Studying in the UK is a fantastic way to achieve a world class qualification whilst being able to explore one of the most diverse and exciting countries in the world. Whether your passion is sport, theatre, music, art, cutting edge fashion, sampling Britain’s many culinary delights or simply sightseeing, the UK has it all. If you are a student it will be a busy time for you. You will no doubt be asking yourself questions like: ‘what subject should I study?’, ‘which school, college or university best suits me?’ and ‘where am I going to live?’ But before you ask yourself these it’s important to note that if you choose the UK you may also require a visa to enable you to get there. So another question that you might ask yourself is ‘What can I do to ensure that I am prepared and that I get my visa and start my studies on time?’ Given that it is approaching the busy period for visa applications to the UK, I thought I would provide you with some information to help you answer the last question.

Last year the numbers of applications we received at the Visa Applications Centres (VAC) in Hanoi and HCMC quadrupled between July and September. This meant that our small team were kept very busy meeting demand. We learned a lot from this period. I would like to explain some of the things we have done to help us help you this year:

• From the 12 July until 1 October we will introduce an afternoon service. Our opening hours in Hanoi will be from 08.30hrs to 12.30hrs and then 14.00hrs to 15.00hrs from Monday to Friday. This means we can increase the number of on-line appointment slots to 60 per day. In Ho Chi Minh City, we have increased the number of on-line appointments to 20 per day for those who qualify to use its restricted service only. The on-line appointments system will be regularly reviewed to ensure that applicants can submit their applications.
• We have redrafted our Embassy web site so that you can find up-to-date information about the visa application process in English and Vietnamese. The Embassy web site will help you find important information regarding the Points Based System Tier 4 student visas. It is important that you fully understand the application process and what you require before you apply as this will help to avoid any unnecessary delays. Using our web site will help you find the information that you need.
• If our web site does not help you we have centralised our telephone and email enquiries for Vietnam in Hanoi. You can now telephone us between the working hours of 08.30 to 12.30 and from 13.30 to 16.30 in Hanoi on +84 (0)4 3936 0500 or by emailing us at any time at visaenquiries.vietnam@fco.gov.uk . Please check our web site before calling as you may find the answer to your question there.
• We have also introduced a service for those who need to travel at short notice and cannot find an available on-line appointment that suits. If this affects you, please email us using the email address shown above and we can arrange an earlier appointment for you.

It is important that you also prepare for your visa application by fully understanding the visa application process under the Points Based System. For example, did you know that:

• You should allow up to 15 working days for your visa to be processed.
• You will need a total of 40 points to qualify for a PBS Tier 4 Student visa. 30 points are awarded for having a valid electronic Confirmation of Acceptance (CAS) which is provided by the Tier 4 sponsor (the school, college of university) and 10 points for having the required funds. You can make a self-assessment to check whether you have enough points before you apply.
• If you want to study English as a foreign language your current level of English must be at level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). Your application will be unsuccessful if your level of English is not up to this standard.
• You can apply for your visa three-months before your stated travel date without this affecting the validity of your visa. As a student, you are entitled to travel to the UK one month before the start date of your course.
• You should ensure that you have the right supporting paperwork and that you provide original documentation as well as a set of photocopied documents. Failure to do this may delay your application.
• You may be able to save yourself time by using our web site to answer your query.
• You may be banned from applying for a visa to the UK for up to 10 years if you knowingly submit forged or counterfeit information with your application. Keep it real - It is not worth the risk.

Your studies in the UK could open up a whole new world of opportunity. Getting a visa is the last important step you will need to take before you get there. The summer period at the Visa Application Centres (VACs) are going to be busy so it’s important that you get your visa application right. This will help you to realise your full potential as well as to achieve your future goals and dreams.  Take our advice, prepare yourself fully and avoid a last minute rush.

We look forward to welcoming you to one of our VACs soon.

Visa Office
British Embassy Vietnam