I have put this information
together on how you can apply
and process your UK Student
Visa in Nigeria risk free from the Official UK Visa Application
Website and officer in Nigeria. VFS Global is a commercial
company, working in partnership
with UK Border Agency in Nigeria
to provide services to help
people apply for visa to enter the UK.
VFS also manages visa application
centres for the UK Border
Agency here in Nigeria, where
you should submit your visa
application, supporting documents and biometric data. From 2 November all student,
first time visitor and points-
based applications will be
processed by the UK Border
Agency in Abuja. Your documents
and passport will be forwarded by commercial courier from the
visa application centre where
you made your application to the
UK Border Agency at the British
High Commission in Abuja, where
your visa application will be processed and a decision taken.
There will be no extra cost for
these internal courier services. When to Apply for Visa You can apply 3 months in
advance of your intended date
of travel to the UK to commence
study. Applicants are strongly
advised not to make their travel
arrangements to enter the UK until they have received their
visa. Fees for Study Visa -
Points Based System Tier 4 Student applicant - main
applicant and dependants
(visa duration for main applicants
and their dependants is subject
to length of study. Study below
degree level is limited to three years maximum duration)
N55,000
Chevening Scholarship or
Fellowship
Free of charge
British Marshall Scholarship Free of charge
Fulbright Scholarship
Free of charge
Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships Plan
Free of charge How to Pay Visa Application Fees You can pay your visa application
fee in one of two ways:
* At a Sterling Bank. Sterling
Bank is contracted to collect UK
visa application fees. Payment
can be made at one of 50 bank branches nationwide.
* At the visa application centre.
If you are paying at one of the
visa application centres a service
charge of 500 Naira will be made.
Any other request for payment should be refused and reported
to the UK Border Agency at the
British High Commission in Abuja
or the British Deputy High
Commission in Lagos. Once you have paid the visa fee,
there is nothing else to pay,
either before or after the
decision has been made on your
application. If anyone contacts
you and asks for more money in connection with your application,
it is a scam suspect. If anyone
tells you that they can get you
a visa if you pay a bribe, it is
also a scam suspect. Report scam at Lagos.VisaFraud@fco.gov.uk Refunds: Your visa application fee
will be refunded only if the
application is withdrawn in
writing prior to any processing
taking place or if your biometric
information has not been taken. Refunds will not be given if your
application is refused or if a long
term visit visa is granted for less
than the period applied for.
These fees are effective for all
visa applications made from 22 November 2010. How to apply There are 8 steps to complete
the visa application process
Step 1 - Check if you need a
visa
Obviously, you will need a
student visa to study in UK as a Nigerian student.
Step 2 - Read the information on
your visa category
Before you decide to apply for a visa please make sure you familiarize yourself with the
information on the visa category
you are applying for; in this case
you are applying for a study
visa. Quick links to information on
visa categories and other helpful information can be found on the
'Visa Information' page on the official website. Step 3 - Complete your visa application form Complete a visa application form
for the study visa. Visa
application forms and guidance
are available on the UK Border
Agency website. Ensure that you
complete all the sections correctly. Sections 1 and 2 are
vital to considering your
application. If you make a
mistake in filling in any of the
sections you will need to make
the change on the form and sign against it.
Step 4 - Prepare your
supporting documents
Please refer to the 'required documents' page on the website, as well as the guidance
and the supporting documents
listed on the back of your visa
application form.
You must submit original
documents or attested copies, with a photocopy of each of
these documents. Ensure to
provide translations of any
supporting documents that are
not in English.
Step 5 - Pay your visa application fee
See above for information about
how to pay your visa application
fee.
Step 6. Visit the visa application
centre You must submit your visa
application and all your
supporting documents in person
at a visa application centre. You
cannot submit your visa
application through an agent, friend or family member because
you will need to submit your
biometric data. The contact
details of the visa application
centres can be found below this
page. A visa application can only be processed after your
biometrics have been taken. Required Documents You will need to bring along the
following documents:
* Completed and signed visa
application form.
* Supporting documents relevant
to the study visa category you are applying for with copy of
each original document.
* The visa application fee or
proof of payment from the
Sterling Bank.
