The UK government will halt new study visas for nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan from 5 March, in what ministers describe as an effort to curb abuse of the immigration system.
- •Nationals from the four affected countries were identified as having particularly high rates of switching from student status to asylum claims.
- •UK Government data indicates that around 95% of Afghans who arrived on study visas since 2021 later applied for asylum.
- •Claims from students from Myanmar rose sharply over the same period, while applications from Cameroon and Sudan more than quadrupled.
The policy forms part of broader efforts by the government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer to reduce irregular migration and restore control over the asylum system. In 2025, 41,472 migrants crossed the English Channel in small boats, an increase of nearly 5,000 on the previous year.
Recent measures have included reducing refugee protection to an initial 30-month period and increasing diplomatic pressure on countries to accept returns.
