Standard visitor visa (for graduation)

Find out how to get a standard visitor visa to return to attend your graduation at NTU.

You may not have enough time left on your Student visa to attend your graduation ceremony. It will depend on when you completed your course at NTU.

You cannot apply for a Student visa extension solely so you can attend your graduation.

If you wish to attend your graduation but do not have enough time left on your visa, you should:

• return to your home country before your visa expires, then
• come back to the UK with a Standard Visitor visa.

Standard Visitors are allowed to stay in the UK for a maximum of six months.

How to apply

The process of obtaining a Standard Visitor visa varies depending on your nationality.

Non-visa nationals can enter the UK as a Standard Visitor without applying for Entry Clearance before arrival. This includes nationals from the EU, EEA, and Switzerland.

Visa nationals must apply for Entry Clearance as a Standard Visitor before travelling to the UK.

Check if you need to get a visa before arriving in the UK.

Standard visitor visa restrictions

If you enter the UK as a Standard Visitor:

• You are not entitled to work. This includes:
  • paid, unpaid or voluntary work
  • self-employment
  • work as part of a work placement or internship.
• You are not entitled to extend your visa in the UK, or switch to a different visa category from within the UK.
• You are not entitled to bring dependants. Family members will need to apply for their own Standard Visitor visa.

Applying for entry clearance (visa nationals)

If you're a visa national, you must apply for a Standard Visitor visa before arriving in the UK.

Find out more about the visa application process in your country. This includes how to apply, and the location of visa application centres.

You must:

• first complete the online application form for Standard Visitors
• provide certain documents in support of your application.

See a full and comprehensive list of supporting documents. They will include the following.

• Your passport.
• The correct fee, which is currently £115 in local currency.
• Bank statements or payslips that show you have enough money. You must be able to pay for the trip and support yourself without working or getting any help from public funds.
• Evidence of your current employment or studies, if you're working or studying in your home country.
• Evidence that you intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit. This could be a letter from your employer confirming you have a job to return to, for example.
• An invitation letter from NTU confirming you're returning for your graduation ceremony. You can request this letter once you've confirmed your attendance at the ceremony. Email NTU Graduations to ask for it.

Make sure you include your:

• name
• student ID number
• home address
• date of birth
• the address to which the letter should be sent.

Alternatively, your Academic School office can provide you with a letter. This should confirm your course details and graduation ceremony dates.

Applying at the port of entry (non-visa nationals)

Non-visa nationals can usually request entry as a visitor on arrival in the UK. You can do this at immigration control. You'll have to submit most of the documentation described above. You won't need to complete the application form or pay the visa fee. You must give the documentation to the Immigration Officer at your port of entry. Your port of entry could be an airport, ferry port, etc. You should be prepared to answer any questions about your visit.

If you don't already hold alternate permission to enter the UK, you can use the eGates on arrival in the UK. You'll receive automatic entry as a visitor.

You must:

• be a national of:
  • an EU or EEA country
  • Australia
  • Canada
  • Japan
  • New Zealand
  • Singapore
  • South Korea
  • Switzerland
  • the USA
• have a biometric passport carrying the biometric symbol.

If you enter via the eGates, you won't have to speak to an Immigration Officer and get a stamp in your passport.

After using the eGates, you'll be permitted to enter the UK as a visitor for a period of six months. It's important you keep some form of evidence of the date of your arrival in the UK. You could keep an e-ticket or electronic boarding pass, for example. This will help you to remember the exact duration of your six-month stay.