Tier 4 Visa Route to be Replaced by New Student Routes
September 10, 2020
At a Glance
- The Home Office has released a statement of changes to be laid before Parliament which outlines the intent to close the Tier 4 visa route and replace it with ‘Student’ and ‘Child Student’ routes.
- The statement of changes sets out the aim to simply the student route with the incorporation of European Economic Area students, and specific changes to the entry requirements for this route.
The situation
The Home Office has released a statement of changes to be laid before Parliament which outlines the intent to close the Tier 4 visa route and replace it with ‘Student’ and ‘Child Student’ routes.
A closer look
Change | Impact |
Filing deadlines. The new Student route is due to be implemented on October 5, 2020. |
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Points criteria. Applicants must meet the minimum points criteria in order to be awarded Student/Student Child status. |
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Documentary requirements. As a result of the re-branded student route, there will be some changes to the documentation that students are required to provide in support of their student visa applications. |
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Maintenance. Students will no longer be required to demonstrate maintenance funds if they have met the maintenance rules for their current visa and have been supporting themselves in the United Kingdom for more than 12 months. |
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Academic qualifications and Study Limits. |
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Background
Through this change, the UK government seeks to create a simplified global visa system which applies equally to all students, including EEA nationals.
Impact
This change will have a limited impact on those students currently studying in the United Kingdom, with slightly simplified documentation requirements to be met. However, the route will apply to all EEA students from January 1, 2021 when free movement ends.
EEA students who apply for the student visa route from within the United Kingdom before January 1, 2021 will have their visa application rejected given that they are still entitled to free movement.
Applications filed from outside of the United Kingdom by EEA nationals prior to January 1, 2021 are permitted, but when approved will be valid only from January 1, 2021.
Looking ahead
Fragomen expects that the government will release further clarification on the Student visa route before its implementation on October 6, 2020, which is likely to clarify some of the uncertainties surrounding the route.
Fragomen will release further details on any relevant developments.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected]