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The Tier 4 applicants chat thread and FAQ *read the first post*

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Reply 60
kittensmittens
Re: the 28-day thing

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/adult-students/money/what-money-do-i-need/

I already posted this link, but for the benefit of everybody, read what it says under "transitional arrangements"


I know all that but I called the Embassy today just to make sure I wasn't missing something, and well the woman working there told me "Yeah that's correct but we can still refuse your visa if we don't like it" so I guess that is the part that makes me nervous. She made it sound like they would "like" for money to be there 28 days.

I think it is possible I am just driving myself crazy though

Also does any of you guys know if for example your bank statement can be dated 20th July if you make application on 15th of July, or would they just accept documents dated earlier than 15th?
Reply 61
kittensmittens
Another question for you guys - I know they say that they don't accept stocks/pension funds etc. - are there any more specific guidelines regarding the kind of accounts they *DO* accept? I'm asking because I have my money in 4 different accounts, lol, all with the same bank - but some of it is high-interest savings, some is chequing etc. When you add it all up I have enough but I don't know if they all have to be in a specific kind of account.


I don't know about checking accounts but I am certain they don't accept savings accounts I managed to get a lady at Embassy to tell me that, I know they accept current accounts and foreign currency accounts for sure.

Though I transferred the whole needed sum to my foreign currency account, please note that even though you have money in for example 1 or 2 accounts they still ask to see all of your accounts, I guess they want to check you are not in overdraft in some of your accounts
Moon86
I know all that but I called the Embassy today just to make sure I wasn't missing something, and well the woman working there told me "Yeah that's correct but we can still refuse your visa if we don't like it" so I guess that is the part that makes me nervous. She made it sound like they would "like" for money to be there 28 days.

I think it is possible I am just driving myself crazy though

Also does any of you guys know if for example your bank statement can be dated 20th July if you make application on 15th of July, or would they just accept documents dated earlier than 15th?


I think you are driving yourself crazy :p: lol

Jokes aside, she is probably just saying that as a "disclaimer" - letting you know that even if you do have all the correct documents they can still refuse your Visa if they think something is suspicious about them - but you are a legit student so why would there be? I don't think it has anything to do with the 28-day thing...

In terms of having your bank statements dated after the date you apply - it should be fine. All the instructions say that you will run into problems if they are dated more than one month BEFORE the day you apply but it doesn't say anything about after.
Reply 63
kittensmittens
I think you are driving yourself crazy :p: lol

Jokes aside, she is probably just saying that as a "disclaimer" - letting you know that even if you do have all the correct documents they can still refuse your Visa if they think something is suspicious about them - but you are a legit student so why would there be? I don't think it has anything to do with the 28-day thing...

In terms of having your bank statements dated after the date you apply - it should be fine. All the instructions say that you will run into problems if they are dated more than one month BEFORE the day you apply but it doesn't say anything about after.


ha ha ha yeah I am a bit crazy, mostly because if they do refuse my visa I am likely to lose whole academic year as it will be too late to apply for Uni here and I am not that young to begin with

Ah right! Yours might be different then! My savings account is locked, I will be able to take money out of it in 4 years or so, I dunno if it is different for open accounts, maybe you should phone them?
Reply 64
Does anyone have any information on how long it takes for a Tier 4 Student Visa renewal to come through?

When I applies (first week may 2009) they told me 90% of applications are done in 8 weeks. After going for my biometric testing in the first week of June 2009 I asked about it, and the UK border agency told me they couldn't give me any information until at least 14 weeks had elapsed!

Im a little worried, as I have travel plans in the middle of July.

Thanks for any and all help!
Reply 65
kittensmittens
I'm sure they won't refuse it - we do have to be careful to meet the requirements exactly but this whole system is in place to keep out illegal immigrants and people who are not even students so unless something is horribly wrong with one of your documents you should be fine!

In terms of money I was under the impression that as long as it is somewhere where you can access it, it should be fine...maybe I need to confirm the type of account they accept myself then. I think I am just going to get a letter from my bank since it is too confusing to show statements for so many different accounts (and with my great organizational skills I don't even know where they all are....), so I don't even know if the bank will specify what kind of account it is.


