Changes of address, personal details, and family changes

Visa holders are required to report some changes to the Home Office and should also update their employing department/faculty/college.

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Home Office guidance states that visa holders can report a change of address directly to the Home Office, but this is not a compulsory requirement for all visa holders.

Skilled Worker and Tier 5 visa holders must inform their department/faculty/college of any changes in address and contact details (telephone number and email), as the University has a duty as a sponsor to retain a history of their contact details.

University employees can update their own contact details through HR Self-Service, but this is not available to college employees.

A new BRP must be applied for if any of the following change:

  • Name (as a result of marriage, civil partnership, divorce or deed poll, for example);
  • Nationality (if British or European citizenship has been granted, a visa may no longer be required);
  • Gender (see below);
  • Facial appearance (only in cases where there has been a substantial change);
  • Date of birth (if this was incorrect).

Please see Home Office guidance on reporting a change of circumstances for more information.

The titles Miss, Ms, Mr, Mrs, Mx are social titles and have no legal status and are not listed on passports or BRPs so there is no need to report changes of title to the Home Office. However, if you wish to use a certain title, or change your title, you can inform your department/ faculty/college and the Staff Immigration Team (SIT).

Change of gender

Those who change gender and/or name will need to apply for a new BRP. There currently is no option to list a non-binary gender in Home Office forms when applying for a visa, BRP, or passport.

The University of Oxford respects the dignity of all transgender staff, students, visitors, and alumni, and will take steps to meet individual requests for changes to name and gender identity where possible. All decisions about which details are changed in records will be taken in consultation with the individual. To request a change, contact should be made with the relevant department, faculty, college, or with SIT directly.

For further information and support, please contact the Equality and Diversity Unit (EDU) (equality@admin.ox.ac.uk). The University's transgender policy and guidance can be found on the EDU website.

Birth or adoption

Children, even babies, require their own Dependant visa in order to travel and return to the UK. NHS treatment for children up to three months old is always free, but thereafter there will be charges for treatment, unless a visa application has been submitted and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) has been paid.

If applying in the UK, it may be possible to apply for a Dependant visa for a baby without a passport, but it will be easier to apply after a passport has been obtained.

Please see the Dependant visas section of SIT guidance on your visa route for more information.

Partner and children moving to the UK after the main visa holder

If family members are moving to the UK after the main visa holder, they will need to apply for and obtain Dependant visas before travelling.

Children will only be granted Dependant visas if both parents hold, or are applying at the same time for, UK visas. Please see the dependant visas section of SIT guidance on your visa route for more information.

Separation or divorce

If a visa holder’s partner holds a Dependant visa based on their Skilled Worker visa and the relationship ends (when divorce or separation is final), they or their partner will have to report this to the Home Office and the partner will need to apply for a different visa.

Please see Home Office guidance for more information.

Contact us


Medical Sciences / Humanities / GLAM / UAS / Continuing Education

Angelina Pelova, Email: angelina.pelova@admin.ox.ac.uk 

Paul Deeble, Email: paul.deeble@tss.ox.ac.uk

 

MPLS / Social Sciences / Colleges

Lyn Davis, Email: lyn.davis@admin.ox.ac.uk

Richard Birt, Email: richard.birt@admin.ox.ac.uk

 

 

 

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