Arriving in Scotland
#KnowBeforeYouGo
Coming to study in the UK? Here are some tips to smooth your arrival
- Check what you can bring with you, from meat and dairy products to cash and duty-free goods
- Have information about your course to hand to show the border staff
- Keep hold of your travel information - either digital or paper copies
Arriving at the airport/other ports in Scotland
Arriving at the airport/other ports in Scotland
When you arrive in the UK you will have to go through Immigration/Passport Control. There may be a choice of queues – one for people with British passports and one for other nationalities.
You can read more on this UK Government website:
Short-term students - eGate exceptions
Short-term students - eGate exceptions
While many international students can now cross the border via the eGates, short-term students (those studying for up to 6 months) from Australia, New Zealand, Camada, Japan, the USA, Singapore and South Korea need to see a Border Force officer at passport control to get a short-term student stamp in their passport.
Immigration Officers
Immigration Officers
Expect visa and immigration officers to ask simple questions about your stay in the UK when you arrive at passport control. Never give false or misleading information (including forged or counterfeit documents). Do not enter the UK as a visitor. You will have to return to your home country and re-apply for a student visa.
If you have problems with immigration as you enter the country, ask to see a representative of the UK Immigration Advisory Service.
The immigration officer will need to check your important documents and may try to determine if you can speak English without the aid of an interpreter.
You may also be asked:
- Why you are coming to study in the UK
- What previous studies you have already taken in your home country
- If you have family connections in the UK
- What your accommodation arrangements are
- What you plan to do when you finish the course
Once the immigration officer has checked your documents and stamped your passport, you can then go to collect your luggage. Your luggage will come out on one of the carousels in the baggage hall – check the screens for your flight number and this will show you the carousel number you should go to.
Lost luggage
Lost luggage
If any of your luggage is lost in transit, report it to the staff of the airline you have travelled with as soon as possible.
If you lose any of your belongings at the airport, rail or coach station, ask a member of staff for help in finding the lost property office to see if it has been handed in. If you think it may have been stolen, report it to the police as soon as possible.
Customs controls - what you can bring with you
Customs controls - what you can bring with you
Always check what goods you need to declare before you leave your home country for the UK
Once you have picked up your luggage, you will pass through customs control. If you have nothing to declare, join the queue for the green channel. If you have goods to declare, join the queue for the red channel. Please note that even if you do join the queue for the green channel, your luggage may still be checked.
If you are declaring goods, forms on which to make the declaration will be available on arrival and you will be given a copy to keep. If you do not make a declaration and/or are found to have provided incorrect information, a penalty fine can be imposed.
There are restrictions on traditional medicines, food products such as fish, eggs and honey, and some fruit, vegetables and plants (including bulbs, seeds, cut flowers and tree bark).
African Swine Fever
African Swine Fever (ASF) is a deadly pig disease which could devestate the UK's industry. Travellers are being asked not to bring pork or pork products from affected countries in to the UK.
Transport and somewhere to stay when you first arrive
Transport and somewhere to stay when you first arrive
Plan your arrival by checking transport from the airport/bus or train station to your accommodation.
If you haven’t arranged your permanent place of residence, book two or three nights in a bed and breakfast (“B&B”) or a hotel so that you have somewhere to go when you arrive.
Plan your budget for your stay, order some cash/traveller' cheques to support yourself until you can open a bank account in the UK.
Things to do during your first week
Things to do during your first week
- Tell your family you have arrived
- Register with the police/pick up your biometric residence permit (see below)
- Find accommodation
- Open your bank account
- Register with a doctor
- Find out about university services and your IT accounts
Biometric residence permits
Biometric residence permits
If you are applying to come to the UK for more than six months you will be issued with a ‘vignette’ or stamp in your passport granting you entry to the UK for 30 days. You will then need to collect your biometric residence permit (BRP) within ten days of entering the UK.
The BRP is evidence of your immigration status in the UK. While the permit does not need to be carried at all times, you will be required to present it if you need to demonstrate your entitlement to work or access public services. Students have ten days to collect it when they first arrive in the UK. We strongly encourage you to collect your BRP as soon as possible.
When you go to collect your BPR you must bring with you the passport or travel document which contains your 30-day visa. You should also bring your decision letter from the university with you. Any errors identified on a BRP must be corrected quickly. Common mistakes are errors with your visa expiry date and/or work entitlement.
Keeping your visa
Keeping your visa
Remember that under the new points-based system, the university will be obliged to tell the UK Border Agency about any students who:
- Fail to arrive and enrol at the agreed time for the start of their course
- Defer their studies
- Take temporary withdrawal/suspend their studies
- Withdraw from their studies
- Fail to attend their course for significant periods of time
- Make changes to their studies which shortens their completion time
- Do not register with the police within seven days if required to do so
- Work more than 20 hours per week during term-time
- Use public funds (claim government benefits)
Residency
Residency
It is expected that international students, who have been given a visa for their studies at the university, will normally live in Scotland, in the immediate vicinity of one of the academic partners.
All students must provide an up to date address and contact telephone number while studying at the university.
If you change address during your studies, please remember to update your record using MyDay, the university portal for students.
