Proof of VISA and immigration status

For some students and college applications, we will request proof of VISA/immigration status evidence. This evidence is requested by the college when proof of residency in the United Kingdom is required. If this is applicable to you, you will receive an email from the college requesting this. 

If you have been contacted to provide this information, you should follow the guidance below.

If you have not yet applied for a VISA to study in the United Kingdom, please visit the GOV.UK website for further information.

What documents do I need?

The following are valid documents that Nottingham College can accept for residency/VISA evidence requirements.

Please provide/upload to your college account one of the following: 

  • e-Visa
  • Share Code that starts with S (for study purposes, not work rights)
  • Home Office Letter
  • Residence Permit that has not expired

If you are aged 16-18:

  • If you have lived in England for 3 years or more, we only need to see your e-Visa or a share code.
  • If you have lived in the UK for less than 3 years, we also need to see your parent/guardian e-Visa or share code, along with their date of birth.

GOV.UK UK Visas and Immigration share code

If you have been told you can view your immigration status online you can use the GOV.UK online service to obtain a share code. In order to use this service you must have a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. If you do not have a UKVI account, you must provide an alternative form of evidence listed on this page.

A share code is 9 digits and contains letters and numbers.

What happens next
  1. Once you have obtained your share code, you can provide this to Nottingham College. You can screenshot or take a picture of it for uploading as evidence.
  2. Once provided, Nottingham College will enter this share code and your date of birth into the GOV.UK check immigration status service.
  3. Nottingham College will confirm the details returned by GOV.UK and progress your application, or get in touch if we have further questions.
An image of the Home Office Share Code page on their website.

Letter from the Home Office confirming residency status

Any letter from the Home Office can be accepted as valid evidence for residency status providing it includes immigration status and valid end date.

Please see the example of a Home Office letter below.

A image of an example Home Office Letter about the EU Settlement Scheme
An image of an example Aspen Card

Application Registration Card (ARC) and Aspen Card

The ARC is a credit card-sized plastic card issued by the Home Office to individuals who claim asylum.

You must provide both an ARC and Aspen card together to be accepted as evidence.

Biometric Residence Permit Card (BRP)

A valid Biometric Residence Permit card can be used as proof of identity and right to study in the United Kingdom.

An example of a Biometric Residence Permit card can be found below. A biometric card will have the biometric symbol.

An image of an example of biometric permit card

Other documents

  • Section 4 document
  • Refugee travel documents
  • Bail 201 letter
  • Section 98, 95 or 4 NASS support letter

If you are unsure about what evidence you need to provide regarding your application, please get in touch with our admissions team.

Telephone: 0115 9100100
Email: feadmissions@nottinghamcollege.ac.uk

Uploading evidence

Evidence for general identification purposes or VISA/residency can be uploaded through your student account.

When accessing the Upload Evidence screen, you will need to select an option from the Evidence Type menu. Make sure to select the correct category for the evidence you are uploading.

For example: If you are uploading “Proof of Visa and Immigration status” documents, please use the “Residency evidence” category.

Upload Evidence