An ‘emergency brake' on visas has been imposed for the first time
on nationals from 4 countries following a surge in asylum claims
from legal routes.
Asylum applications by students from Afghanistan,
Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan rocketed by over 470%
between 2021 and 2025 – making them among the most likely
nationalities to claim.
Meanwhile the number of Afghans on work visas claiming asylum is
now outstripping the number of visas issued.
In an unprecedented step, the Home Office will end sponsored
study visas from all 4 countries and skilled worker visas for
Afghan nationals.
Tough action is required as asylum claims from legal
routes have more than trebled since 2021, making up 39% of the
100,000 people who applied last year. In total, 133,760 people
have claimed asylum after arriving legally in the past 5
years.
Many are then accommodated at taxpayer expense, with an above
average proportion of people from these 4 countries claiming
destitution. Asylum support is currently costing more than £4
billion a year – with nearly 16,000 nationals from the
4 countries currently supported at public expense, including over
6,000 in hotels.
The government is clamping down on visa abuse like this so we
can maintain our ability and proud tradition of helping
those genuinely in need.
The move comes as Home Secretary will introduce new
legislation this week to restore order and control to our
borders. She will make a speech on Thursday at the IPPR think
tank outlining how these reforms are in line with British values.
Home Secretary said:
Britain will always provide refuge to people fleeing war and
persecution, but our visa system must not be
abused.
That is why I am taking the unprecedented decision to refuse
visas for those nationals seeking to exploit our
generosity.
I will restore order and control to our borders.
The measures also follow the Prime Minister's decision to adopt a
more hard-edged approach to diplomacy to ensure our rules are
always respected and the migration system is based on
fairness.
Between 2021 and the year ending September 2025, the proportion
of Afghan asylum claims to study visas issued was 95%, while
applications by students from Myanmar soared sixteen-fold over
the same period.
Claims by students from Cameroon and Sudan spiked by more than
330%, posing an unsustainable threat to the UK's asylum
system.
While the government has successfully reduced student asylum
claims by 20% over the course of 2025, further action is needed
as those arriving on study visas still make up 13% of all claims
in the system.
Since coming to office, the government has also slashed £1
billion from the asylum support bill.
The announcement comes days after the government confirmed
protection for refugees will be halved to 30 months from 2 March
to reduce the pull factors driving dangerous small boat
crossings.
In November, the Home Secretary threatened to shut down all UK
visas for Angola, Namibia and the Democratic of Congo
unless their governments agreed to take back illegal
migrants.
Four months later and cooperation has been secured with all 3
countries. Flights are off the ground and illegal migrants and
foreign national offenders are being returned.
The government has also pledged to open new capped safe and legal
routes as an alternative to dangerous small boat crossings once
order has been restored to the asylum system.
Britain has offered sanctuary to over 37,000 Afghans via its 2
resettlement schemes since 2021, while 190,000 visas were granted
on humanitarian routes in 2025.
Between 2010 and 2025 the UK has resettled the sixth largest
number of refugees referred by the UNCHR in the
world, demonstrating this government's commitment to
helping those genuinely in
need.
The visa brake will be introduced via an Immigration Rules change
on 5 March 2026 and come into force on 26 March 2026.
