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| Image Source: visa-office.com |
First of all, before you even start applying, you should read about the Tier 4 (General) Student Visa application that is available on gov.uk website. (To save your time, here is the link https://www.gov.uk/tier-4-general-visa/overview). In short, the link tells you the general information that you need to know about your visa, mainly;
- You can start applying your visa up to 3 months before your course starts.
- Your visa will cost £328.
- You can arrive in UK up to 1 week before your course starts.
- You can work for up to 20 hours per week.
So you might be freaking out and wondering what are the things that you need to do after reading the guides in the link above. Fret not, I will break it down into several steps in this post!
Financial Statement
It is stated that Malaysian applicants whose sponsor has Highly Trusted Sponsor status will not be required to provide documentary evidence of financial maintenance and education qualifications. This simply means that we do not have to provide financial statement as part of supporting documents when we are applying for the visa (https://www.gov.uk/government/world-location-news/tier-4-uk-visa-requirements-for-malaysian-applicants-this-summer), but if you choose to submit it, the UK Embassy will check your financial statement as well. However, you do need to make sure that you have the relevant funds at the time of your application for the staff might request for it from you in case they want it. Hence, you need to make sure you have sufficient amount of funds whether you really want to submit your financial statement or not.
How much money do I need? Well as stated in the website https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/591777/T4_Migrant_Guidance_February_2017.pdf , you will need to have at least;
It is stated that Malaysian applicants whose sponsor has Highly Trusted Sponsor status will not be required to provide documentary evidence of financial maintenance and education qualifications. This simply means that we do not have to provide financial statement as part of supporting documents when we are applying for the visa (https://www.gov.uk/government/world-location-news/tier-4-uk-visa-requirements-for-malaysian-applicants-this-summer), but if you choose to submit it, the UK Embassy will check your financial statement as well. However, you do need to make sure that you have the relevant funds at the time of your application for the staff might request for it from you in case they want it. Hence, you need to make sure you have sufficient amount of funds whether you really want to submit your financial statement or not.
How much money do I need? Well as stated in the website https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/591777/T4_Migrant_Guidance_February_2017.pdf , you will need to have at least;
- £1,265 per month for living costs if you are studying in London for the majority of your study (more than 50% of your study time)
- £1,015 per month for living costs if you are studying outside London or anywhere else in the UK for the majority of your study (more than 50% of your study time)
If the length of your course includes part of a month, the time will be rounded
up to the next full month for maintenance purposes, for example:
Course start date: 19 September 2016
Course end date: 12 April 2017
Course duration = 6 months and 25 days, therefore the maintenance
requirement is seven months.
Say even if you are flying on the last day of the month, it will still be included as a whole month. Thus, it is pretty important to take note about this.
Also, you need to make sure that the fund is already in your bank for at least 28 days upon the day of submission of online application where you are required to make online payment. Besides, your financial statement is only valid for a month prior to your online application. For instances, if you have collected your financial statement which stated that you have fund A for at least 28 days in your bank on 1/1/2017, you need to submit your online application within a month's time from the date, otherwise the statement will not be considered as valid.
Alternatively, you can also submit financial statement under your parents' account, provided that you have to prove your relationship with them. Of course, it may be as simple as attaching your birth certificate along with the financial statement but here comes the problem. Oh hey, most of our birth certificates are written in Malay and unfortunately, British does not read Malay! You will have to get it translated by a certified translator (whoever that is).
In order to get a financial statement, you can obtain it by asking the branch manager to print a true certified copy for specific dates that you want it to be.
Letter Of Good Conduct (LOGC)
In order to apply for the LOGC, you will need to read the procedures in the given link, https://ekonsular.kln.gov.my/ekonsular_on9/login/GUIDELINES.pdf . Remember that you need to prepare a passport-sized photo as you are required to attach the photo in the application form. Basically, you have to fill in the online application form through Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia website https://ekonsular.kln.gov.my/, submit the application, print out the acknowledgement slip and check your online application status which generally takes about 3 weeks to be processed. Once your LOGC is ready, you can collect it anytime at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia office and bear in mind that you have to bring your Identity Card along with RM20 for the application fee in order to obtain the LOGC.
