International Students
Immigration After Arrival in the UK
Passport Control
On arrival in the UK, you will be asked to show your passport to an Immigration Officer. There will be two queues for passport control: one for EEA nationals and the other one for non-EEA nationals, make sure you join the right queue.
- EEA Nationals: EEA nationals will be allowed to enter the UK freely with their valid identity card or passport. EEA nationals will have nothing stamped in their passports by the Immigration Officer as they have the right of residence in the UK for the period of their studies.
- Non EEA Nationals: Non-EEA nationals will be asked a series of questions when presenting their passports to the Immigration Officer, such as why are they coming to the UK and whether they have enough money to cover the cost of their studies. You may be asked to prove your financial means with bank statements or a sponsor's letter, and to prove that you have a definite place at an educational institution in the UK (e.g., with a letter of acceptance from BSU). All these documents will be required even if you have already been given entry clearance. Be prepared to answer questions about yourself and your intentions during your stay in the UK and ensure that all the required documents are in your hand-luggage.
When the Immigration Officer is satisfied that you are a genuine student, they will stamp your passport with an arrival date and if you have not applied for prior entry clearance/visa a stamp telling you the amount of time that you are permitted to stay in the UK. This is your "leave to remain", and will also state under which immigration conditions you are entitled to stay in the UK.
Refused Entry
If you do not meet the Immigration Rules for students or the Immigration Officer is not satisfied with the evidence you have provided, you might get refused entry into the UK. If this happens, seek advice immediately be asking to see a representative of the Immigration Advisory Service (IAS) at your port of entry. They will be able to advise you on appeal rights. Once you have done this, you might want to call Bath Spa University to let them know your situation. You can ring +44 1225 875821, +44 1225 875601 or +44 1224 876175, Monday to Friday from 09:00h until 17:00h.
Customs
When you enter the UK as a student, items that you will need for your studies (including computers) are free of duty or tax, as are clothing and household items (including linen). However, expensive articles (such as computers) must be declared on arrival.
See also HM Revenue and Customs website for further information www.hmrc.gov.uk.
Notices in the customs area at the airport or port of entry will tell you what you need to declare.
- Carry a doctor's prescription (with a certified translation into English) for any medicines you may need to bring with you and avoid any other involvement with drugs.
- Do not carry parcels or luggage through customs for other people.
- Do not cross land borders with people you do not know.
- When entering the UK, certain goods are prohibited and others are restricted, for example: Unlicensed drugs; offensive weapons; counterfeit and pirated goods; firearms, gas canisters, dogs, cats, birds, without a British import license; endangered species (whether alive or not); meat, poultry and most of their products; certain plants; radio transmitters such as CB radios not approved for use in the UK; etc.
- Never bring prohibited goods into the UK. If in doubt, go to the Customs enquiry point and check with the offices there before passing through the control.
See also Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs www.defra.co.uk.
