Entry Clearance Correction Scheme (for students only): info and success story!

I debated whether to put this here or in the Visa section, but since this is a special situation outside of the normal visa application process and is very particular to students only, I decided to put it here.  Hope that's ok.

Anyway, I just wanted to report on my experience with the Entry Clearance Correction Scheme, which I used successfully to get my student visa extended an extra four months after my course is over!  You're supposed to get the extra four months anyway, but even though my course doesn't finish until 30 September, my original student visa was set to expire on 31 October.  Thanks to our very own sah10406 on UK-Y (who works with international students at a uni)  I found out that this was a mistake on the consulate's part and could be corrected in-country through the ECCS, which is a scheme particular to students that exists only to correct mistakes made on the expiry dates of student entry clearances.

The way it works is that my uni's international office made an application to the consulate where the visa was granted (LA in my case), asking them if the expiry date on my visa really was a mistake.  After about three months, the consulate replied back saying that yes, it was a mistake and I was eligible for the extra four months.  I then had to submit my passport and 2 photos to the international office, who sent the application to the Home Office on my behalf. 6 weeks later, my passport was sent back to my uni with my shiny new residence permit good till 31 Jan 2008, and I've just collected it!   

Now, this did take a good six months from start to finish (I started the process February 9), but the entire process was 100% free of charge, which made it all worth it.  Apparently getting the wrong expiry date on a student visa is somewhat common, so I just wanted to post about my experience here so that anyone who is in my situation and comes across this post will know what to do.

congrats & well done!

well done!

Delighted it worked out for you Andrea!

Just to add a couple of points....

The first stage of the ECCS (when the Home Office asks the Embassy or High Commission to check whether they made a mistake) does not normally take anywhere near as long as three months.  It depends on how efficient the Entry Clearance Officers are at the specific post.  I have had responses in two days, and generally the average is about 10 days to 2 weeks.  If there has been no response after 3 months, I ask the Home Office to contact the Embassy again (i.e. give them a rocket), and there is usually an immediate response -- this may be what happened with you.

It's also important to reiterate that individual students cannot apply to the Entry Clearance Correction Scheme -- the International Student Adviser or other relavant person at your college or uni has to do it for you.  If they don't know about the scheme, tell them all the info, forms and email addresses are in the members' area of the UKCOSA website, and that if they are still unsure they can ring the UKCOSA Members Helpline.

If there has been no response after 3 months, I ask the Home Office to contact the Embassy again (i.e. give them a rocket), and there is usually an immediate response -- this may be what happened with you.

That *is* what happened to me.  Our international student welfare officer told me that she couldn't contact them until three months had passed, and then after the 3 month mark she prodded a bit and I had an answer less than 2 weeks later. Glad to hear the wait isn't always so long!

Oh, another important point, maybe it's an obvious one.

ECCS will only correct mistakes made by ECOs.  If a student has the correct leave based on the information they gave the ECO, but they now need more time because for example they changed courses after arrival, or because they need to re-sit, or they just want more time beyond the +4 months to travel or work or something, they need to extend their stay in the normal way, and pay the relevant application fee.

That is great info, ladies! Thank you for posting it! I wonder if we can get a special child board in the Student Lounge area for student visa info? That way we could sticky this topic there.

That is great info, ladies! Thank you for posting it! I wonder if we can get a special child board in the Student Lounge area for student visa info? That way we could sticky this topic there.

I ain't no lady, nor even a woman!

I ain't no lady, nor even a woman!

I didn't know that! Sorry! 

Thank you everyone instead!

The Entry Clearance Correction Scheme is for unversities and other Higher Education institutions only, so if you think there was a mistake with your student entry clearance, ask the International Student Adviser to investigate it for you.  If they don't know about the ECCS, refer them to the UKCISA website Members' Area.  Pretty much all UK institutions are members.

For non-HE institutions, there is now a route for ISAs to ask for a correction of wrong entry student entry clearance, but it is a bit more laborious than the ECCS.  Again, tell your ISA to look in the UKCISA website Members' area.