A UK visa allows applicants to travel in transit through the UK, study, work or settle. Each visa applicant must make sure they abide by UK immigration laws at all times. Once your UK visa has been issued, what should you do?
Check Your Personal Details
Human error can occur from time to time, which is why you should carefully check your visa vignette in your passport the moment you receive it to make sure it is free of errors. Make sure your name has been spelled correctly and that your passport number and date of birth are also correct. If you notice any errors on your visa, you should immediately contact the visa application centre that issued your visa to let them know.
Are There Any Conditions or Restrictions ?
Does your visa contain any conditions or restrictions on travel or settlement? Check to make sure you understand exactly what you can and cannot do while you are in the UK. For example, some visa applicants are not allowed to work while they are living in the UK. Those who violate such restrictions are liable to be fined and deported from the UK. Or if your visa states ‘no recourse to public funds’, you cannot apply for unemployment benefits or other UK government benefits you are not entitled to during your stay in the UK.
Keep Your Passport Safe
You can breathe a sigh of relief that your application was successful the moment your visa has been issued and you have been cleared for travel! However, it is important to make sure you keep your passport in a safe location until you are ready to travel to the UK. If your passport is lost or stolen after your visa has been issued, you will have to replace your passport and then reapply for a new visa. There are no exceptions. If you find yourself in this situation, be sure to include a police report with the application as evidence that you reported your passport lost or stolen.
Once your visa has been issued, it is important to check your personal details carefully to make sure they are error-free. You should also familiarise yourself with any applicable conditions or restrictions of your stay in the UK, so that you do not inadvertently breach UK immigration law. You should also keep your passport in a safe location until the day of travel.
Source:
UK Border Agency Homepage.
More from this contributor:
Do Visa Applicants Have to Be Interviewed?
How to Avoid Making Careless Visa Application Mistakes.
Will My Visa Application Be Denied?