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Birkbeck Student Immigration Advice Statement of Service

We offer a friendly, student-focused immigration advice service for current students and applicants. On this page, you can find out which areas of immigration we can help you with, as well as how to book an appointment and other useful resources.  

Areas of immigration of which we can provide advice

  • The following areas are covered only in relation to study at Birkbeck
    • Student visas: main applicants and dependants:
      • Submitting a Student visa application, inside the UK and outside the UK
      • Managing a Student visa refusal, rejection or Administrative Review
      • Correcting errors on your Student visa
      • Maintaining your Student visa status and compliance with your visa conditions
      • Working during your studies
    • Standard visitor visas:
      • Submitting an application, including the visa conditions and requirements
      • Guidance on right to study at Birkbeck
    • Graduate visa:
      • General guidance on the conditions and requirements of this visa

Areas of immigration Not covered

    • Non-student sponsored routes
    • Settlement applications
    • Asylum or Refugee claims
    • Non-UK visa applications e.g. Schengen visas, Student visas
  • If you have a query on one of these areas, then we can refer you to the register of advisors and OISC in your area.

Who can provide this advice?

  • The advice service is provided by specific members of the International Student Administration team. Immigration requirements are complex and can change, so you should not take advice on immigration from any other member of staff at Birkbeck.
  • Our visa advisers are regulated to give immigration advice under the Office of the Immigration Service Commissioner (OISC) guidelines. The OISC is an independent organisation that regulates immigration advisers, ensuring they are fit and competent and act in the best interest of their clients. The team attend regular training events to be able to comply with these guidelines.

Confidentiality, privacy and ethics

  • We define confidentiality as a ‘circle of confidentiality’ within which visa advisers may discuss information with each other. We will hold any such discussions in an appropriate environment to ensure that confidentiality is respected. There are some circumstances where we may need to obtain information from another department in the University e.g., the Finance Office, Wellbeing or Admissions. We may need to do this to obtain relevant information which will help to resolve your case. We will not disclose the specifics of your case outside of the circle of confidentiality without your consent. If we need to discuss your case with external agencies we will set up ‘consent to share’, this will require you either contact the external agency to give consent or complete a consent form or send a consent email.
  • For information on how Birkbeck holds your data, please see our privacy webpage.
  • The Student Advisers adhere to the UKCISA code of ethics and OISC’s code of standards.
  • Please also see our Birkbeck principles of dignity at work and study.

How to access this service?

Referral, external advice and information