London, England — The United Kingdom is considering new restrictions that could significantly impact visa applications from Nigerian, Pakistani, and Sri Lankan citizens, as part of a broader crackdown on immigration abuses.
According to The Times, the UK Home Office has identified these countries as high-risk for visa overstays and subsequent asylum claims.
Officials say a large number of applicants from these nations enter the UK on work or study visas but later seek asylum, often citing humanitarian grounds.
A spokesperson for the Home Office confirmed that the UK government is developing an Immigration White Paper to be published later this month.
The document is expected to outline sweeping reforms aimed at curbing what has been described as a “broken” immigration system.
“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,” the spokesperson said.
The potential policy changes could involve:
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Tighter scrutiny of visa applications from Nigeria, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
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Higher thresholds for visa approvals in education and employment categories.
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Stronger intelligence sharing between UK immigration and foreign governments.
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Immediate revocation of visas for individuals suspected of intent to seek asylum post-entry.
Nigeria, in particular, has been one of the UK’s largest sources of student and skilled worker visas in recent years.
However, visa rejection rates have been climbing, raising concerns among migration experts and stakeholders in the education sector.
The move could worsen the visa success rate for Nigerians, which has declined steadily since 2023 despite growing interest in UK universities and jobs among Nigerian youth and professionals.
The UK government, under pressure to bring down net migration figures and reduce illegal entries, has introduced several controversial measures in recent years — including the Rwanda deportation policy and caps on family reunion visas.
Meanwhile, in the U.S., President Donald Trump has also recently proposed stringent actions against migrants, including threats of mass deportation — even for those with valid visas — further reflecting a hardening global stance on immigration.
The UK’s forthcoming white paper is expected to be one of the most restrictive immigration reform packages since Brexit.
