₦airaland Forum

Hello

Let me try to help answer a few

1. There is a guide to that on this link, read through and you will see you could isolate in either places, it now depends on how comfortable you might be in a family friends house versus if you have funds for a hotel
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-how-to-self-isolate-when-you-travel-to-the-uk/coronavirus-covid-19-how-to-self-isolate-when-you-travel-to-the-uk

2. Personally, I would say No, and the reason is that sometimes the accommodation you see online may not be the true picture of what you meet when you arrive, plus you might be dealing with a fraudster. I can advise that you check through and filter what you seem to like and can afford. Send an email and perhaps request you view before moving in, some rentals do social distance viewing and some virtually but I'd rather be there personally and look at everything myself, ensure they are working, the size of the room etc

3. Shared accommodation means you will share the common areas with other people and have your room to yourself, meaning you will share toilet, bathroom, kitchen , sitting room etc with others. I don't know what you mean by private but that could be studio and flats and it's the opposite. Again shared accommodation are usually cheaper so it's down to what your preference is and what you can afford.

4. Rent per calendar month (PCM) is cheaper than rent per week (PW). That's the terminology used in accommodation sites

5. It depends on distance to school, closeness to the next bus stop, or the city centre or work, the rents, what bills are included and/or left out. It really depends but my first concern will be distance.

6. I skipped one... I know of Zoopla and Right move, you have to fine-tune your search though to reflect Sunderland. Again remember, the pictures may or may not be what it is, however, I think most agents have their contact emails attached to the accommodation listing, so you can engage them directly. Please remember internet and fraudsters so thread cautiously

Unfortunately, I can't advise on Sunderland because I didn't school there.

I hope this helps.

All the best

Omah7979:
House good morning I’d like to ask few questions

[b]On issue of accommodation, is it safe to say after you arrive UK,the compulsory 14days quarantine will be done in a family friends house or a hotel?
[/b]
[b]Is it ok to pay for accommodation before arriving U.K. my school is uni Sunderland [/b]

Please anyone in Sunderland already please where’s the best place to live in Sunderland( cost of living, job, fun etc) anything you can say about Sunderland

What website can one use to look for accommodation and job[/b]

[b][b]What can you say about shared accommodation and private accommodation
[/b]
Would you advice one to pay for accommodation space monthly or weekly
[/b]
[b]What the things to look out for when renting accommodation

Thank you guys

cc justwise, stenon, Hosey and other gurus in the house

Do you mean invite letter?

mrkenth:
Hello, please can anyone help me with a copy sample of an [font=Lucida Sans Unicode][[b]b]involetter [/[/b]for a dependant

The first is correct. Whenever you are ready.

mrkenth:
Hello house, please I will like to know if there is any specific time a dependant must join his or her spouse .. is it when the partner is ready or the UkVI always give automaton on when he or she should join?

Try to calm down abit okay, i know how overwhelming information can be. To help, Yes the fees and maintenance funds will have to be transferred from your sponsor to you even as a B.Sc student. 2. Yes you have to calculate the amount because this will depend on your fees, any deposit made and the location of your school for the maintenance funds (9months).

If you can filter through @mimilyrics post and catch up or if she can perhaps do i write up for you.

[quote author=zeebeedee post=90444094][/quote]

Just to add, there is an automated IHS fees checker. Please see https://www.immigration-health-surcharge.service.gov.uk/checker/type

ensure you double check when the new fee is implemented.

All the best

Yimi4real:
It should be 470 x 2 plus 150 because currently it is 300 x 2 plus 150 for 2 year’s courses

You no dey sleep

Skymoore1004:
Louder for the people that always ask ”please can only easily pay off tuition with side job of 20 hours a week? How is Sunderland, how is Sheffield, Leeds nko?, are there many student jobs there?”..

Like she said, always know the payment structure & plan accordingly....

I think most schools are already factoring this requirement or planing towards this for the next academic session in September. A lot of things will change, some schools may provide accommodation or not, (different approach will be taken) When it is time, work with the team in your schools to help answer the key questions when filing your visa form. It will help save cost and avoid mistakes.

Cheers

SAMDEEA123:
Earlier today someone asked about address when filling out the Visa application. Another person responded saying hotel booking is a absolute way out. it just dawn on me that with the new immigration guidelines and the two weeks isolation, it may be necessary that you get an accommodation before arrival. This may be a strong condition when the UKVAC opens

Just to chip in a bit about the tuition deposit and the balance of the fees itself, and I am talking from seeing peoples experiences as student ambassador in my former Uni. Not to discourage anyone, but after tuition deposit and all, schools have structured the rest of fees payment and sometimes the pressure to meet up is real. For example, before COVID, a Cov Uni with perhaps £12k fees will perhaps have a £4K deposit to get CAS, and then get to £8K during enrollment and the balance in 3months. The pressure students face in meeting up with this structure sometimes is not funny, before you know it you start getting regular emails and reminders from finance, or tier 4 team or international offices etc. Please make sure you know the structure of how this will work in your school and put measures in place to meet up.

