Welcome to the website of the
UK Visa Application Centre in Syria
LATEST
NEWS
26 August 2010: Tier 4 student visas - financial maintenance requirements - important reminder. Tier 4 student visa applicants are reminded that their visa application must fully meet the financial maintenance evidence requirements otherwise it will be refused. Read our guide to financial maintenance requirements for Tier 4 students and visit the UK Border Agency website for more details.
19 August 2010: British council online survey. Interested in studying for an international qualification? Join the largest global student survey and you will have a chance to win exciting prizes! Student decision making survey is a global online survey which targets students interested in studying abroad or pursuing a foreign qualification in their home country. The survey captures information such as why students want to study overseas, what they are looking for in an institution, location and course, where they look for information. The survey should take about 15 minutes to complete. It gives international education organisations insights into what their customers are interested so they can provide better services for their customers. Good luck with your future studies and many thanks for taking part in this survey.
17 August 2010: List of approved providers published for English language testing for partners. The UK government announced plans In June 2010 to introduce compulsory English language tests for all non-European migrants applying to come to the UK to join or marry their settled partner. Today the UK Border Agency has published a list of approved test providers. For further information on these changes and to view the list of approved providers please see the question and answers document on the UK Border Agency website.
12 August 2010: Secure English language testing comes into effect for student Tier 4 (General) visa applicants. Mandatory secure English language testing comes into effect today (12 August 2010) for student Tier 4 (General) visa applicants wishing to study a course below degree level (excluding foundation degrees). Students applying for these courses will need to demonstrate from today, through an approved test, that they have the required level of English language competence to apply to study in the UK.For further information please visit the UK Border Agency website.
22 July 2010: Secure English language testing announced for student Tier 4 (General) applicants. The British Government announced today that it will be introducing mandatory secure English language testing for adult students studying below degree level under Tier 4 (General) of the points-based system. The new requirement will come into effect on 12 August 2010. For further details of these changes please visit the UK Border Agency website.
19 July 2010: Corrections to the Student Tier 4 policy guidance. On 13 July 2010 we published a new version of the Tier 4 guidance setting out a number of policy changes. The document contained a number of draft paragraphs relating to the introduction of secure English language testing for Tier 4 (General) students. These paragraphs were included in error. We have not introduced secure English language testing for Tier 4 (General) students. Should we do so, we will publish full guidance at the time.
The incorrect version of the policy guidance was withdrawn and replaced with the correct document on 14 July 2010. Please ensure you are using the most recent version of the Tier 4 policy guidance.
19 July 2010: Important changes to Tier 1 (General) visa applications from 19 July 2010. Following an earlier announcement by the UK Government, 2 important changes have come into effect for Tier 1 (General) visa applicants today, 19 July 2010.
An interim limit on the number of visas that will be issued to Tier 1 (General) applicants between 19 July 2010 and 31 March 2011.
The number of points required for a Tier 1 (General) applicant has been increased from 95 to 100.
The interim limit will also apply to some Tier 2 applications, please see the information on the UK Border Agency website.
13 July 2010: Changes to Tier 4 guidance on student loans and students with International Baccalaureate qualifications. On 12 July an addition to the policy guidance was introduced for students applying under the Tier 4 point-based system. This applies to students making visa applications using a loan letter and students making visa applications using an International Baccalaureate qualifications awarded on 5 July 2010. Please see the latest Tier 4 Policy Guidance found on the UK border Agency website for more information.
12 July 2010. Beware of bogus UK visa websites. We have recently been made aware of a number of websites who are using similar names to official websites operated by the UK Border Agency and its commercial partners, VFS Global and WorldBridge. These websites have been making inappropriate claims about processing UK visa applications. The UK Border Agency operates through the following official websites:
We would advise you to avoid all other websites claiming to be in partnership with the UK Border Agency as they may be operating on a purely commercial basis and are not authorised to provide information on behalf of the Home Office or the UK Border Agency. Please let us know if you come across such websites.
2 July 2010: Student Tier 4 visa applications - apply early. During our busy summer period, it is important that you submit your Tier 4 points-based system visa application in good time. This will allow us enough time to process your visa application and for you to attend the start of your course. To enable you to do this you can apply for your visa within 3 months of the start date of your intended course. For courses longer than 6 months your visa will be valid for travel from 1 month prior to the start date of the course. If your course is less than 6 months you will only be allowed to travel up to 7 days before the start of your course. To find out about our most recent visa application processing times, please see the 'Guide to Processing Times' page on this website.
28 June 2010: The UK Government will introduce a limit on non- European immigration. The number of workers entering the UK from outside Europe will be controlled by a new limit, the UK Home Secretary, Theresa May, announced today. Details of how the final limit will be delivered will be agreed following a 12-week consultation with businesses and other interested parties. In the meantime an interim limit will be introduced to ensure there is no rush of visa applications being submitted and the number of work visas issued stays below levels from 2009. For further information please visit the UK Border Agency website.