*new* eVisa guidance update
*new* eVisa guidance update
Summer 2024 Visa Guidance Update
What is the update?
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) are developing a digital immigration system, which will be in place from later in 2024. This means the Home Office are replacing physical documents with an online record of your immigration status. This is known as an eVisa.
The documents being replaced are:
- biometric residence permits (BRP)
- biometric residence cards (BRC)
- passport endorsements, such as indefinite leave to enter wet ink stamps
- vignette stickers in passports, such as entry clearance or visa vignettes
What is an eVisa?
An eVisa is an online record of your immigration status and the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK. You will need to create a UKVI account to be able to access your eVisa.
Updating your physical document to an eVisa does not affect your immigration status or the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK.
In the future you’ll be able to use an eVisa to travel to the UK – you will not need to carry a physical document, except for your current passport, which must be registered to your UKVI account. Until the end of 2024 you will need to continue to carry your physical document when you travel, if you have one.
What do I have to do?
If you have a biometric residence permit
If you have a biometric residence permit (BRP) that expires on 31 December 2024, UKVI will update you on how to create a UKVI account and access your eVisa before the expiry date of your BRP.
If you have already been contacted to create an account, either by email or in a decision letter, you can now follow the instructions UKVI sent you to create a UKVI account.
If you have not yet been contacted about creating an account, you’ll be able to create your account and access your eVisa later in 2024.
If you have permission to stay in the UK, once you’ve created your UKVI account you will be able to sign in to the view and prove service to access your eVisa.
For those on a Student Route Visa whose courses finish this year
You will not need to create a UKVI account unless you are planning on applying for another visa such as the graduate visa.
If you have another physical document
If you have indefinite leave to enter or indefinite leave to remain (also known as settlement) and you currently prove your rights through a different type of physical document, such as a wet-ink stamp in your passport or a vignette sticker, then you should make a ‘no time limit’ (NTL) application.
If your NTL application is successful, you’ll get a BRP to prove your rights. You should carry your BRP, along with your passport, when travelling internationally. Once you have a BRP, you’ll be able to create a UKVI account to access your eVisa later this year.
Those who have been granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme
If you have a biometric residence card (BRC) and you have been granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme, then you already have an eVisa and you do not need to take any action to obtain one. You can find details of how to access and use your eVisa (your digital status) in your grant letter or email. You should continue to carry your BRC with you when you travel internationally.
If you have a BRC and you have not been granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme, obtained another form of immigration leave, or become a British citizen, then your BRC is no longer valid, even if it appears to still be in date. This is because the UK has left the EU, and the EU free movement law no longer applies.
To continue living in the UK you should get an immigration status as soon as possible. You may be able to make a late application to the EU Settlement Scheme as a family member of a relevant EU, other EEA or Swiss citizen. Do not travel internationally until you have obtained a proof of your immigration status.
If you are a British or Irish citizen with a passport, or you have the right of abode
If you are a British or Irish citizen, and you hold a British or Irish passport, you do not need an eVisa or a UKVI account and do not need to do anything. You should continue to use your passport to prove your status in the UK.
If you are a British citizen and are also a national of another country (other than Ireland), or you have the right of abode in the UK and you do not have a British passport, then you may need to take action in future.
If you have the right of abode in the UK and you still have your BRP, check what you need to do with your BRP after being granted citizenship.
If you need to make a new application
If you need to make a new application for permission to stay in the UK, you should follow the usual application process. There will be information and guidance provided during your application process if you need to create a UKVI account.
If you require support creating a UKVI account
You can ask for help with creating a UKVI account and getting access to an eVisa through the government website.
If you do not have internet access or do not have access to a device like a computer, laptop or smart phone, you can get help filling in your online application.
For more information, please visit the government website.
We will provide you with any further updates. In the meantime, if you have any questions please contact Admissions@uhi.ac.uk
Travelling in the UK
Travelling in the UK
Driving in the UK
Before driving any vehicle (car, motorbike, van etc) in the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), you should check that you meet all of the legal requirements which apply (a) to the driver and (b) to the vehicle; and that you are aware of the correct procedures, which may be very different from your home country.
It is a criminal offence to drive using a licence that is not valid in the UK. In addition, if you do so, your car insurance will be invalid and you will be committing a further criminal offence of 'driving without motor insurance.'
If you hold a driving licence issued outside of Great Britain (that is England, Scotland and Wales) then you can use the tool on the government website to check whether you can use it to drive in the UK. You may be allowed to do so for a limited period of time only.
Planes
There are a number of small airports in the Highlands and Islands. For information regarding flights, check Highland and Island Airports Limited. Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow are large, international airports with flights to and from all over the world.
Trains
Scotland is connected by a great railroad, which of course links to England and, through the Channel Tunnel, Europe and beyond. For more information on timetables and prices, visit Scotrail or the Trainline.
Buses
Stagecoach provides public transport through the North East and Highlands of Scotland. In addition, Megabus offers routes between the north and south of Scotland. Various local bus companies provide local services within locations.
Ferries
The islands of our region necessitate ferry services, which are the only way to access some parts of the area. Go to the Calmac website for timetables and prices.
Taxis
All areas have taxis, but local services will vary according to your location.