Advice for students travelling outside the UK

If you want to travel outside the UK during your vacation periods, we recommend following our advice to stay safe.

Ensure you always keep your passport safe. For advice on what to do if your passport or immigration documents are lost or stolen, go to our official guidance page.

Travelling to the Middle East

The ongoing situation in the Middle East is resulting in significant and unpredictable disruption to travel, including flight changes and cancellations.

If you are planning to travel to, within or from the region, please check the latest travel advice from the UK Government and follow guidance from relevant local authorities.

It is recommended that you contact your Embassy before travelling to any affected countries. Find details of foreign embassies in the UK.

British nationals currently in the region should notify the UK Government.

Find information about support available for students affected by current events in the Middle East.

Before you leave

Find out the contact details of your national embassy before you travel.
Make sure that your eVisa details are correct and linked to your current passport.
Create a share code for your eVisa and keep a copy of it when you travel.
Take copies of your passport and eVisa – leave a copy in your student accommodation and take another with you when you travel.
If you have an expired BRP, carry it with you when you travel back to the UK.
Tell your friends and family members about your travel plans, including dates, destination and accommodation address.
Take as few valuable possessions with you as possible.
Take out comprehensive travel insurance before your trip.
Contact your bank before you leave to let them know of your travel plans to ensure you can use your debit/credit card while you are away.
Put your contact details inside your luggage.

While you are travelling

Avoid travelling alone.
Never leave your bags unattended.
If you need to carry your passport, keep it safe at all times.
Be vigilant about your belongings.
Read UKCISA's advice pages for useful tips and advice to stay safe when travelling. UKCISA (the UK Council for International Student Affairs) is an independent, UK-based charity and membership organisation committed to supporting international students in the UK.

The Government website, Gov.uk, also offers advice for travelling abroad.

Advice for students with eVisas

An eVisa is a digital immigration status that you can access online through your UKVI account.

Find more information about how to get access to your eVisa.

Use the View and Prove service to check that the information on your eVisa is correct before you travel. Report any errors with your eVisa using the online form.

You must make sure that your current passport has been linked to your UKVI account before you travel. You can check that your passport 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.

We recommend that you download a screenshot of your immigration status information from the View and Prove service and create a share code before you travel. You can keep copies of these with you when you travel.

If your carrier wrongly denies you boarding, then you should ask your airline to contact the dedicated UK Border Force Carrier Support Hub.

From 2 June 2025, expired BRPs will no longer be acceptable evidence of immigration status when travelling to the UK.

Find out more about how to check your eVisa is correct before you travel .

You can also watch a video from UKVI explaining how to travel with your eVisa.

If your personal details have changed and no longer match your eVisa

You must check that the personal details (e.g. name, nationality, date of birth) on your eVisa matches the information on the passport or travel document that you are travelling with and the information that you have provided to your airline or other carrier.

If your personal details have changed you must add your new passport or travel document to your UKVI account using the Update your UKVI account details service. You should try to update your UKVI account as soon as you receive your new passport.

If your personal details have changed and you aren’t able to update your UKVI account before you travel, then you may need to apply for a temporary visa to enter the UK before you can re-enter the UK. You will then be able to update your UKVI account once you are back in the UK. The temporary visa costs £154 and you will need to provide your biometrics at a visa application centre to complete the application. The temporary visa application is usually processed within three weeks but it may be possible to pay an additional fee for priority processing. The temporary visa will be valid for only one journey to the UK. Find more information about applying for a temporary visa to enter the UK..

Advice for students visiting the UK as a Visitor

If you’re studying at the University of Leeds as a Standard 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 were previously able to visit the UK without a visa, you may now be required to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before you travel back to the UK. An ETA is now required for all European and non-European national visitors travelling to the UK without a visa. You do not need an ETA if you already have a valid visa or if you have pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.

Check your entry requirements and find out whether you will need an ETA or a visa before you travel.