Introduction
To support international staff with visa costs, the University has introduced an interest free loan scheme to assist with the costs of dependant visas for immediate family members, up to a maximum of £10,000.
Staff members with a contract duration of 12 months or more are eligible to apply.
Please contact the UKVI Staff Hub for more information on how to apply - staffukvi@glasgow.ac.uk.
INTEREST FREE LOAN SCHEME - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who is eligible for the loan?
To be eligible, you must have a contract of employment with the University of at least 12 months.
You cannot apply on behalf of family members if you yourself are not making a visa application.
What can the loan be used for?
You can use the loan for
- Visa Application fees
- Immigration Health Surcharge fees
- Visa Application fees including the costs of immediate family members’¹ applications
- Legal advice to support your application(s)
- Premium service appointments (for employee applicants only)
¹ husband; wife; civil partner; unmarried partner; same sex partner; children under 18 years at time of application
You cannot use the loan for
- Premium service appointments for family members;
- Visa applications for extended family member applications;
- Language tests; or
- Travel to appointments.
How do I make an application?
You should complete the Interest Free Loan Application Form which will be provided to you by the Staff UKVI Compliance Team. To request a form please contact staffukvi@glasgow.ac.uk
Once the form has been returned, the team will arrange for this to be processed.
Note: Please complete all parts of the form to avoid any processing delays. If the form is incomplete, it will be returned to you before consideration of the application.
Once approved by the Director of People &OD Operations, the application will be forwarded to Payroll for payment.
What happens if my application is unsuccessful?
In the event that your application is unsuccessful/not approved, you will receive a letter from Staff UKVI Compliance Team outlining the reasons for rejection.
You may be asked to resubmit or amend your application in line with the Scheme rules. There is no right of appeal.
How much can I borrow?
You can borrow the equivalent of the eligible costs of your application(s) as evidenced in your application, up to a maximum of £10,000.
You will be required to provide evidence of the fees required prior to submission, and thereafter proof of submission and expenditure. The loan amount will not exceed the expenditure amount.
How long does it take to process my loan application?
This will depend on the completeness of the application form and evidence submitted. In general, please allow at least 4 weeks for the full process from submission to approval.
How is the loan paid?
Once approved, the loan will be paid into your bank account by BACS transfer, usually within 10 working days of final approval. You will be sent an email by Payroll to confirm it has been processed.
Will I have to pay any administrative charges?
The University will manage this internally and will not apply any admin charges to process your application.
How long do I have to repay the loan?
The repayment schedule will be based on the duration of your contract. You can opt to repay over 18, 24 or 36 months if your employment contract with us is open-ended or its duration exceeds the selected repayment schedule.
The University will deduct equal instalments on a monthly basis, depending on the repayment schedule, after Tax and NI and any other appropriate deductions have been made.
What if I leave the University before I have fully repaid the loan?
In the event that you leave the University before the end of the agreed loan term, you are required to repay the balance in full. The University reserves the right to recover the balance from your remaining salary during your notice period. Where the retained sums are insufficient to settle the outstanding balance, you will be required to repay the outstanding amount within 30 days of written confirmation from the University.