The government of the United Kingdom has announced plans to suspend the issuance of student visas for applicants from Sudan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Cameroon.
The decision aims to address concerns that some migrants use student visas as a route to claim asylum after arriving in the country.
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Home Secretary Explains the Decision
UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced the policy change and said authorities would also stop granting skilled worker visas to applicants from Afghanistan.
According to Mahmood, the government wants to prevent individuals from misusing legal immigration routes to remain in the UK.
“We have decided to refuse visas to people who attempt to take advantage of our generosity in order to remain here,” she said.
Rise in Asylum Claims from Student Visa Holders
The UK Home Office reported that the number of asylum seekers entering the country legally through student visas increased more than threefold between 2021 and 2025.
Officials say individuals who originally arrived as students now account for about 13 percent of all pending asylum applications in the United Kingdom.
Reports also indicate that the four countries affected by the new restrictions produce the largest number of asylum claims. Around 16,000 people from these countries currently receive welfare support in the UK.
Growing Migration Pressures on the UK
Data from the Home Office show a sharp rise in asylum applications among students from several countries.
Since 2021, about 95 percent of students arriving from Afghanistan have applied for asylum. Meanwhile, asylum claims from students from Myanmar increased sixteenfold. Applications from Sudan and Cameroon have risen more than four times.
Official figures also show that about 41,472 migrants crossed into the UK through the English Channel in 2025. This represents an increase of around 5,000 compared with the previous year, highlighting growing migration pressures on the government.
