limit runs out and when you will need to apply to the Home Office to extend your stay.

    If you are relying on an accumulation of leave to make up six months please see a student Adviser

    If you are not returning as a student

    If you are a visa national, you will not be allowed back in on your present visa, even if there is still time left on it. If, for example, you have just graduated and want to spend the summer travelling around Europe before returning for the Graduation Ceremony, you will not be allowed back in to the UK or the Common Travel Area*. This is because you will no longer meet the conditions for staying as a full-time student. You would need to apply for a new visa to enter the UK as a Visitor, but you can only do this at a British Embassy or High Commission abroad.  You may even have to return to your home country to get the visa.

    If you are a non-visa national and you are not coming back to the UK as a student, e.g. you are coming back for the Graduation Ceremony, you can only be allowed in as a visitor.  You will still need to provide evidence of your financial support and it is a good idea to carry a letter from the University confirming the date of the Graduation ceremony.

    In all cases, it is important to note that if you are here as a visitor, you will not be allowed to work.

    If you are in any doubt about what to do or whether or not you should travel, please make an appointment with a Student Adviser or the International Student Adviser.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, New London College can accept no responsibility for errors or omissions.

  		 


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