Out-of-term travel and immigration advice
If you’re looking to travel overseas during the University holiday periods, follow the advice below to make sure you don’t come across any difficulties.
Term has ended and we know many of you are taking advantage of the holiday periods to explore the UK or beyond. For those of you travelling outside of the UK, make sure to follow the right immigration advice to avoid problems during your travels or when you return to the UK.
Look after important travel documents and your Biometric Residence Permit
Replacing immigration documents can be very time consuming and expensive, and can cause delays to your return to the UK after the holidays. Take care of your travel documents and UK Biometric Residence Permit. During the holiday period, make sure you:
- keep them in a secure place
- don’t damage them
- don’t lose them
What if I lose my travel documents? Find more information on what to do if you lose your travel documents.
If your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) expires on 31/12/2024
If your BRP expires on 31/12/2024 then you must take action to create a UKVI account and get access to your eVisa.
An eVisa is digital immigration status that you can access online through UKVI's View and Prove service.
You will need access to your eVisa to demonstrate your UK immigration status after your BRP expires.
If you use your BRP to create your UKVI account, then you will need to link your passport to your UKVI account separately using the Update your UKVI account details service. If the passport you use for travel is not linked to your UKVI account before you travel, this may result in unnecessary delays when coming back to the UK.
You can find more information about how to get access to your eVisa on this page:
Please see below for more information if you will be travelling with an eVisa.
Travelling with an eVisa
If you already have access to a UKVI account and an eVisa, then you should check that the information in your account is correct before you travel.
You should use the UKVI View and Prove service to check the details of your immigration status. If there are any errors, you should report these using this form:.
This includes making sure that the passport or other travel document that you use for travel with is linked to your UKVI account before you travel.
If you have a UKVI account, you should make sure that your current passport has been linked to your account before you travel. You can check that your travel document is linked to your account using the Update your UKVI account details service.
If the passport you use for travel is not linked to your UKVI account before you travel, this may result in unnecessary delays when coming back to the UK.
You can find more information about how to check your eVisa is correct before you travel on this page
You can also watch this video from UKVI explaining how to travel with your eVisa
Students attending on Visitor Visas
If you’re studying at the University of Leeds as a ‘visitor’, UK border force may ask to see proof that you are enrolled on a course at the University and have the money in place to support yourself during your studies.
Make sure you have relevant documentation that you can use as evidence of your right to stay in the UK and be prepared to show this at border control.
If you will be travelling to the UK as a Visitor without a visa, you should check if you will need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before you travel. From 8 January 2025, the list of nationalities that need an ETA to come to the UK is being expanded. Soon, all non-British and non-Irish nationals that can currently visit the UK for up to six months without a visa will need to apply for an ETA before travelling.
If you will be travelling to the UK without a visa, please check your entry requirements and find out whether you will need an ETA before you travel
You can find more information about applying for an Electronic Travel Authorisation
Working during the holidays
Student Visa holders on taught programs are permitted to work full-time during the holiday periods. However, there are certain restrictions for Masters students working in the summer holidays. Please check what working restrictions are applicable to your level of study.
There are also rules on the types of work that you can do. Find more on the website of the UK Council for International Student Affairs.