Nigerians, Others Affected as UK Warns Foreign Students: “Overstay Your Visa, We’ll Deport You”
- The UK Home Office sent an important message to foreign students, warning that they risk deportation if they overstay their visas
- In an interesting new move, the government began contacting students directly by text and email
- Reports on Tuesday, September 2, disclosed that about 10,000 foreign students, including Nigerians, whose visas were due to expire, received the messages
Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
Tens of thousands of foreign students are being contacted directly by the United Kingdom (UK) government and they have been warned that they will be removed if they overstay their visas.
Source: UGC
Nigerians affected as UK warns foreign students
The Home Office said the move followed an “alarming” increase in students entering on study visas and later applying for asylum once their visas expire. For the first time, the department is sending text and email warnings to students.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC that some are claiming asylum “even when things haven’t changed in their home country,” adding that many remain in the system for years, which “causes problems with asylum accommodation and hotels.”
She said:
“We obviously will do our bit to support genuine refugees, but if nothing has changed in their country, people should not be claiming asylum at the end of a student course.”
Source: Getty Images
10,000 foreign students contacted
Around 13% of asylum applications from the beginning of the year till June came from people who arrived on study visas, about 14,800 cases, almost six times more than in 2020. Although the figure has since dropped by 10%, ministers want it reduced further.
As reported by Vanguard, 10,000 students with visas due to expire have already been contacted, while tens of thousands more will receive the message this autumn.
It warns:
“If you submit an asylum claim that lacks merit, it will be swiftly and robustly refused… If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave. If you don’t, we will remove you.”
UK govt tighten visa rules
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the UK government tightened immigration policies, reducing the Graduate Route visa from two years to 18 months in response to concerns over systemic abuse.
Authorities emphasised that these reforms aim to restore credibility, strengthen border control, and ensure public confidence in the immigration system.
However, as Parliament returned on Monday, September 1, Cooper announced a temporary suspension of new refugee family reunion applications and said the first migrant returns under the UK’s new “one in, one out” deal with France will begin later this month.
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- “Students risk losing their sponsor licence”: UK announces strict rule for Nigerian students, others
UK bars foreigners from applying for 100 jobs
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the British Home Office announced the restrictions on Nigerians and other foreigners from filling more than 100 categories of jobs.
This move was part of the UK's ongoing reforms of immigration policies meant to reduce net migration.
The development was the latest migration clampdown that will be happening under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who resumed office on July 5, 2024.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
