VISA APPLICATION

- What are the visa rules if I am an EEA or Swiss national?

If you are an EEA (European Economic Area) or Swiss national you will not need a visa to come to the UK, because you have the right to live and work in the UK provided that you do not require the help of public money. Nationals of Switzerland were given the same rights as EEA nationals in June 2002.

The UK Visas website has more information for EEA and Swiss Nationals: http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/infs/inf18eeaswissnationals

UKCISA produce guidance notes on "EEA and Swiss students studying and living in the UK": http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/information_sheets.php.

- I am not in the UK at the moment, and am not from the EEA or Switzerland. What are the visa rules?

Immigration rules change frequently, so make sure you check before you leave your country.

For advice on immigration applications, you can contact the British embassy, British High Commission or British consulateLinks then select your region and country. You can also find addresses from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office's website: http://www.fco.gov.uk/embassies.

in your country. To find their websites, choose

The UK Visas website has a "Do I need a UK visa?" questionnaire which you can use to find out if you need a visa before coming to the UK: http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk. If you need a visa, this site lists which forms you need to complete, provides electronic copies of these forms (you can print them and use these for your application), and tells you where you need to apply. Depending on where you apply, you may be able to apply in person, by post, through a courier, or online. Check very carefully that you provide all of the necessary documents. You will have to pay an application fee (in your local currency). Note that it can take several weeks to obtain a visa. You may need to travel to your nearest UK Visas office for an interview and to give biometric data (your fingerprints may be scanned, and a digital photograph of your face may be taken).

UKCISA produce guidance notes on "Student immigration before you come to the UK": http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/information_sheets.php.

- I am in the UK at the moment, and am not from the EEA or Switzerland. How can I extend my visa?