When did you apply for your student visa?

I just found out yesterday that I'm not going to be able to go to England on the coattails of my Swiss wife because the time needed to process our paperwork with Switzerland.

So, it will be faster (and safer) to get a student visa and travel as Americans (she's dual citizen).  Here is my question/concern:

If we're are running out of time for that as well.  Can I go over as a tourist - and start my term - and then get my visa stuff finished before the 3 month tourist deadline?  Of course, I'm starting it now...but if it's not done by the time I have to leave...is that an option?

Any help would be great.  I really thought the Swiss door would work...but there simply isn't time.

I don't think you will be able to do this, as even if you get through immigration without a visa (and to go through as a visitor you will have to prove you will be returning to the US within those 3 (or however many) months, by means of a return plane ticket etc and they may also ask where you will be staying, where you will be going and how you plan to support yourself as a tourist), it is likely that the university will want proof of your visa in order for you to register and begin classes. They may also need photocopies of your passport and visa for their records.

There are also various things international students must do when they arrive, such as register with the police (this is only required for people from certain countries, but whether you need to register will be specified on your visa) and register with the health services - which you may not be able to do without proof that you have a valid visa.

When I go to the US in January for my PhD, I will have an I-20 form. I cannot apply for my visa without this form and I also cannot enter the country without both the form and the visa. In order to leave the US at any point during the degree (even just to visit Mexico or Canada), I must have the form signed and dated (each time I wish to leave) and without that signature, I will not be allowed back into the US.

The governments and the universities tend to take visas and permissions to enter the country seriously and if you do not have the correct paperwork, you will be sent right back to the US (when I studied in the US the first time, I packed my form in my suitcase instead of my carry-on. I was detained in a small room for 2 hours and was almost refused entry into the US).

I just found out yesterday that I'm not going to be able to go to England on the coattails of my Swiss wife because the time needed to process our paperwork with Switzerland.

So, it will be faster (and safer) to get a student visa and travel as Americans (she's dual citizen).  Here is my question/concern:

If we're are running out of time for that as well.  Can I go over as a tourist - and start my term - and then get my visa stuff finished before the 3 month tourist deadline?  Of course, I'm starting it now...but if it's not done by the time I have to leave...is that an option?

Any help would be great.  I really thought the Swiss door would work...but there simply isn't time.

Is there no way to request an emergency push through on your stuff with the Swiss Gov't?  If not, you're going to have to get a student visa if you're going to be there longer than 6 months.

I just found out some info on entering the UK on a visitor's visa. This is from http://www.graduateshotline.com/suk2.html and is also stated on the www.UKVisas.gov.uk site:

Important note: Do not enter the UK on a visitor's visa with the intention of changing to a student visa at a later date. This is because unless you are from a country whose nationals do not need to obtain a visa before coming to the UK, you will not be able to change to a student visa and will have to return home to make an application

So basically, if you don't have a student visa when you arrive, in order to get one at a later ldate, you will have to go back to the US and stay there while go through the entire visa application process all over again.

Important note: Do not enter the UK on a visitor's visa with the intention of changing to a student visa at a later date. This is because unless you are from a country whose nationals do not need to obtain a visa before coming to the UK, you will not be able to change to a student visa and will have to return home to make an application

And even if you are from "a country whose nationals do not need obtain a visa before coming to the UK" (like Americans when just visiting the UK), you still need a proper student entry clearance ("visa") if you want to study for more than six months.  The only exception is for short-term students from non-visa national countries, who at the moment can still enter under the visa waiver.  From Sept 1 they will not get full "student" status anyway, but "student visitor" status, which allows no extending and no working.

I am not clear why your wife would use her US nationality to enter the UK rather than her Swiss nationality.  As a US national she needs entry clearance, as a Swiss national she has free movement in the European Economic Area and is not subject to immigration control.  Am I missing something?

