The United Kingdom is stepping up plans to restrict visa access for nationals of Nigeria, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, following internal assessments that flagged high rates of visa overstays and asylum claims among applicants from these countries.
According to The Times, the U.K. Home Office, in collaboration with the National Crime Agency (NCA), is developing data-driven systems to help visa caseworkers identify applicants—especially those seeking work or student visas—who may be using legal entry as a pathway to later claim asylum.
The proposed clampdown will primarily affect Skilled Worker (Tier 4) and Student (Tier 2) visas, two of the most common routes used by international migrants entering the UK legally.
The move follows mounting pressure on the Home Office to curb the rising number of asylum applications from individuals who initially arrived on legitimate visas. Government figures published in March showed that nearly 10,000 asylum seekers in 2023 first entered the UK on student or work permits. A significant number were later housed in government-funded accommodation, including hotels.
Nigerian, Pakistani, and Sri Lankan nationals reportedly made up the bulk of these cases.
However, the plan has sparked criticism from immigration experts and human rights groups, who argue that using nationality and predictive modeling to assess visa risk could lead to discriminatory outcomes and raises serious ethical concerns.
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