The point is, try to think of the bigger picture outside just the deposit and plan for it adequately. Things might be slightly easier now with COVID but it should be on your mind.

SAMDEEA123:
Okay. Most universities that takes low deposit, their tuition fees are often higher than normal

TFL and London

MissyGh:
To add to what has been suggested especially by Mimilyrics is that, It all honestly depends on you and your partner. We cant tell you what will really work for you.
So you and your partner should discuss the options presented and settle on the one you deem best.
Going to a new country for the first time can come with its own challenges even psychologically and emotionally. The feeling of loneliness, homesickness, culture shock,job search struggles, getting lost despite using TFL journey planner.�
A married couple can go together and settle in and explore at the same time and be each others keeper before the craziness of coursework, group discussions, part time jobs , night shifts et al set in.
One can also take the lead, sort out accommodation , job and then allow their partner to join them later.
So please discuss further with your spouse and see what will work well for your studies and marriage.
All the best!

Thanks for this.. To sum it up the main point is who's name is on the rent agreement? What is the status? Full time student? You are exempted from paying council tax with or without dependants. The council tax exemption covers start date and end date of your course only, any other extra month might need you to start paying but until then you are exempted

illusory:
Una well done o. I have hardly contributed (due to hustle) but this forum helped me a lot in the past so rectifying that from now.

On the council tax issue, speaking from my own experience, even if the spouse has permission to work and is working, the full exemption still applies for students and dependents. It applies to spouses of international students as well. Some people are not aware of this so if you are sent a council tax letter without the full exemption, you simply go to your council office and tell them you are a full time international student and your spouse has ‘no recourse to public funds’. This has even been clarified in court. See... https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/information--advice/fees-and-money/council-tax#layer-3867 and https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/information--advice/fees-and-money/council-tax#layer-3867 for what constitutes student for council tax purposes.

This topic is very sensitive and is based on personal experiences. I have lived in a couple of cities here and have different experiences. You really can't generalize it. Be positive anywhere you find yourself, carry yourself well, be professional and if you ever experience such brush it off and move on

What is your final decision? Try and confirm if it is free accommodation until the end of the academic year September 2020 to December 2020 (3months free rent ) or the end of your academic year. Are you going for a business related course? that's where you might enjoy high flyers. I think you should also send a mail on how this might affect PSW if your eyes are on it as well.You can then put your pros and cons side by side

dejol88:
Thanks for your input , I appreciate.
However, the offer from coventry is too good to ignore , pls read the offer below

We understand the impact caused by COVID-19 (Coronavirus) on your plans to study a Coventry University degree here in the UK. We want to protect your education so that you can still achieve your dream of a Coventry University degree. So we're excited to announce that we’ve just launched The Phoenix Package and can support you to start with us in May this year as you had originally planned.
From 18 May 2020, you'll have virtual access to the first semester of Electrical and Electronic Engineering online and still have access to Coventry University's 'gold rated' standard of teaching through fantastic learning technologies.
Once you have successfully completed your online learning, and as soon as the UK Government recommendations allow us, you’ll be able to join us for a traditional on-campus experience here in the UK. So you could complete the academic year in 2021 as planned, and this means you could enjoy the benefits of the planned UK Government Graduate Immigration Route.
We know that accommodation is probably one of the largest costs you will face when you come to the UK. That’s why we’re proud to offer you free accommodation in Quadrant Hall from September 2020 until the end of the academic year. We’ve never done this for students before, and we hope it will go some way to financially support you in these difficult times. To be eligible you must continue your studies with us during the year, meeting all the academic regulations that we’d normally ask of you.
As a student starting in May, you’ve already been allocated an automatic £2,500 Country Award towards the cost of your tuition fees. We don't want you to miss out on this, so please remember that this award may not be available to students who wait to start their course in September 2020.
Finally, to pay tribute to your academic ambition, we're giving you exclusive access, free of charge, to the Phoenix Flyers Programme. We've harnessed the expertise of our International Centre for Transformational Entrepreneurship to deliver a series of new and certified seminars and workshops on entrepreneurship on and offline. You’ll also have access to some of the learning materials developed as part of our Post Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship, an innovative online programme developed by Coventry University and Deakin University in Australia. 
We have 105 places available on The Phoenix Package. We will allocate these on a first come, first served basis. So please reply to this email as soon as you can to let us know that you wish to take up your place and start with us in May 2020.
With best wishes,

The offer above is too tempting to ignore though i have been asking the question to be sure i will benefit from psw. I will post my finding here and I think justwise is right .

Aprokodaughter:
Why bring this arguement now? Nobody here asked you to send any email to Home office. Its already stated on the email why bring it here?

Some of you don't bring anything meaningful apart from argument.


Nobody even knows if you're traveling to the UK for studies. You are just everywhere derailing all travel threads.


Its becoming irritating and annoying.

