How to contact ISVAT

If you have an application/offer or have completed your programme, please complete this form to get in touch with the team. Please note offer holders are applicants.

Our current response time is three to five working days maximum for initial queries and responses to follow up questions.

We assess our cases each day for urgency - sending multiple queries or marking a case as urgent will not necessarily expedite your case. We appreciate that your personal situation is urgent to you, however this is assessed against our current casework and your potential to face immigration issues. 

ISVAT - Applicants, Offer Holders, Online registered and Alumni Enquiry Form.

ISVAT Live Chat FAQS and Service Standards

How do I access the Live Chat facility?

Live Chat chat can be accessed via a link at the find it at the bottom of our enquiry form for applicants. You will need an LSE ID number to access this service. 

When can I contact ISVAT by Live Chat?

The team will be available on Live Chat  at the following times (except Bank Holidays and School Closure dates):

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10:00 - 11:00, 1:30 - 2:30, 3:00 - 4:00

Wednesdays: 10:00 - 11:00 and 3:00 - 4:00 only.

If we are unable to run Live Chat due to staff availabliity, we will advertise this on our ISVAT FAQs web page:

ISVAT FAQs

What should I use Live Chat for?

ISVAT's Live Chat is for quick queries on UK student immigration.  If your query is complex we will ask you to complete an enquiry form.  We may also refer you to other LSE teams or external advice. Please read the relevant web pages in advance of contacting us via Live Chat.

Live Chat is an alternative to our drop-in service and is not intended to replace a formal appointment.  We are unable to check applications or documents via Live Chat.

Please note that when you are typing your question, we are able to see what you are writing.  However, you are unable to see what we are writing in response until it is sent.

How much time do I have with a team member?

Live Chat is for quick queries up to a maximum of 10 minutes. The team will try to assist you as best as possible.  However, we may ask you to complete an enquiry form.  We may end a conversation or direct the enquirer to our form if we are unable to assist further via Live Chat or we have not received a response from you within two minutes.  If you are sent any web links via Live Chat, we advise that you read them after the chat has ended.  

I've already completed an enquiry form. Should I also contact you on Live Chat?

If you have already completed an enquiry form, the member of staff who connnects to your call will check whether it can be answered via Live Chat.  If it can, they will inform you and close your enquiry form.

If your query is complex, the member of staff who connects to your call will inform you that it is unable to be answered via Live Chat and we will follow up by answering your enquiry form. Depending on the nature of your case, this may not automatically be after Live Chat has ended.

Contacting us via Live Chat will not necessarily expedite your query.

Is my Live Chat confidential?

ISVAT has a confidentiality policy and will always seek your consent to speak to other people about your case on our enquiry form. If you contact us via Live Chat we will assume that consent is given to speak to other teams, although we will advise you who we will need to speak to.

If you do not want your case to be discussed with other teams initially, we recommend you complete our enquiry form.

Please remember that ISVAT are here to assist but are also required to help protect LSE's Student visa sponsor licence.  We may need to inform colleagues of any concerns we have about information you share which may affect your immigration status and the School's ability to sponsor international students.

Are my Live Chat queries saved?

Yes, each Live Chat conversation is recorded and will remain against your case file for seven years in line with OISC requirements. ISVAT are required to keep a record of the advice we give. We will be able to refer to this if we need to follow-up on any advice or refer back to advice given via Live Chat.

If you have completed campus enrolment (in-person registration) for your programme, please complete this form to get in touch with the team. If you have yet to register in person, please complete the other form as we require more information to be able to advise you.

Tip: You will need to select the full country name for your form to submit. For example, please choose United Kingdom rather than typing UK.  If you abbreviate the country your form will not submit. The only exception is the US because our customer realtions system is owned by a US company.

Our current response time is three to five working days for initial queries and responses to follow up questions.

We assess our cases each day for urgency - sending multiple queries or marking a case as urgent will not necessarily expedite your case. We appreciate that your personal situation is urgent to you, however this is assessed against our current casework and your potential to face immigration issues. 

ISVAT - Registered and Campus Enrolled Student Enquiry  Form.

ISVAT Live Chat FAQS and Service Standards

How do I access the Live Chat facility?

Live Chat chat can be accessed via a link at the find it at the bottom of our enquiry form for registered/enrolled students. 

When can I contact ISVAT by Live Chat?

