UK halts visa routes from 4 nations and claims migrants ‘exploiting’ asylum
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced the move overnight, which sees a pause on study visas for nationals from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, as well as work visas for Afghans
The Home Secretary announced an emergency brake on visas for nationals from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan(Image: PA)
The Government has placed an emergency brake on visas for nationals from four countries, accusing them of exploiting Britain’s generosity to claim asylum.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced the move overnight, which sees a pause on study visas for nationals from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, as well as work visas for Afghans.
The Government has halted the visa routes as it claims a growing number of people from these countries are using legal migration routes as a backdoor to claim asylum in the UK.
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The Home Office described the suspension on visa claims as an “unprecedented” step, as it is the first time such visa bans have been implemented. Ms Mahmood said: “Britain will always provide refuge to people fleeing war and persecution, but our visa system must not be abused. That is why I am taking the unprecedented decision to refuse visas for those nationals seeking to exploit our generosity. I will restore order and control to our borders.”
According to Home Office figures, some 39% of the 100,000 who claimed asylum in 2025 did so after arriving in the UK through a legal migration route, like a study visa. Asylum applications by students from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan represent the most significant part of a spike between 2021 and September 2025, the Home Office added.
The visa ban will be officially introduced via an immigration rules change on Thursday. It follows the Home Secretary previously threatening a similar halt to all UK visas for Angola, Namibia and the Democratic of Congo in November, unless their governments agreed to take back illegal migrants. This led to co-operation agreements with all three countries, and illegal migrants being returned via deportation flights.
On Thursday Ms Mahmood is expected to lay out a strong of new measures to toughen up the UK asylum system. This will see asylum seekers in the UK have their refugee status reviewed every 30 months in an effort to make the UK less attractive for illegal immigrants. Refugees whose countries are deemed safe will be expected to return home.
The government pledged to open new capped safe and legal routes as an alternative to small boat crossings once “order has been restored” to the asylum system. Britain has offered sanctuary to over 37,000 Afghans via its two resettlement schemes since 2021, while 190,000 visas were granted on humanitarian routes in 2025.
