Last updated 12 January 2021

The current UKVI guidance was updated on the 12 January 2021:

Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice for UK visa applicants and temporary UK residents

Sponsor specific guidance ( published 24 December 2020) can be found at:

Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice for Tier 2, 4 and 5 sponsors

You can also find detailed guidance on the UKCISA web pages:

UKCISA 

Details of the Test to Release scheme can be found on the following web page:

Test to Release

Added 6 January 2021

If your visa is due to expire, the UKVI are expecting you to make reasonable steps to leave the UK. However, they do state the following:

If you intend to leave the UK but have not been able to do so and you have a visa or leave that expires between 1 December 2020 and 31 January 2021 you may request additional time to stay, known as ‘exceptional assurance’.

Please submit your request for an exceptional assurance by emailing cihassuranceteam@homeoffice.gov.uk with the following details:

• full name
• date of birth
• nationality
• Home Office, GWF or any other reference number
• type of visa
• expiry date of visa
• reason for request
• evidence of flight or evidence showing reason you can’t leave

The subject header of your email should read “Request for an assurance”.

In your email you should attach evidence to show why you cannot leave the UK. For example, if you can’t leave the UK because you can’t find a flight before your leave/visa expires, you’ll need to submit a copy of a confirmed flight ticket. If you can’t leave the UK because you have coronavirus, you’ll need to submit confirmation of your positive coronavirus test result.

If you’ve previously completed the online form to request exceptional assurance and you’re waiting on the outcome and your flight is imminent, please email the above address with the requested details. We are considering all requests and we will contact you to let you know the outcome as soon as we can. During this time, you will not be treated as an overstayer or suffer any detriment in any future immigration applications for this consideration period.

During the time in which your request for ‘exceptional assurance’ is pending you will continue on the conditions as per your current or most recently expired visa.

If you are granted ‘exceptional assurance’ it will act as a short-term protection against any adverse action or consequences after your leave has expired. If conditions allowed you to work, study or rent accommodation you may continue to do so during the period of your exceptional assurance. Exceptional assurance does not grant you leave. It is a means to protect those who are unable to leave the UK due to COVID-19 restrictions and not to facilitate travel, other than to return home.

UKVI: COVID-19 Guidance

The key point is that whilst the conditions of your visa continue, exceptional assurance is not a grant of leave. This means that it is not a visa and if you choose to benefit from this scheme, we strongly advise that you keep a record of this and the number of days you remained in the UK beyond the original expiry date of your visa to provide in future immigration applications.

Last updated 6 January 2020

Visa decision letters will still state that you must collect your BRP within 10 days of arriving in the UK because their letters have not been updated. However, the UKVI have confirmed that Student visa holders required to collect their BRP from the Post Office, were able to do this until the end of 2020. We are currently checking on arrangements for BRP collection given the current environment.

You should attempt to collect it as soon as your quarantine has ended, but you must not attempt to collect it if you are subject to quarantine restrictions.

The list of countries exempt from quarantine can be found on the the UK government web pages:

Exempt countries and territories

This list can change overnight, so it is important to check it before travelling. 

Last updated 8 January 2021

Some nationalities need to register with the Police within 7 days of their arrival in the UK.  This is either shown on your 30 day vignette or your visa application decision letter. You can also refer to the official list:

Countries required to register with the Police 

You must not attempt to register if you are required to complete quarantine. The UKVI have confirmed that you should check with the local Police on whether they are open for registrations.  If they are not you must complete it once social distancing measures have been removed.

Following the recent government announcement, OVRO is currenly closed for appointments until further notice.  Those people with appointments booked will be sent a cancellation notice.  OVRO assures us that there will be no penalty for late registration under the current circumstances.

Find out more about registering with the Police in London on the following web page:

When you have your visa

Last updated 6 January 2021

If your Tier 4/Student visa has been successfully granted, you will be issued with a 90 day sticker in your passport.  This will enable you to travel to the UK to collect your BRP which is then your immigration permission.

 I applied for my Tier 4/Student visa but my plans changed and my 90 day sticker was issued for September to December.  What do I need to do?

In this case, you will need to apply for a replacement vignette at a cost. You will be granted a new 90 day vignette.

You should not leave applying for the replacement vignette until too late or there may be a backlog of applications. When applying it may help to give further information on your new intended date of travel, as you have to evidence that the sticker will expire before you travel.

The latest information from the Home Office is as follows:

If your 30 day or 90 day visa vignette to work, study or join family has expired

If your 90 day vignette has expired, you will need to apply for a replacement by completing the online form. The cost of replacing an expired 90 day vignette is £154 and you will need to make an appointment to resubmit your biometric information.

We strongly advise that you only apply for a new visa, or apply to replace an expired vignette, when you are confident you can travel to the UK. The new vignette will be valid for a period of 90 days. If you cannot travel during this time, you may need to apply again to update your vignette.

If you have submitted an application for a replacement vignette, and are still awaiting a decision, but now no longer intend to travel, you should submit a withdrawal request at the Visa Application Centre that you applied from in order for your passport to be released back to you.

We will continue to replace 30 day vignettes free of charge for eligible customers until 31 December 2020.

To request a replacement 30 day visa you can either:

• contact the Coronavirus Immigration Help Centre
• arrange to return your passport to your VAC if it has re-opened

Contacting the Coronavirus Immigration Help Centre:

You’ll need to include your name, nationality, date of birth and your GWF reference number with ‘REPLACEMENT 30 DAY VISA’ in the subject line. If you’ve already contacted us about this, please let us know in your email.

Details of the processes can be found on the following web pages :

UKCISA - Coronavirus information

UKCISA - Applying for a replacement vignette

Last updated 6 January 2021

The UK left the EU fully on the 31 December 2020. If you did not arrive in the UK before this date and become resident, you will not be eligible for the EU Settlement Scheme and you will need to apply for a visa to  be able to study in the UK. If you do not plan to arrive until after the 31 December 2020 and you are not already resident in the UK, you will need to contact ISVAT for advice because you will need to apply for a Student Route visa to join LSE in the Lent Term.

The EU Settlement Scheme would give you similar rights to those you would have benefitted from under free movement meaning there would be no restriction on the work you can do.  The application is also free.  If you arrive in the UK for the first time after the 1 January 2021, you would need to apply for a Student visa at a cost and with the same working restrictions that other international students face.

Further details can be found on our pages for EU/EEA nationals:

EU/EEA nationals 

Last Updated 6 January 2021

The UKVI have confirmed that those people who already hold a Tier 4 visa and had started their studies in-person, will be able to continue online.  You will be able to continue to study online.

The UKVI state the following:

Sponsors do not need to withdraw sponsorship for new students who have been issued permission under the Student or Child Student routes but are undertaking distance learning because they have been unable to travel to the UK, or are in the UK but have not yet been able to attend their studies in person due to Covid-19. If a student stops engaging with their distance learning for more than 30 days, whether overseas or in the UK, their sponsor must withdraw sponsorship.

UKVI: COVID 19 Guidance

If you have yet to apply for your visa and do not intend to come to the UK for any of your studies because you will study completely online, you should not plan to apply for a Student visa.

The UKVI state the following:

New international students who have not yet applied for permission on the Student or Child Student routes but want to start a course which will wholly be studied overseas by distance learning, do not require sponsorship under the Student or Child Student routes. This is because they do not need to travel to the UK.

UKVI: COVID 19 Guidance