I am not clear why your wife would use her US nationality to enter the UK rather than her Swiss nationality.  As a US national she needs entry clearance, as a Swiss national she has free movement in the European Economic Area and is not subject to immigration control.  Am I missing something?

Yes, I am a little confused about this too. I've taken a look at the UKVisas site and as a Swiss national, it appears that all your wife needs to do to enter the country is show her Swiss passport and provide proof that she has the means to support herself while she is in the UK. For you to join her as a family member, it seems you just need to fill out a free-of-charge EEA family permit, send it to your nearest visa consulate in the US and wait for the permit to arrive.

Unless I'm missing something too, I see no reason why you'd need to contact Switzerland and fill out paperwork with them in order for her to enter the UK.

Thanks, everyone, for your replies.

The problems of going as Swiss nationals is simply that we've been married a year and no one told us we had to register this IN Switzerland.  It seems rather silly to me now...but we have to send our paperwork to the consulate here then it gets sent on to Switzerland. 

The actual process won't take more than a month max, maybe a few weeks...but all the supporting documents (my birth cert., marriage lisc., etc) have to be originals and issued in the last 6 months.  This is a problem because we're in VA and I'm from AL and her American stuff is in PA. 
Then, the whole of Switzerland is changing/updating their passports to some kind of biometric thingy, and that slows us down.
There's more too it I won't bore you with...but there are so many little things that have to be done in an order (and not simultaneously) that it will take too long.

So, it's not that it's not a possibility - it's just not doable in 2 months.  We'd need maybe 6.  If I'd known about all these hitches earlier, we'd be just find.

NOW:  ANOTHER QUESTION:
If I go as an American under visa - does she have to go as my dependant?  or can she travel as a Swiss on her passport (which hasn't expired yet and can be renewed once there)?

If I go as an American under visa - does she have to go as my dependant?  or can she travel as a Swiss on her passport (which hasn't expired yet and can be renewed once there)?

She can travel on her Swiss passport- although I have to say even with your last post I'm still not clear on why you can't travel on an EEA permit.  I get that you have to register the marriage in Switzerland for their purposes, but according to the UK you're married to a Swiss citizen...seeing as you're moving there and not to Switzerland I would think that UK law is the one you need to reference.  I'd actually be really interested in the whole process and what the holdup is, just for my own curiosity's sake...feel free to PM if you like

I don't really understand either.  It sounds as though you have all the documents to push the EEA application through the UK embassy int he US.

Vicky

let me check on this.  You've got me doubting the information I was given.  I spoke with the Swiss embassy, not the British.  Let me call them and see - but I believe the problem is that we have to have actual Swiss marriage papers to get the Family Status and not American marriage papers.
And, of course, we can't get those until steps A - F are complete.

Also, (second problem) My wife's passport has expired and they're doing these new biometric passport country wide.  I'm a little scared of the time line for that too.

Thanks, Vicky...if you have a 800 number or a regular phone number (not the 900/$2.45 a minute number) could you PM it to me?

let me check on this.  You've got me doubting the information I was given.  I spoke with the Swiss embassy, not the British.

Ah.  I think this is the issue...I really think you should get some confirmation from a UK-based source.  Would hate to have you pay for a visa you didn't need.

Yes, this has nothing to do with the Swiss Embassy, dude.  They are unlikely to know anything about UK immigration.

Contact numbers are on the website - www.medivisas.com (regular number) or you can e-mail me on victoria.sharkey@medivisas.com

Vicky

Fantastic. When I filled out my app online for my student visa, I specifically noted that I wanted it delivered to my place of business because  no one is ever home during the day to sign for packages. I come home just now, 6:31PM, and there's a FedEx door tag on my gate. Turns out they tried to deliver and I wasn't here to sign for it, so the note graciously informs me that they're going to attempt to deliver it again tomorrow, when I won't be here also.

And the hours of the FedEx center? Only open until 6:30 and is conveniently located across town.

I didn't even get an email telling me that my visa was approved either. 

Well in a way it's good news right? Good luck getting it...do they have Saturday hours?