UK set to restrict visas for nationalities most likely to claim asylum

Applications for work and study visas from Pakistanis, Nigerians and Sri Lankans are among those set to be curbed

By AFP
May 07, 2025
People walk over London Bridge looking at a view of Tower Bridge in the City of London financial district in London, Britain, October 25, 2023. — Reuters
People walk over London Bridge looking at a view of Tower Bridge in the City of London financial district in London, Britain, October 25, 2023. — Reuters

LONDON: Britain’s Labour government plans to restrict visa applications from nationalities considered most likely to overstay and claim asylum, a government official said on Tuesday, as it faces pressure from hard-right populists.

Applications for work and study visas from Pakistanis, Nigerians and Sri Lankans are among those set to be curbed, The Times daily reported and an official confirmed to AFP on condition of anonymity.

The plans are expected to be laid out in a policy paper next week that will detail the government’s next steps to reduce net migration, which reached 728,000 last year.

“To tackle abuse by foreign nationals who arrive on work and study visas and go on to claim asylum, we are building intelligence on the profile of these individuals to identify them earlier and faster,” said a spokesperson for the interior ministry, known as the Home Office.

“We keep the visa system under constant review and will where we detect trends, which may undermine our immigration rules, we will not hesitate to take action,” they added.