Yes, if you are in the UK on a valid student visa, please download our letter template (Word) and complete it if you are inviting your guests to attend your ceremony.
Please note: it may be useful to provide your booking confirmation email as further evidence of your graduation date and time for your guests to obtain a visitor visa. Relatives and friends coming to the UK for up to six months will need to apply for a standard visitor visa.
- Visitors from countries which are not classed as visa national countries can apply for a visa either before travelling or on arrival in the UK.
- For updates to the status of Visa Application Centres (VACs) in your country check with:
- TLS contact if you're in Europe, Africa and parts of the Middle East
- VFS global for all other countries
For full information on eligibility and how to apply, please see the Home Office website – the how to apply section also explains the process in your country, including visa fees and waiting times.
Kingston University cannot accept responsibility for any decisions made by the Home Office.
Important: anyone coming or returning on a standard visitor visa please take out health insurance as you will not be covered by the NHS in the UK.
Documents to help your visitor to obtain their visa
If your friends or relatives are planning to come to the UK to attend your ceremony, you can assist them with their visa application by sending them the following documents:
- A letter of invitation from you stating your address in the UK, your relationship with your visitor, the purpose of the visit, the dates of the visit and the details of where they will be staying. As you are the person that your friend or relative is coming to visit, this letter must come from you and not from Kingston University. Please see the invitation letter (Word) as an example of what to include.
- A photocopy of the information page of your passport.
- A photocopy of your valid student visa (if applicable).
- A copy of your ticket booking confirmation email. This will confirm the date and time of your graduation ceremony.
- If you will be supporting your visitor financially during their visit, or paying for the cost of their visit, your original pay slips, bank statements, or some other evidence to show that you have enough money to support them. We suggest that these documents should cover several months before the date of application.
- If your visitor will be staying with you for the duration of their stay in the UK, you should also provide proof of your address (eg a copy of your tenancy agreement).
Please note: the information provided here is only general guidance. Requirements may vary from country to country and you must check with the Home Office, your local British Embassy or High Commission for exact details of the required documentation. Please also review the Guide to Supporting Documents.
Immigration regulations are subject to change at short notice and therefore we cannot guarantee that a visa application will be successful if all the above documents are provided.
You can also find important information about visitor visas on the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website.
Kingston University cannot accept responsibility for any decisions made by the Home Office.
Yes, if you have returned to your home country and would like to attend the ceremony with or without guests, Kingston University can provide a Visa support letter.
If you are travelling from outside the EU to attend a graduation ceremony you will need a visa to enter the UK:
- If you are travelling from a visa national country to attend a graduation ceremony you will need a visa to enter the UK. If your student visa has expired and you have left the UK, you will need to apply for a standard visitor visa.
- If your student visa is still valid but you have left the UK, we recommend that you apply for a standard visitor visa, too.
- If you are travelling from a non-visa national country, and do not have a valid visa, or EU Settlement, you should carry details of your graduation with you when you are entering the UK. If you enter via an eGate you will not receive a stamp in your passport, but you will have entered as a standard visitor. You should retain your boarding pass as proof of the date you entered the UK to ensure you do not overstay the maximum time of 6 months that is permitted on a standard visitor visa.
Request a visa support letter from Kingston University to support you and your guests when you apply for your visitor visa.
Visitors from countries which are classed as visa national countries will need to apply for a visa in their home country before travelling.
Full information about applying for standard visitor visas is provided by the Home Office.
Documents required when applying for a standard visitor visa
The documents you require to support your application for a standard visitor visa will depend on the purpose of your visit and may vary from person to person. You should provide as many relevant documents as you can to show that you qualify for entry to the UK. You must decide which documents will best support your application. In general, the documents will need to include the following:
- information about you – ie your passport, any existing or past UK visas;
- information about your finances and employment – ie bank statements, pay slips;
- your accommodation and travel details – ie your flight/travel details, confirmation of accommodation booking or proof of address from the person you will be staying with
- information about your visit to the UK – ie details about the purpose of your stay, which can be supported by the visa support letter issued to you at your request. Please request your visa letter from our website, the visa letter will be sent to you electronically within five working days of submission.
For full details of UK visa requirements please refer to the Home Office website.
Visas for your friends and relatives
Relatives and friends coming to the UK for up to six months will need to apply for a standard visitor visa.
Please note: the visa support letter states that you are permitted to bring guests with you to your graduation ceremony. Please give a copy of the letter we issue to any of your guests that are applying for a visa to the UK.
- Visitors from countries which are not classed as visa national countries can apply for a visa either before travelling or on arrival in the UK.
- For updates to the status of Visa Application Centres (VACs) in your country check with:
- TLS contact if you're in Europe, Africa and parts of the Middle East
- VFS global for all other countries
For full information on eligibility and how to apply, please see the Home Office website – the how to apply section also explains the process in your country, including visa fees and waiting times.
You can also find important information about visitor visas on the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website.
Kingston University cannot accept responsibility for any decisions made by the Home Office.