* Your signed and valid passport or refugee travel document with
at least 1 blank page (both
sides) so the visa can be
inserted.
* A photocopy of your passport
and data page (the page which has your photograph and
personal details)
* 1 recent passport-sized (45mm
high x 35mm wide) colour
photograph of yourself. The
photograph should be: - Taken against a light grey or
cream background. It should be
in sharp focus, clear and of good
quality, free from shadows.
- Printed on normal photographic
paper. - Taken with nothing covering
the face, without sunglasses or
tinted spectacles, or a head
covering unless worn for
religious or medical reasons. The
subject should have their mouth closed (no grinning, frowning or
raised eyebrows) and the
applicant should be facing
forwarding, looking straight
ahead.
- The photograph should be a recent true likeness and taken
within the last 6 months.
Please note: Photographs which
do not meet these specifications
will not be accepted.
Step 7. Wait for a decision Please wait for a decision on
your visa application. You can
refer to the 'Processing Times' page on the website for information on processing times. Interviews Issue or refusal of a visa is
based on the assessment of
your application by a UK Border
Agency visa officer. The visa
officer may decide to interview
you if they need more information before making a
decision on your application. All
interviews will be conducted by
UK Border Agency staff. Should
an interview be required then
you will be offered the first available interview date.
Step 8. Collect the decision on
your visa
VFS will inform you when your
documents are ready for
collection. You can collect the decision on your visa and
documents from the visa
application centre where you
submitted your visa application. If you are issued a visa, please
check it. You should make sure
that:
* your personal details are
correct
* it correctly states the purpose for which you want to travel to
the UK, and
* it is valid for the date on
which you want to travel. (You
can ask for it to be post-dated
for up to three months if you do not plan to travel immediately).
If you think there is anything
wrong with your visa, please
contact the visa application
centre immediately. Using Visa/Travel Agents You may decide to submit your
visa application using an
independent travel agent,
immigration agent or consultant.
These agents will charge for
their services. You should be careful when
dealing with agents who make
unrealistic claims. Agents cannot
guarantee that they will be able
to obtain a work or study visa
for you. They cannot guarantee that your application will be
resolved without an interview.
They cannot guarantee the
outcome of your visa application.
Some agents charge exorbitant
fees for their services - often many times the actual cost of
the visa. If an agent charges you
anything more than a small and
reasonable service charge, they
may be overcharging you or
they may be supplying you with false documents and statements.
Visa officers will detect false
documents and statements, and
your visa application will be
refused. If you provide false
information, documents or passports in support of your
visa application, you will be
refused a visa and all future
applications will be refused for
up to 10 years. Remember the
visa application is your application. You are the owner of
the information and any
supporting documentation. A
genuine agent will only be able
to help you to complete the
form and advise you what supporting documents you need
to include. If you consider that
you have been misled or cheated
by an agent, then you should
report the matter to the police. Visa Application Centres in
Nigeria Abuja - Nigeria
VF Global Services Nigeria Ltd.
No 38, Lobito Crescent, Wuse II
Abuja - Nigeria
Lagos - (Lekki)
Block - 94, Plot No. 23, Providence Street,
Lekki EPE Express Way,
Lekki Schemen 1, Lagos
Lagos - (Ikeja)
Ground and 1 Floor, 16,
Billingsway Oregun Industrial Area, Ikeja
Operating hours
Application submission
Monday - Friday: 08.00 - 15:00
Passport collection
Monday - Friday: 10:00 - 16.00 Visa enquiries
VFS call centre
Landline: 07042848040
Operating hours: Monday to
Friday: 08:00-15:00.
info.ukng@vfshelpline.com. UK Border Agency
addresses UK Border Agency
British High Commission
Dangote House
Aguyi Ironsi Street
Maitama District
Abuja UK Border Agency
British Deputy High Commission
11 Walter Carrington Crescent
Victoria Island
Lagos
Watch this video on YouTube - Tier 4 Guide to UK student visas Have You subscribed to Updates
from After School Africa like
Thousands other Scholars? CLICK HERE to Subscribe by Email
No comments:
Post a Comment