16 June 2010: New English language requirement for partners. The UK Border Agency has produced further guidance on the English language testing for:
nationals of a country outside the European Economic Area and Switzerland; and
nationals in a relationship with a British citizen or a person settled here; and
nationals who want to apply to enter or remain in the UK as their husband, wife, civil partner, fiancé(e), proposed civil partner, unmarried partner or same-sex partner.
Please see the UK Border Agency website for the latest up-to-date information and the latest news dated 9 June 2010 on this website.
09 June 2010: Migrants marrying UK citizens must now learn English. Compulsory English language tests will be introduced for non-European migrants applying to come to the UK to join or marry their settled partner. The new rules will apply from autumn 2010 to anyone applying as the husband, wife, civil partner, unmarried partner, same-sex partner, fiance(e) or prospective civil partner of a UK citizen or a person settled in this country. The compulsory English language test will be with a UK Border Agency approved test provider and will apply to visa applications from overseas as well as people applying from within UK. The full news report can be found on the UK Border Agency website.
21 May 2010: UK Border Agency website changes. The UK government has changed following the UK general elections held in May. Some of the strategies, aims and objectives have changed since the previous government. This may mean that certain links on this website may be broken. Information on how to apply for a UK visa will still be available on this website.
20 May 2010: Syria only accepts online visa applications from 20 June 2010. As part of the UK Border Agencys modernisation programme we will be changing to an online application processing system in Syria from 20 June 2010. This means that from this date you will only be able to submit your visa application using the online visa application system. Once you have submitted your online visa application you should attend the Visa Application Centre in Damascus in person to submit your biometric data, the printed copy of your completed online visa application form and your supporting documents.
31 March 2010: Important visa application fees changes on
6 April 2010. The visa application fees given on this website
will be updated on 6 April 2010 as part of the annual visa fee
review. Some visa application fees will change and you should
bear this in mind if you want to submit your visa application
on or after 6 April. Payments made after 00:01 GMT on 6 April,
either online or by using any other acceptable payment method,
should be paid according to the fees given on this website.
31 March 2010: New visa customer service standards.
From 1 April 2010 the UK Border Agency is changing the customer
service standards for processing visa applications. The changes
are to complete 90 per cent of visa applications (except settlement
categories), in not more than 3 weeks, 98 per cent in 6 weeks,
and 100 per cent in 12 weeks. There are also new standards for
biometric appointments and processing appeals that have been allowed
by an immigration judge. Please see the UK
Border Agency website for more information about the customer
service standards.
23 March 2010: UK Immigration Rule changes effecting Tier
1 and 2 and other changes. On the 6 and 7 April 2010 the UK
Government will make significant changes to Immigration Rules.
The changes to Tiers 1 and 2 of the points-based system include
new points criteria for both tiers, a simpler route for very highly
skilled workers without a Master’s degree, greater flexibility
for short-term transfers by multinational companies, and more
protection against transfers to fill long-term vacancies that
should go to resident workers. Other changes to the Rules cover
asylum seekers, English language qualifications and marriage visas
for members of the armed forces. Please see the UK
Border Agency website for more information on the Immigration
Rule changes.
23 March 2010: Launch of new Highly Trusted Sponsor Scheme
for Tier 4 sponsors. The UK Border Agency has launched the
'Highly Trusted Sponsor Scheme' for education providers under
Tier 4 of the points-based system. Tier 4 sponsors can now apply
for a Highly Trusted Sponsor licence, and the register of highly
trusted sponsors will go live on Tuesday 6 April 2010. Please
see the UK
Border Agency website for more information on the Highly Trusted
Sponsor Scheme.
22 February 2010: Changes to Tier 4 student visa applications
from 3 March 2010. A new set of measures will be introduced
in a phased approach to tighten the criteria on student Tier 4
visa applications. Before you make your visa application, please
check the updates on the Tier
4 General and Child Student guidance on the UK Border Agency
website for full details of the changes. The following changes
will come into effect on 3 March 2010:
The minimum level of English language course has been raised
to level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference
for Languages (CEFR). Students will need a higher level of
English at a minimum level of B1 of the Common European Framework
of References for Languages to come and study an English language
course in the UK. Exceptions apply to Government sponsored
students and specific pre-sessional English courses.
If you are coming to study below degree level (excluding
foundation degree students) you will only be able to work
10 hours a week (this has been reduced from 20 hours).
If you are studying for a course under Tier 4 for 6 months
or less, you will no longer be able to bring your dependants.
Dependants of anyone studying a course lower than degree
level (excluding those on foundation degree courses) will
no longer be able to work (unless they qualify in their own
right under Tier 1 (General) as a highly skilled migrant or
as a skilled worker under Tier 2 General, sportsperson or
minister of religion).
If you have submitted and paid for your application prior to
3 March 2010, you will be considered against the rules in force
at the time. Further changes will be introduced from April 2010.