I honestly agree with you..I know a lot of people like to plan ahead but its important to note that the program will start in summer 2021 we are still in 2020. The team implementing this scheme will set out all the criteria you need to measure with to qualify when it is time. The only benchmark given for now is the season and year.Arguing calendar, what is or isn't summer, what schools say or not won't matter when it is time to implement the scheme.

chrisj2:
I think the Immigration people could have been more specific - if they wanted a court order or custody; why not just say so?

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/257782/custody-orders-valid-in-uk.pdf

List of countries whose custody orders may be recognised as valid in the United
Kingdom upon registration here by virtue of the Child Abduction and Custody Act,
1985
Argentina France Poland
Australia Germany Portugal
Austria Greece Romania
Bahamas Honduras Slovenia
Belgium Hungary Spain
Belize Iceland Sweden
Bosnia Herzegovina Republic of Ireland Switzerland
Burkina Faso Israel St Kitts & Nevis
Canada Italy Federal Republic -
Chile Luxembourg -of Yugoslavia
Columbia Macedonia USA
Croatia Mauritius Venezuela
Cyprus- (but not the Mexico Zimbabwe
Turkish Republic of Monaco
Northern Cyprus) Netherlands
Denmark New Zealand
Ecuador Norway
Finland Panama

The situation is terrible - these people deny a lot of Dependant Visas; and do they really want to believe anything out of Nigeria? I hope we get through because we do not have a court order or full custody. The father of the child was unmarried and is AWOL and simply not interested in his child anymore. It is a slightly different sets of circumstances... How did you get full custody of your child when you are in the UK and the child is in Nigeria and how long did it take? In the UK, it will take a while because time will be set aside for investigations and contact with the other partner...
I dont know! Good luck.

Unfortunately,they don't say so,my son was denied twice before they spelt out legal documents like a court order in the last refusal.
I literally went back home in March,filed got my decree nissi and custody and now decree absolute(Don't know if I got the legal names right)

I understand your situation,my sons father was also awol, but I found him.She has to do same.
Keep me updated too

All the best

chrisj2:
Hi Poster, I am interested in your case as I am going through the same sort of thing... Although the dependant VISA for stepdaughter has not been refused yet but they asked for further evidence despite the mountain that we have given them. What struck me from your post is that you said the requested for a court order?
In our case, they simply requested for further evidence without specifying a court or custody order - and they gave us 10 working days. We could not have got a 'believable' court order or full custody order in 10 workings day... Moreover, I saw it as a trap because they will challenge it and will red flag it. Moreover, Custody Order from Nigeria is not exactly valid as such as far as the UK is concerned... They only full recognise Custody orders as relates to child trafficking and co from just some countries.

It has been a quandary... And a rejection will be devastating for the whole family. Big sigh. I presumed your child is left in Nigeria - wow! That must be tough!
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P.s. As well as the custody order, you need the Decree Absolute as highlighted previously and you are DIVORCED for this purpose - and it helps. Also all evidence should be explained and statements and testimonials are vital - the ECO do not take everything on face value and they might even moss some. Good luck. I shall be following your journey - keep us posted.

Just seeing this ,well if they asked for more evidence it most likely will be a court order.I intend to put in the dependant visa since I have full custody from my divorce, along with a consent from his father hopefully he sees reasons with me.
Before the marriage intent and follow up spousal.For now,I have begun gathering documents.i will update you ..

Lexusgs430:
We don't judge on this thread, we simply offer free advice, based on the information(s) presented to us.......



It's gone pass hating the word divorce, if you choose single, while divorced. It would seem you're trying to hide that vital information......

Without your absolute, you're not divorced. Any legal marriage conducted under any jurisdiction, would be deemed an illegality, if you intend settling in the UK. Bigamy is an illegal act and attracts a prison sentence. So at the moment, you're separated..........

You already exposed your son to the authorities, due to that refusal. Getting a consent order from his Dad, should not be a difficult task (if you have to bribe, BRIBE HIM).........

Have you tried the adoption route?.....

And finally, if you're divorced, it's not a sin, nor an offence...... Divorce simply means, he was not good enough for you.......

You have come out stronger and moving on happily....... Use divorce and not any other........

Goodluck.........

Thank you so much,
Kindly advice please what application do I put in first, marriage or dependant? My decree absolute is ready now.

Thank you

Dear Senior Gurus I need your kind advice.

I recently concluded my masters and have applied for PhD, new brp is ready for collection. My question is I have a son who have been refused dependant visa twice because UK requested for court order. I have been long separated from his father since 2014 and finally got full custody divorce order.I have also met my fiance and we are planing on settling down in April. My question is:

1) I used single in my application as I dont like the term divorced,do I apply for my sons dependant visa first before declaring our intention to marry?
2) how important is personal cover letter in visa application,in his previous application I said so much when writing my personal letter do I need to address each statement or just say I have been granted full custody
3) do I still need a letter of consent from his father
4) how long should I give between applying for my sons dependant visa and intention to marry in the UK
5) do i need to wait for decree absolute
6) do i need to state divorced during marriage application when I used single during my visa application.

Please help.Don't judge me..Life has been very interesting