I think they will specify the type of the account, at least my bank does, basically the woman told me she writes the type of account, ownership, and the amount of money and changes as they occur if the occur.
Though under bank account type they specify what you can do with the money, at least I was told that.
dancchica530
I was talking to a friend of mine in China. She's working on her UK student visa right now. Since it's so popular to go to the UK for school, they hold meetings in the large cities about visas. She told me the British officer at the meeting said the 28 days thing started October 1st. SO I would assume, it's the same all over :smile: and I think we'll be fine. I hope haha!


Those are some lucky people, I didn't get much info from the British Council where I live they just refered me to the same websites I already knew ... Oh well, at least I can sing all the guidance notes by heart :wink:

I made my application today, got an appointment next week...
I'm actually worried about the letter from my bank now. I got it today and it looks so unprofessional, when I got it first they just gave me a white paper with my details printed and the bank signature. I went back and asked them to put it on a headed paper and they told me they never use it for visa letters but agreed to do it and it still looks so unprofessional ! I'm really worried about it now, no matter what I told them they kept telling me that this is what they use all the time and they didn't have problems with it ...
I'm also worried about the details although all of the required information is stated, it just looks so strange. I won't have any other way to prove it though ... arrgggghhh I might be slightly over-reacting but I'm so worried ... The letter does not look impressive !:eek3:
ArianaBanana
Those are some lucky people, I didn't get much info from the British Council where I live they just refered me to the same websites I already knew ... Oh well, at least I can sing all the guidance notes by heart :wink:

I made my application today, got an appointment next week...
I'm actually worried about the letter from my bank now. I got it today and it looks so unprofessional, when I got it first they just gave me a white paper with my details printed and the bank signature. I went back and asked them to put it on a headed paper and they told me they never use it for visa letters but agreed to do it and it still looks so unprofessional ! I'm really worried about it now, no matter what I told them they kept telling me that this is what they use all the time and they didn't have problems with it ...
I'm also worried about the details although all of the required information is stated, it just looks so strange. I won't have any other way to prove it though ... arrgggghhh I might be slightly over-reacting but I'm so worried ... The letter does not look impressive !:eek3:


If it has all the info you should be fine. :smile:
Just out of curiosity, did you show that you have the required amount for the whole 28 days or only on the day you apply?
Moon86
I think they will specify the type of the account, at least my bank does, basically the woman told me she writes the type of account, ownership, and the amount of money and changes as they occur if the occur.
Though under bank account type they specify what you can do with the money, at least I was told that.


Well, I could always just move everything to one account to be on the safe and less confusing side!...Such a pain though :mad: ...especially since I'll just move it all right back as soon as its all done.
arete88
Does anyone have any information on how long it takes for a Tier 4 Student Visa renewal to come through?

When I applies (first week may 2009) they told me 90% of applications are done in 8 weeks. After going for my biometric testing in the first week of June 2009 I asked about it, and the UK border agency told me they couldn't give me any information until at least 14 weeks had elapsed!

Im a little worried, as I have travel plans in the middle of July.

Thanks for any and all help!


It's not supposed to take very long after you get your biometrics done. However it does vary from place to place and I assume now is the peak season. But I'd imagine you're fine if everything is sent in.

And I know you're not allowed to apply for the visa more than 3 months before your start date, which is 12 weeks... so not getting information until 14 weeks have passed makes no sense at all- disregard this.
kittensmittens
If it has all the info you should be fine. :smile:
Just out of curiosity, did you show that you have the required amount for the whole 28 days or only on the day you apply?


