The UK government has begun directly warning tens of thousands of international students that they face removal if they overstay their visas or submit unfounded asylum claims. This move comes amid what the Home Office describes as an 'alarming' increase in foreign students applying for asylum after their study visas expire.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper revealed that around 13 per cent of asylum claims in the year to June 2025—approximately 14,800—were made by individuals holding study visas. Pakistan accounted for the highest number of such claims, with 5,700 applications, followed by India, Bangladesh, and Nigeria.
