Advice on getting student visas

i felt it helped me stay organized. I went w/ binders with page protectors. They didn't return it that way and I didn't get it all back. I suggest it for you to stay organized and maybe for them too. I work in Fed.Gov't (or did, today was my last day) and I appreciated it when  ppl were over-organized. Good luck!

I didn't over-organise.  I simply paper clipped it all together.  I don't think the presentation of your application makes a huge difference.  Follow the instructions, be neat, have everything you need and you'll be fine.

cover letter neat?

I didn't do a cover letter for my student visa.  I did for my FLR as I'll be moving during the time my passport, etc is at the Home Office. 

since you went down that path, I will take your word for it. I think the approval letter is just a phone call away. Hopefully they can fax it over to me tomorrow or early next week. But the BC will probably want originals.

This was what our final row was about for getting the visa (OMG it was stressful - lol)  Andrea sent a fax and I thought they would need the original - I hate to say it but Andrea won that one

Andrea sent hers to NYC and they turned it around in five days.  If you put your e-mail address on the cover letter and ask to be kept informed they will e-mail you when they receive it and then e-mail when you when they have the decision.  Once you have this it takes a couple of days to get the passport back.  Once you get that e-mail tho, you can book that flight

BE WARNED - they do take some bits of the paperwork so copy EVERYTHING before you send it as you may need it when you enter the UK even tho you have the visa.

Great.  I was just finishing up a cover letter.  Will make sure to let them know I would like to be kept in the know via email.  Our agency will be Los Angeles.

Even though I have most everything in the binders copied, I think I will make a final copy of everything just in case.  You wanna talk identity theft!?!?!?  It is hard to send off these binders with basically our entire lives in there.  Not that I know, but there seems to be everything here for someone who wants to become me.  Don't know why they would, but it seems to be the popular crime these days.

Any tips for mailing this off?  FedEx?  UPS?  I usually go with Fed Ex as I have an account number with them . . . makes it easier.  Is there any sort of insurance that can cover all of these documents?  What about notification of package received . . . I guess if you get a tracking number, you can tell if it got there, but is that enough?  I will have to look into secure shipping with them . . . dunno, I suddenly got all paranoid about identity theft 

I sent mine registered with a signature return card using the USPS.  It really doesn't matter how you send it, as long as you can track it. 


I'll give you the same advice I gave pittpanther and everyone else on this thread... you'll get your visa.  Really, you will.  There's no need to stress out.  You've been accepted to a university, you have money and won't be on public assistance.  They'll issue the visa.  I've never heard of anyone NOT getting theirs and I've been on this forum for a year and before that was on another expat forum for a year.  So in two years of hearing all these stories, I've never known anyone to get denied a student visa. 

I know this process is stressful and I was just as worried as you all are.  I got the same advice from my friends here and elsewhere... there's no need to fret.  Just mail in all they ask for and if they need more info, they'll contact you.

BE WARNED - they do take some bits of the paperwork so copy EVERYTHING before you send it as you may need it when you enter the UK even tho you have the visa.

Ok, I made a copy of everything, but I am just curious, what kinds of stuff did they keep?  My friend just got his visa back in about a week.  They ended up keeping his binder, but I suspect that it had something to do with shipping. 

Surprisingly, he sent off his without any loan approvals.  Just bank statements (with a few $xxxx in savings) and paystubs. 

Ok, I made a copy of everything, but I am just curious, what kinds of stuff did they keep?  My friend just got his visa back in about a week.  They ended up keeping his binder, but I suspect that it had something to do with shipping. 

Surprisingly, he sent off his without any loan approvals.  Just bank statements (with a few $xxxx in savings) and paystubs. 

They kept my loan approval letters.  My birth cert, passport, bank statements and letter from my uni were returned.

sweetness . . . we got em today.  Sent them last tuesday, arrived in LA on Thursday, got them today, tuesday.  Pretty darned quick!

Actually did not end up sending any loan stuff, and it seemed to be ok.  Everything came back save for the cover letters and application/picture.

thump . . . that is the sound of the load off of my back!  For now at least!

Really happy for you Wisof, hope you enjoy your time in the UK.

I do however have one question for anybody who knows anything about visas.  How do people get a student visa without proof of funds, I ask because I got turned away from NYC - I'm confused 

That is a good question.  Both my friend and I, as well as my wife did not send any loan information.  We sent paystubs from our jobs, and our bank statements.  My wife and I had some money in our savings account, but certainly not anything close to what is needed to live in London for 2 years, let alone one month.
 

Really happy for you Wisof, hope you enjoy your time in the UK.

I do however have one question for anybody who knows anything about visas.  How do people get a student visa without proof of funds, I ask because I got turned away from NYC - I'm confused 

Different Consulates.. and it's possible they considered wisof's paystubs to be regular income, even during his time in the UK?  I don't know.  Proof of funds was a big deal with my visa, as well as upon entering the country for the first time.