The UK government has announced that an “emergency brake” will be imposed on visa applications from nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, following what it describes as a surge in asylum claims from individuals who entered the country via legal routes.
The Home Office said asylum applications by students from the four countries increased by more than 470% between 2021 and 2025, making them among the most likely nationalities to claim asylum. The department also stated that the number of Afghans on work visas claiming asylum is now outstripping the number of visas issued.
In what the government described as an unprecedented step, sponsored study visas from all four countries will be ended, alongside skilled worker visas for Afghan nationals. The changes will be introduced through an Immigration Rules amendment on 5 March 2026 and will come into force on 26 March 2026.
According to the Home Office, asylum claims from those arriving via legal routes have more than trebled since 2021 and accounted for 39% of the 100,000 applications made last year. In total, 133,760 people have claimed asylum after arriving legally in the past five years.
Asylum support is currently costing more than £4 billion a year, with nearly 16,000 nationals from the four countries supported at public expense, including more than 6,000 accommodated in hotels.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said Britain will always provide refuge to those fleeing war and persecution, but added that the visa system “must not be abused.” She said the measures are intended to restore order and control to the UK’s borders while maintaining the country’s ability to help those genuinely in need.
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