The ban on college students from the 4 international locations comes amid an increase in anti-immigration sentiment within the UK.
Printed On 4 Mar 2026
The UK says it’ll finish examine visas for college kids from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, and work visas for Afghans, amid an increase in anti-immigration sentiment within the nation.
The UK Dwelling Workplace mentioned in an announcement on Tuesday that “an ’emergency brake’ on visas has been imposed for the primary time on nationals from 4 international locations”, following a surge in asylum claims by college students on examine visas.
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The Dwelling Workplace mentioned the variety of asylum purposes by college students from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan had “rocketed” by greater than 470 % between 2021 and 2025.
“Britain will at all times present refuge to individuals fleeing warfare and persecution, however our visa system should not be abused,” Secretary of State for the Dwelling Division Shabana Mahmood mentioned.
“That’s the reason I’m taking the unprecedented resolution to refuse visas for these nationals in search of to use our generosity,” Mahmood mentioned.
Migration has turn out to be a significant challenge in UK politics with the hard-right Reform UK surging in opinion polls with its anti-immigration stance.
In a bid to assuage public sentiment, which has hardened on migration and stem the rise of the Reform UK get together, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s authorities has tightened the asylum course of and sped up the deportations of those that arrive illegally.
The UK’s Press Affiliation (PA) mentioned the visa ban will probably be formally launched by way of an immigration guidelines change on Thursday, and Dwelling Secretary Mahmood is predicted to put out a more durable asylum course of in a speech on the identical day.
In accordance with the PA, in plans already flagged by the federal government, new guidelines are anticipated to come back into drive that may see asylum seekers within the UK face a overview of their refugee standing each 30 months, in what’s seen as a technique to make the nation much less enticing for these in search of asylum.
The Dwelling Workplace mentioned that though the federal government has “decreased scholar asylum claims by 20 % over the course of 2025, additional motion is required as these arriving on examine visas nonetheless make up 13 % of all claims within the system”.