My letter is dated for today, so I made the application today just as stated on the website. I had the money in 2 different accounts and it was a total mess getting the info for both of them from two different banks so I was lucky they changed it and decided to move it to one account for a temporary period , I just hope they won't change it again ! (I'm so paranoid I actually took screen caps from the UKBA website so I'll have proof that this was OK in case they change it again next week or something and I'll have problems with the application ! Call me crazy :o: )
Reply 71
ArianaBanana
My letter is dated for today, so I made the application today just as stated on the website. I had the money in 2 different accounts and it was a total mess getting the info for both of them from two different banks so I was lucky they changed it and decided to move it to one account for a temporary period , I just hope they won't change it again ! (I'm so paranoid I actually took screen caps from the UKBA website so I'll have proof that this was OK in case they change it again next week or something and I'll have problems with the application ! Call me crazy :o: )


No I completely understand! lol

Out of curiosity, are you going to submit any receipt of transfer for that account you emptied? Or will you just submit one account with added sum today?
Moon86
No I completely understand! lol

Out of curiosity, are you going to submit any receipt of transfer for that account you emptied? Or will you just submit one account with added sum today?


No , just this account , this is where the money is , I doubt they care for other accounts (especially since the ones I used for the money are currently empty :frown: )

What I'm worried about is that it's only a letter with the amount of funds and I don't have anything else to show them because I've emptied the other accounts and they won't see any diffrenet info if I add a statement.
but from what I read it should be enough ... who knows , it's all too confusing.
"Your letter from a bank or building society should show:
your name, or the name of the child's parent(s) or legal guardian(s) if applicable in the case of a child student;
the account number;
the date of the letter;
the financial institution's name and logo;
the money in your account; and
that there is enough money in the account (to cover course fees and living costs)."

If you have all that you should be fine :smile:

Also I am curious, did you convert the balance to pounds yourself and write the amount on the letter, or did the bank convert it for you and write the amount in pounds on the letter? Or did you just leave it in your country's currency?
kittensmittens

Also I am curious, did you convert the balance to pounds yourself and write the amount on the letter, or did the bank convert it for you and write the amount in pounds on the letter? Or did you just leave it in your country's currency?


The letter from my bank states the money I have in our local currency and the equivalent in pounds. I decided to add about 1000 extra in case the exchange rate goes higher.
The conversions were made by the bank according to their exchange rate.
kittensmittens
Hamster, I remember you were asking about transcripts and whether they had to be in sealed envelopes or not - what did you decide to do with yours? I have a transcript lying around at home that I ordered way back in December when I was doing my application forms (I ordered an extra one by mistake) - unfortunately I've opened it already since I didn't think I would end up needing it. I don't know whether to request a new one from my undergrad Uni or not?!


Kittensmittens, I have exactly the same situation. I'm not fretting about it. I'm just going to submit the one I have lying around. Since they don't specifically stipulate on the guidelines that it has to be in a signed sealed envelope, I'm going to assume it's not a big deal. Unis always ask that it's sealed and signed because the grades actually make a difference -- I don't think the visa people care very much about your grades...

But then again, looks like the consulate is a fickle creature and can pretty much turn down anyone if they so choose. Bleh. :woo:
Reply 76
ArianaBanana
The letter from my bank states the money I have in our local currency and the equivalent in pounds. I decided to add about 1000 extra in case the exchange rate goes higher.
The conversions were made by the bank according to their exchange rate.


Actually I am pretty much sure you need to write amount in pound by the exchange rate from the website they provided in the guidance thing. That's why I have the money in pounds so I don't have to worry about it lol.
The exchange rate they use is the one on www.oanda.com

And, they will use the exchange rate of the date of your letter to convert your funds to pounds.
kittensmittens
The exchange rate they use is the one on www.oanda.com

And, they will use the exchange rate of the date of your letter to convert your funds to pounds.


I totally forgot about that ! Luckily bank exchange rates are usually much higher than this website , I just checked it and the converted amount my bank gave me is lower than what is stated here ...
Reply 79
For those that have applied for their visa, can you tell me more about the bank statement? Is it like an official statement from the bank or just some print-out statement that has your name on it?If for instance i don't have the "bank statement", is there any other ways to prove them that i'm capable of funding my studies?right now, i'm having troubles getting the bank statement from the bank for some reason....

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