Bringing Your Family into the United kingdom via a Study Visa – What You Need to know

Relocating into a new country can be so demanding and tough especially in a well developed country like the United Kingdom. The country has many visa programmes available for foreigners willing to visit the country for one purpose or the other. Early this year 2024, the country has passed the bill into law that foreigners who are on student visa can bring their family members into the country. Even there are some eligibility criteria and requirements requested for both the student and the dependent family member must fulfil before consideration. You don’t have to worry about any details as everything you need to know about the visa programmes has been listed below in this article, keep reading.

Step-by-step Guidelines on Student visa application with family Transitioning into the Country

Below are the ways to follow to begin your student visa application and the migration of your family members into the country:

Step 1: Research and Securing your Admission

1. Choosing a Higher Institution and a Course: Firstly, you will have to know the details about the university you would like to enrol into i.e the university name, the motto, the location, the school fees and mode of admission. These details are very important and can not be taken with levity hands. Also the choice of course to study is a big decision that has to be taken very early because the opportunity of bringing your family into the country is only available for a postgraduate researcher or government-sponsored student. And make sure your choice of course aligns with your career goals to have a successful academic career.
2.  Beginning your Application process: When you have selected your choice of research study, then proceed to complete your application, which involves:

• Getting your academic transcripts which will be requested by the university you enrolled in.
• Language proficiency: you must be fluent in the English language, especially because most UK universities use English language to communicate. You will have to take the IELTS or TOEFL exam to prove your English language
• Personal statement and References: The United Kingdom universities usually make it compulsory for students to write a personal statement about their reason for choosing this course, university and their future goals.
• Receiving the CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for studies): If your application to study in the university is accepted, then they send you a CAS. This is to confirm your application to study in the university and it is very important to process your student visa (Tier4) application and prove your admission is real and not fake to the immigration officer.

United Kingdom Work Visa Sponsorship – Finding UK Job Offers

Step 2: Understanding the UK student visa

When you have successfully secured an admission, you need to prepare now for your visa application. The visa you will be applying for that will allow you to bring your family along to the country is known as Tier 4 (General) student  visa. Even though this category is only available for non-EU/EEA students, aspiring to study in the United Kingdom for more than six months.

Step 3:  The Application process

1.  Application process for the student: The student visa (Tier 4) application process involves the completion of an online application form to attend the physical interview. To complete your application online, you will need to visit the official UK government website to begin your application journey. You must have had your CAS (confirmation Acceptance for Studies) number, a valid ID passport, birth certificate and other travel history documents. Other needed documents include: a Language proficiency test results or certificates, medical exam result and a Tuberculosis test result, and financial proof documents like your bank statement, sponsorship letters, etc.
2. Application process for the Dependent: You can begin the inclusion of your family members like spouse, parents, children under the age of 18 years. With the below requirement for each dependent:

• Proof of relationship: You must be able to prove that you and your dependent and other family members are related e.g your spouse – can be proven with a court marriage certificate or your children by birth certificate, etc.
• Financial proof: You must be financially capable to take off your dependent bills with a proof of document like your bank statement.

Step 4: Attending a Physical interview and a Biometric identification

When you have successfully submitted your application online, you may be called up for a biometric identification and probably an interview at the application centre (the UK embassy or Certified agency. During your visit, you will provide them with your photographs and fingerprints.

• The visa Interview: When you are called up for an interview, which may be online via video call or meeting, rather it may be in person. The questions to be asked will be around your research course of study, future career goals, family financial situation, and plan to cover up for future financial expenses. You just need to be yourself, answering all the questions with open minds and absolute honesty, looking at the interviewee with an honest look and being able to confuse them that you are in charge and can control your family situation if it arises.

Migration to Canada – Canada Visa types, Visa application and Others

Step 5: Preparing for accommodation and Family movement

It is much recommended that you should start planning your accommodation and mode of family transition into the country even before the visa application is accepted, such that you can start executing your plan when your visa application is successfully approved.

• Options for Accommodation: Many people opt out for the offer of an on-campus family house accommodation by the universities. You may accept the offer if it meets up with your family needs or look out for off-campus accommodation offers like lease or rental apartment. You can find such options on websites like Rightmove , Zoopla,  and Student.
• Healthcare registration: You will need to register for the National health service (NHS), which is a crucial part of the visa application. You must also know that you will pay the immigration health surcharge (IHS). This will give you the opportunity to make healthcare services available for you and your members of the family.
• School registration for your children: This is specially for you when your children are still in the school age. You can easily enrol them in some local schools and universities. The UK government offers a standard and quality education for children in the country.

Step 6: Understand your rights, families’ rights and Opportunities in the United Kingdom

The students visa (Tier 4) provide some benefits and privileges to the holder and the family members, which include:

• Student Work rights: As a student in the United Kingdom either as part-time or full-time, you can still work up to 20 hours per week during holidays or during the term.
• Work rights for your family members: Your family members who are 18 years above like your spouse are eligible to work in the country as long as your program is more than a year and it is a postgraduate research programme as mentioned above.
• Other Public benefits include: You and your family members may not be eligible for public benefits but you can join the university family support groups, and the local communities services intended for international families.

Top Countries with Visa Sponsorship Job offers in the World – Apply Online Now

Conclusion

Migrating into the United Kingdom can be a long experience for you and your family members but a bigger opportunity awaits you all in the future. Even though it may involve a whole lot of preparation, documentation, identification issues, it is all to make sure everything goes well in the future. If you are able to make it to the United Kingdom with your family, then we wish you a successful life journey in the country, more bigger opportunities await you all.

Basic Eligibility Criteria and Requirements of Student visa (Tier 4)

The student visa (Tier 4) is only applicable for some specific students who meet the below eligibility criteria and requirements: Support Worker Job in UK – The Application process, requirements of a support worke

1. You must be enrolled or apply for your research study in a standard United Kingdom higher institution.
2. You must be able to write, read and communicate with the English language very well. This is best proven with an IELTS exam result.
3. You must also be able to sponsor yourself and your family members to the country.
4. You must be a postgraduate research student or a government-sponsored student to apply for the visa type as the law has been changed earlier this year that no undergraduates or master students are allowed to bring their family member to the country.
5. Proof of Financial ability: The UK student visa (Tier 4) requires you to show that you are capable of sponsoring all the bills like:
6. Living expenses: Any student living in the United Kingdom, on average, will spend around £1,334 per month in some parts of the country and while in other parts, it may require £1,023 per month.
7. Tuition fees: You must also be able to show that you can pay for your tuition fees at least the first year.
8. Acceptable finance evidence: You must show your financial capability with the presentation of documents like a bank statement, a sponsorship letter, rather a government-sponsored letter. This depends largely on your personal situation.
9. Funds for your family members: When you are considering bringing in your family members, you also need to check if you are capable of sponsoring all their needs. Because you must have an additional  £845 for the capital region, London and £680 if outside london.
10. You must also possess some important documents like academic transcripts from previous universities, any Bachelor degree or Master’s degree in a similar field of study, birth certificate, a valid ID passport, medical exam result, etc.
11. You must also undergo a medical test for tuberculosis. It is compulsory now for every visa applicant entering into the country must show a tuberculosis test result during application or upon entry into the country.