The team will be available on Live Chat  at the following times (except Bank Holidays and School Closure dates):

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10:00 - 11:00, 1:30 - 2:30, 3:00 - 4:00

Wednesdays: 10:00 - 11:00 and 3:00 - 4:00 only.

If we are unable to run Live Chat due to staff availabliity, we will advertise this on our ISVAT FAQs web page:

ISVAT FAQs

There will be no 10:00am Live Chat on Tuesday 26 January 2021 due to a staff meeting.  All other Live Chat times will take place as normal that day.

What should I use Live Chat for?

ISVAT's Live Chat is for quick queries on UK student immigration.  If your query is complex we will ask you to complete an enquiry form.  We may also refer you to other LSE teams or external advice. Please read the relevant web pages in advance of contacting us via Live Chat.

Live Chat is an alternative to our drop-in service and is not intended to replace a formal appointment.  We are unable to check applications or documents via Live Chat.

Please note that when you are typing your question, we are able to see what you are writing.  However, you are unable to see what we are writing in response until it is sent.

How much time do I have with a team member?

Live Chat is for quick queries up to a maximum of 10 minutes. The team will try to assist you as best as possible.  However, we may ask you to complete an enquiry form.  We may end a conversation or direct the enquirer to our form if we are unable to assist further via Live Chat or we have not received a response from you within two minutes.  If you are sent any web links via Live Chat, we advise that you read them after the chat has ended.  

I've already completed an enquiry form. Should I also contact you on Live Chat?

If you have already completed an enquiry form, the member of staff who connnects to your call will check whether it can be answered via Live Chat.  If it can, they will inform you and close your enquiry form.

If your query is complex, the member of staff who connects to your call will inform you that it is unable to be answered via Live Chat and we will follow up by answering your enquiry form. Depending on the nature of your case, this may not automatically be after Live Chat has ended.

Contacting us via Live Chat will not necessarily expedite your query.

Is my Live Chat confidential?

ISVAT has a confidentiality policy and will always seek your consent to speak to other people about your case on our enquiry form. If you contact us via Live Chat we will assume that consent is given to speak to other teams, although we will advise you who we will need to speak to.

If you do not want your case to be discussed with other teams initially, we recommend you complete our enquiry form.

Please remember that ISVAT are here to assist but are also required to help protect LSE's Student visa sponsor licence.  We may need to inform colleagues of any concerns we have about information you share which may affect your immigration status and the School's ability to sponsor international students.

Are my Live Chat queries saved?

Yes, each Live Chat conversation is recorded and will remain against your case file for seven years in line with OISC requirements. ISVAT are required to keep a record of the advice we give. We will be able to refer to this if we need to follow-up on any advice or refer back to advice given via Live Chat.

After completing your enquiry form, it will be directed to the team.  The standard response time is currently five working days as confirmed by the auto-reply you will receive to confirm that your form has been submitted.

Our peak period is from June to November and it is likely that it may take the maximum time to answer initial and follow-up questions.  We assess queries on a daily basis depending on their urgency e.g. complex cases that need additional referral or expiry dates of visas. 

Do I need to complete a new query form each time I have a question?

No, you do not need to complete the form each time you have a question.  You can simply reply to the email response you receive from the team.  The same adviser will work with you on your case unless:

• they are unavailable due to leave or illness;

• your case is complex and it has been escalated to the manager;

• the staff member has escalated the case for other reasons.

By responding to our replies, all the advice is in one trail so it will be easier for you to refer to.

Getting an initial response from the manager doesn't mean the case is automatically complex.  We are a small team of three and during peak periods all members of the team answer queries.  If your adviser changes or your case is escalated, you will be informed of the reason why.

Why do you always refer me to the guidance?

A lot of the questions asked are already answered in our guidance.  We will always refer you here first if we know the answer is already available in our guides. We are of course happy to clarify any points in the guidance or answer your questions if they are not covered. However, we will always refer you back to our guides if we know your question is answered there, so it would be quicker to check these before getting in touch.

We are only able to advise applicants to the LSE who have an LSE ID number, current students and alumni who still hold a valid visa sponsored by LSE. 

Please check the details you provide in your query and that you are using the correct form before submission.  By completing either of these forms you are confirming that you have given us an accurate description of your current immigration status.

If you have completed the incorrect form, ISVAT may request that you complete the correct form for your circumstances.

Advice given will be based on the current immigration rules at the point of your query. These are subject to change at short notice and it is your responsibility to check the updated guidance. We are unable to guarantee that your visa application will be successful.