The United Kingdom has stopped issuing sponsored study visas to nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan after a sharp rise in asylum claims from people who first entered the country legally.
The decision, described by the UK government as an “emergency brake”, was announced by the Home Office. It will also suspend skilled worker visas for Afghan nationals.
The changes will be made through an amendment to the Immigration Rules on March 5 and will take effect from March 26.
Officials said the move became necessary after many people who arrived on student or work visas later applied for asylum.
According to the Home Office, 133,760 people have claimed asylum after arriving legally in Britain over the past five years.
Since 2021, nearly 135,000 people entered the UK on study or other visas and later sought asylum.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said asylum claims through legal routes now make up almost 40 per cent of all applications.
In 2025 alone, 39 per cent of the 100,000 people who applied for asylum had first entered the country legally.
She explained that asylum applications by students from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan increased by more than 470 per cent between 2021 and 2025.
Applications by students from Myanmar rose sixteen-fold during that period. Claims from Cameroon and Sudan increased by more than 330 per cent.
Between 2021 and September 2025, the proportion of Afghan asylum claims compared to study visas issued reached 95 per cent. In simple terms, almost as many Afghans who received study visas later applied for asylum.
The situation is also serious for work visas. The number of Afghans on work visas who are claiming asylum is now higher than the number of visas issued to them.
Although the government said it reduced student asylum claims by 20 per cent during 2025, students still account for 13 per cent of all claims currently being processed.
The rise in asylum claims has also increased pressure on public funds.
The Home Secretary said asylum support now costs more than £4 billion every year.
Nearly 16,000 nationals from the four affected countries are currently receiving public support. Of these, more than 6,000 are being housed in hotels at government expense.
She noted that a higher-than-average number of people from these countries are claiming to be destitute, meaning they have no means to support themselves.
The government said it has reduced the asylum support bill by £1 billion since it came into office. However, officials insist more action is needed to prevent abuse of the visa system.
A spokesperson for the Home Office said the government is determined to stop visa abuse while still helping those who genuinely need protection.
“We can maintain our proud tradition of helping those in need, but our visa system must not be abused,” the spokesperson said.
The visa suspension comes as Britain rolls out wider asylum reforms this week.
Under the new rules, refugee status for adults and their children will be reviewed every 30 months. In the past, refugees were granted status for five years before they could apply for permanent residence.
Now, refugees whose home countries are considered safe will be expected to return.
Unaccompanied children will still receive five years of leave while the government develops a long-term policy for them.
Officials say the changes are meant to reduce what they describe as “pull factors” that attract people to make dangerous journeys, including crossing the English Channel in small boats.
The reforms are said to be modelled after Denmark’s strict immigration system, which is regarded as one of the toughest in Europe.
The Home Secretary is expected to present new legislation and deliver a speech at the IPPR think tank explaining how the reforms fit into British values.
She said Britain would continue to offer refuge to people fleeing war and persecution but insisted that control must be restored at the borders.
“I will restore order and control to our borders,” she said.
Diplomatic pressure on African nations
The latest move follows a tougher diplomatic approach by the UK government.
In November, the Home Secretary warned that visas for Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo could be suspended if those countries refused to take back citizens who were in Britain illegally.
Four months later, agreements were reached and return flights began.
This strategy shows that Britain is willing to use visa restrictions as leverage in its dealings with foreign governments.
For countries like Cameroon and Sudan, which are among those now affected by the emergency brake, the decision may have diplomatic consequences.
Despite the tougher measures, Britain says it remains committed to helping refugees.
Since 2021, the UK has provided sanctuary to more than 37,000 Afghans under two resettlement schemes.
In 2025 alone, 190,000 visas were granted through humanitarian routes.
Between 2010 and 2025, the UK resettled the sixth largest number of refugees referred globally by the UN refugee agency.
However, migration remains a major political issue in Britain.
The anti-migration party Reform UK has been gaining support in opinion polls, putting pressure on the government to take stronger action.
Public debate has focused on small boat crossings, hotel accommodation for asylum seekers and the overall cost of the system.
By introducing the emergency brake on study and work visas for certain countries, the government hopes to show that it is serious about tightening the rules.
The decision will likely affect students from the four countries who planned to study in Britain.
The UK has long been a top destination for international students, including many from Africa and Asia. British universities rely heavily on fees paid by foreign students.
While the suspension targets only four countries for now, observers say it signals a wider shift toward stricter immigration control.
For Nigeria and other African nations, the development may raise concerns about future visa policies, especially if asylum claims from legal routes continue to rise.
For now, the message from London is clear: Britain says it will continue to protect genuine refugees, but it is closing what it sees as loopholes in its visa system.
