Glossary
Visa & immigration glossary
The confusing terms that show up on application forms and in interviews, defined in plain English.
- BiometricsYour fingerprints and a photograph, collected at a visa application centre as part of many applications. Once given, biometrics are often reusable for a set number of years.
- Blocked AccountA special bank account, common for German student visas, holding roughly one year of living costs that you can only draw down in monthly amounts after arrival.
- CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies)A unique reference number issued by a licensed UK education sponsor confirming your place on a course. It is required to apply for a UK Student visa.
- Dual IntentA concept allowing certain visa holders to pursue permanent residency while holding a temporary visa. Some categories permit dual intent; most visitor and student visas do not.
- Form I-20The Certificate of Eligibility issued by a US SEVP-approved school, certifying you are admitted and have shown the funds to study. It underpins the F-1 student visa application.
- OverstayRemaining in a country beyond the date your visa or entry stamp permits. Even short overstays can trigger bans and make future applications far harder.
- Port of EntryThe airport, land border or seaport where a border officer decides whether to admit you. A visa lets you travel to the port of entry; the officer there grants the actual admission.
- Proof of FundsDocumentary evidence that you can pay for your trip or studies and your living costs, usually shown through bank statements, sponsorship letters or instruments like a GIC. The amount and the holding period are often specified by the visa.
- Section 214(b)The provision of US law under which every nonimmigrant visa applicant is presumed to intend to immigrate until they prove otherwise. Overcoming 214(b) means demonstrating strong ties to your home country.
- SEVISThe Student and Exchange Visitor Information System that tracks F, M and J visa holders in the US. Applicants pay a SEVIS fee before their visa interview.
- SponsorA person or organisation that takes financial or legal responsibility for an applicant — a relative funding a trip, an employer offering a job, or an institution issuing study documents.
- Ties to Home CountryThe personal, economic and social connections — a job, property, dependents, a business — that give an officer confidence you will return home after a temporary visa. Weak ties are the most common reason short-stay visas are refused.
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