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Visa and Passport

Passports

Your passport is your most important legal document when travelling overseas. In some countries it is required that foreigners carry their passports at all times. Guard your passport carefully and do not travel away from your study abroad site, and particularly away from your host country, without your passport.

MAKE SURE YOUR PASSPORT WILL BE VALID FOR THE ENTIRE DURATION OF YOUR TIME OUTSIDE THE UK.

The IPO recommends that all students should make several photocopies of their passport. Leave a copy with your parents as well as take a few copies with you. In the event of losing your passport, a photocopy will make it easier for your national embassy to reissue a new one. Furthermore, we also recommend you scan a colour copy of your passport and send a copy to your personal email account.       

Obtaining a Visa

Once you receive your acceptance letter from your host institution, you can apply for your visa.  Please note the IPO staff are not qualified to offer advice on applying for visas.

THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OBTAINING THE APPROPRIATE VISA REMAINS WITH YOU.

If you are a national of an EU member state and you are undertaking your SPA within the EU you will not need a visa to study there. Students from all other nationalities should consult the appropriate embassy / consulate for advice and to find out what other documents you will need to apply. Also make sure to ask how long it will take to get your visa.

You should not enter your country of destination without obtaining the appropriate visa. Do not leave applying for your student visa until the last minute. In these days of heightened security, visas can take several weeks (or even months) to be processed.