After you have applied
Having applied for your visa, find out about what you need to know while waiting for a decision and after you have been granted your Student permission.
Your status while awaiting a decision
As long as you applied before it expired, the conditions of your last visa (for example, your work permission) will continue while your application is being processed. You can legally stay in the UK while you wait for the Home Office decision, even if this comes after the expiry date of your previous visa.
If you are called for an interview
The Home Office can ask some students to attend a credibility interview although this happens only very rarely for in-UK Oxford applicants. This is part of a programme to check that students are genuine and meet their English language requirements and does not necessarily mean that there is any problem with the application. The Home Office will send you instructions about the interview which would usually be on-line. You should reply promptly and attend the interview or tell the Home Office if there is a strong reason why you are unable to. Please contact the Student Immigration team if you have concerns.
How long will it take?
This will depend on the service you selected and paid for.
Standard service: decision usually made within 8 weeks, and may be much quicker if you have been able to use the ‘UK Immigration ID Check’ app to verify your identity
Priority service: decision within 5 working days
Super priority service: decision by end of the next working day if you have a weekday appointment, or two working days after a weekend appointment. This is currently not available if you applied using the 'UK Immigration ID Check' app
The Home Office will contact you if the application is going to take longer than the times stated because it is unexpectedly complex.
If you need to travel
You will not normally need to submit your passport during your visa application. Do not travel before you receive a decision on your application because leaving the Common Travel Area (the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) will mean your application is treated as withdrawn and you will lose the application fee although the IHS payment will be refunded. You might not be able to return to the UK without making another visa application.
If you need to travel because of an emergency, you could contact us for advice.
The decision
You will receive the decision by email. Very few Oxford students are refused if they have followed the requirements for applying and are eligible to apply in-UK. If you are refused, please contact the Student Immigration team straight away for advice, include your refusal notice and your student number.
Proving your new Student permission
You will receive a confirmation letter, normally by email, when your Student permission has been granted. Check it carefully and keep it for reference. It will give you information about your status, and how to prove it for purposes such as enrolment, employment and renting accommodation.
If you applied using the 'UK Immigration ID Check' app it will explain how you can use your UKVI account to view and prove your status and report changes. Your student permission will be in the form of an eVisa.
If you are a Visa National or you were not able to use the app to apply, you will receive instructions on setting up a UKVI account and eVisa.
Check your eVisa after your permission has been granted, you can read how to do this on UKVI's page, View your eVisa. Mistakes in your personal details such as the spelling or ordering of your name, or in your date of birth can be corrected. Check the new end date of your student visa permission. This should include an extra 2 months added to the expected end date from your CAS if your original course length was less than a year, or an extra 4 months if your original course length was a full year or more. If something is wrong and you have difficulty getting it corrected; please email the Student Immigration team for help.
Your College will need to record your new Student permission when it is granted, so please send them a share code without delay. You can find out how to do this on UKVI's page, view and prove your status.
Student visa responsibilities
Your visa status involves ongoing responsibilities for both you and the University. For further information on these see these sections:
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