Immigration information for international students - winter 2025
With the upcoming university vacation, we would like to remind you of some important immigration information, especially if you are planning to travel over the vacation period. Most international students will need to have an electronic visa or eVisa. Please see the relevant information below and check that you have taken the necessary steps before you travel.
Checking your eVisa
Almost all UK visas are being replaced by an eVisa. If you hold permission under the EU Settlement Scheme, you will also have an eVisa. If you have a Standard Visitor Visa, you don’t need an eVisa.
Firstly, please check if you already have an eVisa using this link. You should try using your passport number or former BRP card number as appropriate to login ID.
If you don’t have an eVisa after using the link above to check, you must follow the steps on this link to setup a UKVI account.
Once you have your eVisa, you should follow this link to check that your personal details are up-to-date. You must update details of your current passport here.
If you find there are mistakes on your eVisa, please follow this link to report this to the UKVI.
Travelling to the UK using an eVisa
You should check your eVisa is correct before you travel. You should ensure that the passport you plan to use for travelling is linked to your eVisa.
Please refer to the UKVI website for guidance on how you can do this.
If you have updated your passport details on the UKVI account but have not received a confirmation email that it has been updated, you should carry both your new passport and the passport which is listed on the eVisa when travelling.
If you did not apply for a visa to come to the UK
If you were not required to apply for a visa to come to the UK, you are likely to have a single-entry Visitor visa. This is likely if you are a national from an EU country or a non-visa national who is only studying on a course of 6 months or less.
This means that you will have permission to remain in the UK for up to 6 months from the date of entry to the UK. There is often no stamp or endorsement of this type of visa inside your passport. As such, you should make a note of the end of the 6 months from the date of entry as this will be your visa expiry date.
Each time you re-enter the UK, the 6 months will re-set from the most recent date of re-entry.
If you plan to travel back to the UK, you may also need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling to the UK. Please check that your ETA is still valid for travel, or apply for a new ETA on the UKVI website if you need one.
Lost and stolen immigration documents
If you lose your passport while outside the UK, you should contact your local passport office or the nearest embassy for your country to obtain a new passport or emergency travel document.
Once you have your new passport or travel document, you will need to update your eVisa with the details of your new passport.