Coming to my graduation ceremony on a Tier 4 visa

[CloudyNow]

My current course terminates on 16 June 2017. I am flying from the UK to my home country on 18 June 2017. We purchased plane tickets and made hotel reservations with my family to attend my graduation ceremony, which is on 19 July 2017.

My university advises against using my Tier 4 to attend my graduation ceremony because it is considered a touristic purpose. However, most other universities state that it is safe to do so if I show them my return tickets which make it obvious that I am not trying to abuse my Tier 4, whilst also conceding that it is up to the Border Control Officer's discretion.

I am planning to do a postgraduate course, for which I need to apply for a new Tier 4 anyway but I'm not sure how relevant that is. Also I want to apply for a Schengen visa to travel to another European country in late July/early August. Having to apply for a visitor visa just to attend my own ceremony feels daft under these circumstances and may ruin my holiday plans!

[sah10406]

My university advises against using my Tier 4 to attend my graduation ceremony because it is considered a touristic purpose. However, most other universities state that it is safe to do so if I show them my return tickets which make it obvious that I am not trying to abuse my Tier 4, whilst also conceding that it is up to the Border Control Officer's discretion.

Your university is giving sound advice, and the others are being a little cavalier, although probably based on experience that it is sometimes okay. But why take the risk that it will not be?

A Tier 4 visa allows you to enter the UK to start or continue your studies. If you leave the UK after your studies, then want to come back for a visit, you should come as a Standard Visitor.

If you are a non-visa national, it is kind of a moot point because you do not need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa before travelling anyway, but it is important to understand that you may be admitted as a visitor, not on your now-irrelevant Tier 4 visa.

Having to apply for a visitor visa just to attend my own ceremony feels daft under these circumstances and may ruin my holiday plans!

Expecting to to use a student visa for a course that has finished to come back to the UK for a visit is just as daft, if I may say.

[CloudyNow]

I am a visa national. I say it is daft because 1) I am coming for a purpose that IS related to my studies, which is to collect my diploma, 2) I have a return ticket 3 days after my flight into the UK, and 3) I am due to apply for a new Tier 4 anyway so the reasoning that I have no more business left in the UK also doesn't apply. So do I have to go home, apply (and cough up the money for) a tourist visa for a trip that is related to my studies, come back, apply for a Tier 4 and have my passport kept hostage for weeks, preventing me from applying for a Schengen tourist visa for a separate holiday plan that I have? I say this is a rather unfair application of bureaucratic rules...

[sah10406]

You are planning on going home for a month anyway, so why not move that trip to after graduation? Then you can just stay in the UK for a few weeks until your family come for graduation, and then head home with them afterwards.

You can then make the new Tier 4 application either in the UK or in your home country, whichever fits in best with your travel schedule.

[CloudyNow]

Well I already bought my flight home, plus my current tenancy will terminate soon so I'd be homeless here...

[sah10406]

Well I already bought my flight home, plus my current tenancy will terminate soon so I'd be homeless here...

In that case, I'm afraid you will need to put this one down to experience.

[CloudyNow]

Well I already bought my flight home, plus my current tenancy will terminate soon so I'd be homeless here...

In that case, I'm afraid you will need to put this one down to experience.

I will take the risk and hope the people at border control are not mindless robots...

[sah10406]

I will take the risk and hope the people at border control are not mindless robots...

As I have said all along, it might be fine. But in general I advise against feeling entitled to enter the UK for a different purpose than your visa was issued for. That way could lie heartache.

[Hkwee]

Hi, could you please let me know how did it goes? I am also facing the same problems now. Your help and information are highly appreciated! Many thanks!