LONDON – The UK government has launched a new crackdown targeting international students who overstay their visas, following a surge in asylum applications filed after visa expiry.
According to British media reports, the Home Office has issued warnings to thousands of foreign students via emails and text messages, stating that those remaining in the country after their visa expires risk deportation.
The move comes in response to what officials describe as a worrying trend: a sharp increase in asylum applications from individuals whose study visas have ended.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper noted that some of these applications were made by students from countries where no significant changes in safety or political conditions had occurred.
Official data revealed that in the past year alone, approximately 14,800 asylum applications were submitted by former international students.
Among them, Pakistani nationals topped the list, with 5,700 applications, followed by students from India, Bangladesh, and Nigeria.
The UK government also recently announced a temporary suspension on accepting new family reunification applications from asylum seekers, citing strain on the system.
Authorities have emphasized that while the UK values international students, misuse of the asylum process will not be tolerated.
