didn't get my visa yet but my plane leaves in a few days! =(

I have yet to receive my visa but booked my ticket already and it leaves in a few days! It's also non-refundable/changable (which I should have read before I bought it)

S0 I'm not sure what to do? I'm flying into London and don't know what to say? Can I actually tell them I'm going to school and I just haven't got my visa yet? and it will be sent to me? or should I just say I'm visiting friends (I have friends in Leeds) and once I get it somehow go back across immigration and get them to stamp the visa? I also booked a train ticket to france a few days after I arrive so It seems like I'm not just staying there. So if I get the visa sent to france, could i go back across and say i'm studying in london? I'd really rather not be an illegal immigrant or get refused because I did really bad planning!

I'm trying to think of the most honest way to go about doing this! Help anyone?

Reply 1

zeeshan_shanu

U are not alone buddy....my visa is still under processing and have flight to london in few days...
keeping my finger crossed
in worst case i will loos one year, a lot of money..and i have already resigned from my Job...so will have to have search a new job...
there is no way u can enter Uk without a valid visa of some kind...as ur visa is under process so u obviously dont have ur passport with u...
btw we put our flying date in visa application so visa office try there best to issue visa before that...but yes no guranteee...
lets keep finger crossed and pray..

Reply 2

kristinaalovesu

15

You're not the only one mate! A lot of students here are going through the same thing. Im not one of them because im applying for next year, but one of my friends here still haven't got her visa yet. she leaves in a few days too! theres a thread here that talks about visas under the international forum. look it up. i think you'll get it before you leave anyways. :smile:

Reply 3

LCCstudent

OP

2

zeeshan_shanu

U are not alone buddy....my visa is still under processing and have flight to london in few days...
keeping my finger crossed
in worst case i will loos one year, a lot of money..and i have already resigned from my Job...so will have to have search a new job...
there is no way u can enter Uk without a valid visa of some kind...as ur visa is under process so u obviously dont have ur passport with u...
btw we put our flying date in visa application so visa office try there best to issue visa before that...but yes no guranteee...
lets keep finger crossed and pray..

Yikes! Well I happen to be a duel citizen so I gave them my canadian passport and have my american passport on me at the moment. I received the "under process" email last tuesday but they didn't send me the follow up email yet and I don't think they will as they don't do anything on weekends and I leave monday!

Where are you apply from? when do you leave?

Reply 4

LCCstudent

OP

2

kristinaalovesu

You're not the only one mate! A lot of students here are going through the same thing. Im not one of them because im applying for next year, but one of my friends here still haven't got her visa yet. she leaves in a few days too! theres a thread here that talks about visas under the international forum. look it up. i think you'll get it before you leave anyways. :smile:

I've been looking for a thread for my problem but I can't seem to find one! This is probably the most annoying thing i've ever had to encounter in my life! but at least I'm not the only one, thanks for the positive feedback though!
Do you know when she applied?

Reply 5

alleycat393

21

well on an American passport you should be able to be in the country for a couple of weeks without needing a visa, as a tourist. So I would enter the country as a tourist and hope that my UK visa gets to France before I need to come back to the UK as a student. Hope that helps some!

Reply 6

CyberLink

Just like to say if you managed to make it here, welcome! If you guys are in London, there might be a chance of us knowing others yet!

Reply 7

LCCstudent

OP

2

alleycat393

well on an American passport you should be able to be in the country for a couple of weeks without needing a visa, as a tourist. So I would enter the country as a tourist and hope that my UK visa gets to France before I need to come back to the UK as a student. Hope that helps some!

Yeah, I think that's what I'll have to do. I hope everything goes smoothly? I'm not sure what to expect at all immigration-wise. But yes, you have helped! I guess I'm just going to go and see what happens!

Reply 8

divine_alive

I'm too waiting for my VISA but I haven't bought the ticket yet. I wonder how can you buy a ticket without VISA at hand...

Reply 9

alleycat393

21

I guess you just have to have your fingers crossed. Is there some way you can have your Canadian passport forwarded to you in France? Can you stay long enough in France to wait for that passport? You should not have a problem with immigration if you do it this way because it's completely legal. Contrary to popular belief immigration officers are actually nice people if you have all your documents in order but I would suggest you don't volunteer unnecessary information unless you're asked for it. Good luck!

Reply 10

kristinaalovesu

15

LCCstudent

I've been looking for a thread for my problem but I can't seem to find one! This is probably the most annoying thing i've ever had to encounter in my life! but at least I'm not the only one, thanks for the positive feedback though!
Do you know when she applied?

she said she applied a month before her flight, some people here applied 10 days before their flight and still got the visa! i cant find the thread! :frown:

sorry mate! ill post the link once i see it.

Bummer

I'm supposed to leave in 3 days, have booked my ticket, but don't yet have my visa.

Reply 13

ny2ko

7

check if ur visa is out online. thats wat i was doing. when did u apply for ur visa cause from my friends and i, it took 5-10 days max unless something was missing in the app

Reply 14

chocolat321

16

ny2ko

check if ur visa is out online. thats wat i was doing. when did u apply for ur visa cause from my friends and i, it took 5-10 days max unless something was missing in the app

It really depends on where you apply. Some consulates get so many apps, that they take a min of 2-3 weeks.

Reply 15

username158564

17

I'm nowhere near an expert, but could they not contact your school here to confirm who you are? Then maybe you'd be granted a temporary one while your permanent one is processing? Or something like that?

Reply 16

El Gomez

I suggest waiting in your country until the visa comes. You may miss a few days but it's a lot better than decieving immigration if that's what you plan on doing

Reply 17

AliciaJ703

2

For American Students:

Fax The Relevant Consulate And Inform Them Of Your Departure Date And School With Details Related To Your Visa. I Did This Last Year And Received My Visa In Time For My Departure.

Reply 18

teily

1

i don't think you can even attend your university without your visa. at KCL we need to have a photocopy of our visa on us at registration. here is the other thread that has been mentioned.

Reply 19

LCCstudent

OP

2

divine_alive

I'm too waiting for my VISA but I haven't bought the ticket yet. I wonder how can you buy a ticket without VISA at hand...

Well, it's fairly easy to buy a ticket, getting into the country is the problem! Hopefully it all works out somehow!

didn't get my visa yet but my plane leaves in a few days! =(

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