UK To Deport Foreign Students Overstaying Visas; Pakistanis Lead In Asylum Claims

Abdullah Hussain (@Abdulla99267510) Published September 03, 2025 | 06:22 PM

Home Office sent thousands of emails and text messages to international students, instructing them to leave the country once their visas expire, the British media report

LONDON: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-Sept 3rd, 2025) The British government has announced strict action against foreign students who remain in the country after the expiry of their study visas, warning that such individuals will face deportation.

The British media reported that the Home Office sent thousands of emails and text messages to international students, instructing them to leave the country once their visas expire.

The officials said the move comes in response to a significant rise in asylum claims filed by students after overstaying their visas.

Just a day earlier, the UK temporarily suspended new applications for refugee family reunification, reflecting a broader tightening of immigration controls.

In the past year alone, Britain received nearly 14,800 asylum applications, the majority of which were submitted by individuals who had initially entered the UK on student visas.

Among them, Pakistani nationals topped the list with about 5,700 applications, followed by students from India, Bangladesh and Nigeria.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the asylum system was being misused, as some claims were filed by students from countries with no conflict or crisis. “This is not what the asylum process is for. It is being exploited in ways that undermine both fairness and credibility of the system,” she said.

The government maintains that international students are welcome to pursue higher education in the UK but must return to their home countries after completing their studies unless they qualify for a different visa route.