UK Visa Ban Student Visas Afghan Work Visa Asylum Policy UK Immigration — British Home Office restricts visas as student asylum applications rise sharply, highlighting immigration challenges in the UK.

UK Bans Study Visas for Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, Sudan

UK halts student and Afghan work visas to curb rising asylum applications, aiming to protect its immigration system.

By Fahad On Mar 4, 2026

UK Visa – (Web Desk) – The British government announced on Tuesday that it will stop issuing student visas to people from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan, and work visas for Afghans. This move is part of a wider effort to manage rising asylum applications.

According to the Home Office, there has been a sharp increase in students from these countries applying for asylum, with nearly 135,000 asylum seekers entering the UK through legal channels since 2021.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said, “The UK will always help those fleeing war and persecution, but our visa system must not be misused. That’s why we are taking the unusual step of refusing visas to nationals who might exploit our generosity.”

The Home Office added that asylum requests from students from these four countries have jumped by more than 470% between 2021 and 2025. Migration has become a hot topic in British politics, with the hard-right Reform UK party gaining support due to its tough stance on immigration.

Successive governments have struggled to contain small boats crossing the Channel from France, which bring large numbers of undocumented migrants. But the authorities also face pressure to reduce numbers of asylum seekers entering on other routes.

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The Home Office said the government has “reduced student asylum claims by 20 percent over the course of 2025, further action is needed as those arriving on study visas still make up 13 percent of all claims in the system”.