Do you need a new student visa for postgrad study???

[jul190]

I am asking this on behalf of a friend.

Her visa does not expire till 2013. She graduated from university this July but the university informed the home office that she will be graduating this year and with the new visa rules, home office tried to curtail her student visa to expire in March of this year. She obviously was still studying at the time and contacted home office who then apologised and removed the curtailment. She is going to return to same institution she graduated from to study her Masters and they are saying that ven though her visa should expire next year, she will still need to apply for a new one as she is taking on a new course. This does not make sense to either of us and we would appreciate some input from everyone on this board.

[Lucapooka]

You do not need to get our permission if you want to do a different course of study with your Tier 4 sponsor and the new course will finish before your current permission to stay expires. Your Tier 4 sponsor will tell us that you have changed course.

If your new course will end before your permission to stay expires, you must tell us by sending an email message to migrantreporting@ukba.gsi.gov.uk.

If your new course will end after your current permission to stay expires, you will need to make a new Tier 4 application to us. You will therefore need a new confirmation of aceptance for studies from your Tier 4 sponsor. You can make this new application at any time before your current permission to stay expires, but we recommend that you do this as soon as possible.

[jul190]

Thanks Lucapooka. That was what I was aware of, but the institution kept inssisting that they will 'assume' that UKBA have curtailed the visa to expire in Oct 2012 as opposed to Oct 2013 (which is the initial expiry date) as that is what they (UKBA) should have done when they (my institution) informed them that she would be graduating this year and not 2013 because she did not get work placement so did not go out on a placement year. But every document she has tells me otherwise and nothing states 2012. What do you suppose is the best way to handle this as the institution keep insisting.

It's the strangest thing.

[jul190]

I will save the information on that you have sent me in yoour last post Lucappoka. That will stand as a good arguement against them. They are not there to act as immigration services anyway