Since coming to office, the government has stripped visitors from
4 countries of visa-free entry following a surge in asylum
claims.
Thousands of tourists from Jordan, Colombia, Trinidad
and Tobago and Botswana claimed asylum in the UK before
visit visas were introduced by this government. Nicaragua and
Saint Lucia will be added to the list from
today.
The measures have had a colossal impact. Asylum claims by
nationals from Jordan, Colombia and Trinidad and Tobago have
fallen by 93%, while claims on arrival at ports have been all but
eliminated.
The tougher controls are estimated to have prevented more than
6,000 people claiming asylum and over £370 million in associated
costs since July 2024.
The millions saved can instead be spent on strengthening border
security and speeding up returns.
People arriving on legal routes made up 39% of more than 100,000
UK asylum claims last year. Support for asylum seekers is costing
taxpayers £4 billion a year.
From today, Nicaraguan and Saint Lucian nationals will have to
apply for a visit visa to travel to the
UK.
The new requirement follows continued exploitation by Nicaraguan
visitors, with almost 90% of asylum claims being made on arrival
at a UK port in 2025. This is an unsustainable pressure on the
Britain's borders.
Saint Lucians will now need visas due to rising and
disproportionately high asylum claims, as well as the threat to
border security posed by the country's Citizenship by Investment
programme. This grants citizenship in exchange for a one-off
payment of $240,000 to the Saint Lucian government.
Asylum claims from these two countries also have above average
costs for the Home Office, due to higher proportions presenting
as destitute.
There are currently almost 500 Saint Lucians and Nicaraguans
receiving Home Office support, which is why urgent action is
needed.
The move comes as Home Secretary prepares to make a speech
later today, where she will make the case for
a ‘good migration system' that provides sanctuary to
those in genuine danger while tackling illegal migration with
order and control at our borders.
Home Secretary said:
I will not tolerate systematic abuse of
Britain's generosity by people granted the privilege of
visa-free entry.
From imposing visa requirements to shutting down visas entirely,
I will do whatever it takes to restore order and control to our
border.
Last week, Home Office data for 2025 revealed the number of
people in asylum hotels are down by 19%, and 4% fewer people are
claiming asylum
The new requirement has been introduced in Immigration Rules
changes today, alongside a first of its kind ‘brake' on visas
from 4 nationalities.
Students from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan will be
refused visas as they are the most likely to claim asylum, with
applications soaring by over 470% between 2021 and
2025.
The announcement comes alongside the government's pledge to open
further safe and legal routes for those fleeing persecution, as
well as deter from dangerous small boat crossings.
Last November, the Home Secretary threatened to shut down UK
visas for Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of the
Congo unless their governments agreed to take back illegal
migrants.
Four months later, co-operation has been secured from all 3
countries, with flights off the ground to return foreign
criminals and illegal immigrants.
