Standard Visitor visa and Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)

This visa category will allow you to come to the UK if you are 16 years or older and satisfy one of the following conditions:

• If you have an unconditional offer for an accredited short course at Goldsmiths or going to join our Study Abroad programme for one term
• Please note that we are not able to offer visa support for the following short courses
• If you are enrolled on a course equivalent to a UK Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD level degree overseas and plan to come to Goldsmiths for up to six months to carry out research as part of your overseas study
• If you are an Erasmus student
• If you are retaking some of your exams or coursework or need to attend a viva and need to re-enter the UK after your Student visa has expired

You must have enough money to support yourself during your stay, including any tuition and accommodation fees, in addition to living costs.

Visa Nationals - Applying for a Standard Visitor visa

If you are a visa national, you must apply for entry clearance before you come to the UK. This means you must apply for your visa before you travel.

A Standard Visitor visa costs £115 for up to 6 months. The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.

You should bring any supporting documents you submitted with your application with you when you travel, as the border officials may ask to see these documents when you arrive.

There is no minimum English language level required to apply for this type of visa and you can study full or part-time.

Non-Visa Nationals - Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)

Apply for an electronic travel authorization (ETA)

An Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is a new requirement for people who do not need a visa to come to the UK. It gives you permission to travel to the UK, and it is electronically linked to your passport.

Whether you can apply depends on the date you travel, and your nationality as shown on your passport.

The UK Home Office has recently updated the list of nationalities that need an ETA. Please check the below link to see if you require the ETA prior to your travel to the UK.

Check if you can get an electronic travel authorization (ETA)

It costs £10 to apply. You cannot get a refund after you apply. In case you are travelling with a companion, each person must apply separately.

You will usually get a decision within 3 working days, but you may get a quicker decision. Occasionally, it may take longer than 3 working days.

You will get an email confirming you have got an ETA. It will be linked to the passport you applied with. Your ETA lasts for 2 years so you won’t have to reapply for ETA until it expires, or you get a new passport.

Please note that ETA does not guarantee entry to the UK. You still need to either see a Border Force officer or use an eGate (if eligible).

Who does not need an ETA

You do not need an ETA if any of these apply to you:

• You have a visa
• You have permission to live, work or study in the UK (including settled or pre-settled status or right of abode)
• You are a British or Irish citizen
• You are travelling with a British overseas territories citizen passport
• You live in Ireland, and you are travelling from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man

 

Your visa conditions when in the UK

The below conditions apply to all nationals coming to the UK on a Standard Visitor visa, that includes those using ETA:

• You cannot do any kind of work or work placement/internship even as part of your studies (this includes voluntary work and part-time work)
• If your programme of study includes a work placement you must apply for a Student visa Please contact the IAS team for further advice.
• You cannot apply or switch to any other category of visa while in the UK as a Standard Visitor, and cannot extend your visa. If required to switch an alternative visa category, you need to leave the UK and apply for a new visa.

You must not intend to use this visa route frequently/successively. The Home Office will look at the number of visits made over the past 12 months, including the length of stay on each occasion, the time elapsed since the last visit, and if this amounts to the individual spending more time in the UK than in their home country, then this could affect your eligibility to enter as a Visitor.