The address for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia is as follows;
Visa Application
Alright, you have done quite a lot of stuffs! Now, this is pretty much the mostdifficult tedious part of all. First, you need to create an account via the Visa4UK website (https://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/account/register) before you sign in and fill in the online application form! You need to be really meticulous when it comes to keying in the details as you are not able to change them once you have submitted the form. I find that the travel history section really tested my nerves as you are required to include all your previous travels to Non-commonwealth countries for the past 10 years! Worry not, for I found a great video by Swansea university that guides you on how to fill in the application form.
Upon making payment, which cost USD 417, you have to book an appointment to submit your supporting documents to the UK Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. For your information, each slot can actually be filled by two people, so you do not actually have to worry that you cannot find a suitable and time and date for the appointment.
The Appointment Day
On the day itself, you are required to be present at the office 15 minutes before your appointment.
The office is located in the Wisma MCA, which is about 5 minutes walk away from the Ampang Park LRT or 10 minutes walk from KLCC LRT. Well, do not even bother asking the staff what supporting documents are required as they will simply brush it off by telling you that you are supposed to read and prepare everything before you come. So, I have brought seven documents because it is always better to submit extra documents than missing important documents. The list is as follows;
Alternatively, you can also submit financial statement under your parents' account, provided that you have to prove your relationship with them. Of course, it may be as simple as attaching your birth certificate along with the financial statement but here comes the problem. Oh hey, most of our birth certificates are written in Malay and unfortunately, British does not read Malay! You will have to get it translated by a certified translator (whoever that is).
In order to get a financial statement, you can obtain it by asking the branch manager to print a true certified copy for specific dates that you want it to be.
Letter Of Good Conduct (LOGC)
In order to apply for the LOGC, you will need to read the procedures in the given link, https://ekonsular.kln.gov.my/ekonsular_on9/login/GUIDELINES.pdf . Remember that you need to prepare a passport-sized photo as you are required to attach the photo in the application form. Basically, you have to fill in the online application form through Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia website https://ekonsular.kln.gov.my/, submit the application, print out the acknowledgement slip and check your online application status which generally takes about 3 weeks to be processed. Once your LOGC is ready, you can collect it anytime at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia office and bear in mind that you have to bring your Identity Card along with RM20 for the application fee in order to obtain the LOGC.
The address for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia is as follows;
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia
Wisma Putra Complex
No. 1, Jalan Wisma Putra
Precinct 2,
Federal Government Administrative Centre
62602 Putrajaya
Malaysia
Telephone : 603-8000 8000
Visa Application
Alright, you have done quite a lot of stuffs! Now, this is pretty much the most
Upon making payment, which cost USD 417, you have to book an appointment to submit your supporting documents to the UK Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. For your information, each slot can actually be filled by two people, so you do not actually have to worry that you cannot find a suitable and time and date for the appointment.
The Appointment Day
On the day itself, you are required to be present at the office 15 minutes before your appointment.
The office is located in the Wisma MCA, which is about 5 minutes walk away from the Ampang Park LRT or 10 minutes walk from KLCC LRT. Well, do not even bother asking the staff what supporting documents are required as they will simply brush it off by telling you that you are supposed to read and prepare everything before you come. So, I have brought seven documents because it is always better to submit extra documents than missing important documents. The list is as follows;
- 1 certified photocopy of IC
- 1 certified photocopy of passports and all of your actual current and previous passports
- 1 photocopy of CAS document
- 1 photocopy of application form with IHS number written at the bottom of the first page
- 1 photocopy of confirmation of appointment.
- 1 certified photocopy and the original LOGC
- 1 financial statement
Remember to bring RM 42 for the payment if you want your documents to be posted back to you and an extra RM 9 if you would like to receive text notifications about the real-time updates of your application process. In my honest opinion, the RM9 text notifications is kind of a waste as you will be notified via email once they have received your application. The gruesome thing to do now is to wait for your application to arrive which takes about one to two weeks. Even when you are notified that your documents are being couriered back to you, you would not know your application is either approved or rejected until you check the passport yourself! If your application is accepted, they will stick a paper onto your passports which mention the details of your visa. Otherwise, you will receive quite a thick load of papers stating the reasons your application is rejected. Let's hope that will not happen.
I hope this post will ease your application process and do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries. Last but not least, good luck with your application and have fun in the UK ! Till then, au revoir!
- March 15, 2017
- 29 Comments