Visa Panic BPP?

[BiancaR]

Hi all!
Apologies because this is a rather niche issue, but knowing how many international students TCLA supports, I was hoping to see if anyone else has had visa difficulties with BPP?

In order to study in the UK, a university has to issue you a CAS number (Confirmation of Acceptance of Study), which is usually issued three months prior to the start of your course. Six weeks after BPP’s visa team said they would issue the CAS, I was told that the university had run out of CAS and would have to be approved by the UK Visas and Immigration to issue more.

I submitted my visa application only half an hour after BPP finally sent my CAS number in late July. I had to pay an extra fee for expedited processing and pay to change my flights. By this date appointments to take biometrics, a requirement for this type of visa, were entirely booked until late November so the next day I drove 150 miles to the nearest processing center to try for a walk-in appointment. As part of the application process, you are also required to send away your passport which is quite nerve-wracking as I’m currently unable to travel even in emergency circumstances. Unfortunately, due to UKIV delays I am still waiting on my visa and have been for nearly a month. I have submitted a status update request through the staff of my local senator, who has jurisdiction to deal with international visas.

As a result of their policy and delay, BPP has created a situation where it is currently impossible for international students to secure visas prior to the start of course. They have also noted that visa related absences from the early sessions of the course will not be qualified as excused absences.


I really want to turn this into something positive, so was hoping that if other international students have gone through something similar, we might be able to write to BPP and request a policy change, or at least some additional guidance for those currently going through this process. Does anyone else have similar experiences with BPP? Should I write to my sponsor and request additional guidance from their visa team?

 

[AvniD]

Hi all!
Apologies because this is a rather niche issue, but knowing how many international students TCLA supports, I was hoping to see if anyone else has had visa difficulties with BPP?

In order to study in the UK, a university has to issue you a CAS number (Confirmation of Acceptance of Study), which is usually issued three months prior to the start of your course. Six weeks after BPP’s visa team said they would issue the CAS, I was told that the university had run out of CAS and would have to be approved by the UK Visas and Immigration to issue more.

I submitted my visa application only half an hour after BPP finally sent my CAS number in late July. I had to pay an extra fee for expedited processing and pay to change my flights. By this date appointments to take biometrics, a requirement for this type of visa, were entirely booked until late November so the next day I drove 150 miles to the nearest processing center to try for a walk-in appointment. As part of the application process, you are also required to send away your passport which is quite nerve-wracking as I’m currently unable to travel even in emergency circumstances. Unfortunately, due to UKIV delays I am still waiting on my visa and have been for nearly a month. I have submitted a status update request through the staff of my local senator, who has jurisdiction to deal with international visas.

As a result of their policy and delay, BPP has created a situation where it is currently impossible for international students to secure visas prior to the start of course. They have also noted that visa related absences from the early sessions of the course will not be qualified as excused absences.


I really want to turn this into something positive, so was hoping that if other international students have gone through something similar, we might be able to write to BPP and request a policy change, or at least some additional guidance for those currently going through this process. Does anyone else have similar experiences with BPP? Should I write to my sponsor and request additional guidance from their visa team?

I would 100% write to the visa team. They need to be clued into what's going on with you, why there are so many delays and what support they can offer to help you during this period. The post-pandemic staff shortages and backlog is largely to blame for visa issues around the world and as far as I know, even if you do need to go through a period of stress, the visa does generally come through in time so patience really is crucial here as well. Wishing you the best and hoping for this to get resolved for you super soon 🤞

 

[Hallelujah]

Hi all!
Apologies because this is a rather niche issue, but knowing how many international students TCLA supports, I was hoping to see if anyone else has had visa difficulties with BPP?

In order to study in the UK, a university has to issue you a CAS number (Confirmation of Acceptance of Study), which is usually issued three months prior to the start of your course. Six weeks after BPP’s visa team said they would issue the CAS, I was told that the university had run out of CAS and would have to be approved by the UK Visas and Immigration to issue more.

I submitted my visa application only half an hour after BPP finally sent my CAS number in late July. I had to pay an extra fee for expedited processing and pay to change my flights. By this date appointments to take biometrics, a requirement for this type of visa, were entirely booked until late November so the next day I drove 150 miles to the nearest processing center to try for a walk-in appointment. As part of the application process, you are also required to send away your passport which is quite nerve-wracking as I’m currently unable to travel even in emergency circumstances. Unfortunately, due to UKIV delays I am still waiting on my visa and have been for nearly a month. I have submitted a status update request through the staff of my local senator, who has jurisdiction to deal with international visas.

As a result of their policy and delay, BPP has created a situation where it is currently impossible for international students to secure visas prior to the start of course. They have also noted that visa related absences from the early sessions of the course will not be qualified as excused absences.


I really want to turn this into something positive, so was hoping that if other international students have gone through something similar, we might be able to write to BPP and request a policy change, or at least some additional guidance for those currently going through this process. Does anyone else have similar experiences with BPP? Should I write to my sponsor and request additional guidance from their visa team?

The same is going on with me too I applied on 8th August. Its been over 7 weeks now and yet my application is still in the decision making phase. Truly frustrating as my course is due to start on 26th of September.