Visa & Passport Information

Obtaining a UK Student Visa is mandatory and requires time to complete. Refrain from international travel during the summer before your fall semester abroad. Why? Your passport needs to be mailed to NYC for visa processing. (The HC Office of Study Abroad is open over the summer and will help you through this process).

Here is a SUMMARY of what to expect:

THE "SCHOOL"-SIDE of the PROCESS

The first step involves accepting your offer from the college at Oxford to which you applied. Following your acceptance of their offer, you will receive an email asking you to complete a data entry form and/or share a copy of your passport. 

After sharing your information with the UK Government, the host institution produces a CAS number and letter. "CAS" stands for Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies and is typically emailed to you from the university. Your CAS is the first piece of documentation you'll use to begin your online visa application. 

--> Do not begin your visa application until you have received your CAS!

You will also receive necessary supporting documents from our Study Abroad Office - e.g., your International Health Insurance letter and HC Affidavit letter. These two documents are mailed to the home address listed on your HC study abroad portal. 

THE "GOVERNMENT"-SIDE of the PROCESS

After receiving your CAS, you'll apply online for the visa, then attend an in-person biometrics appointment in the U.S. Depending on which type of biometrics appointment you select, you'll either mail your application and documents to the UK Consulate in NYC or leave them with a VFS Premium Center, which will mail them on your behalf to NYC. 

When your application is processed and your passport returned to you, it will have a "90-day vignette" inside. You will use this vignette to obtain your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) once you arrive at your destination in the UK. Your BRP allows you to stay in the UK for the academic year.

THE COST

Visa price: For 2023-24, the total cost was approximately $1035, which is a combination of the Visa fee (£363) and the Healthcare surcharge fee (£470). Please note that paying the healthcare surcharge fee is mandatory regardless of whether you have private health insurance.  

WHY I PAY for NATIONAL HEALTHCARE

The benefit of the UK's healthcare surcharge fee is that you now have access to the National Health Service (NHS), the publicly funded healthcare system in the UK. All appointments and treatments (including accident and emergency) are free to the patient, as are almost all prescription drugs and dental care.  

WHY I NEED U.S. HEALTHCARE, TOO

Despite having this national health care coverage in the UK and emergency health insurance via International SOS Health Insurance (through HC), you are required to maintain your U.S. health care coverage. Why? Neither NHS nor ISOS insurance is valid in the U.S. Therefore, should you for any reason have to return home, you would likely be outside the "enrollment period" and unable to rejoin your policy.  

In the event of a lost/stolen passport, students are advised to take these immediate steps:

1) report the loss/theft to local authorities

2) follow the protocols posted by the US Department of State

3) contact ISOS to open a case

4) Alert the on-site director of your program

5) Alert the Office of Study Abroad

As unfortunate as this situation is, students will need to be self-directed, making use of the Embassy and/or consular resources in the country in which the event occurred. It should be noted that the emergency passport often issued by the US Department of State as a replacement for a lost/stolen passport is NOT automatically recognized by all countries, including some in the Schengen Area (France, for example). Students will therefore need to learn the most secure means of travel back to their host country/institution. Depending on that country and its respective regulations, the student's future travel may be curtailed out of necessity.

Given the fact that international rules and regulations will dictate proper procedures and future travel, students and their families should be aware that ISOS, the Office of Study Abroad, the College of the Holy Cross, and on-site staff have no ability to influence and/or change the conditions that a student may face. As gathered by the student, information provided by the US Embassy or Consul within the country(s) in question will stand as the guiding and ultimate authority. 

Here are some recommendations to prevent/insure against a lost or stolen passport:

• Keep photocopies of your passport and visa (if applicable) both at home in the US and in your room abroad when you travel

• Keep photos of your passport/visa on your phone

• Always keep your passport on your person in a zipped and/or hidden pocket, especially when riding public transportation

• When traveling, always lock your passport in a hotel safe, if available

• Learn the rules of your host country: if you are not required to have your passport on your person when traveling internally, leave it in your room. Travel instead with your school and/or other forms of ID.

For more information about the risk of travel and student responsibilities during their study abroad term, students are strongly encouraged to re-read the Study Abroad Student Contract and Conduct Policy which they signed as a requirement for submission of their study abroad application.