The United Kingdom is considering tougher visa restrictions on citizens from countries with high rates of overstaying and asylum claims, with Nigeria, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka topping the list.
As part of ongoing efforts to overhaul its immigration system, the UK Home Office has flagged these three countries for potential visa limitations, citing evidence that many of their nationals overstay legal entry periods and subsequently seek asylum, often securing long-term residency through successful claims.
The Home Office said that the proposed measures would form part of a broader Immigration White Paper set for release later in May.
“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.
“We keep the visa system under constant review and, where we detect trends that may undermine our immigration rules, we will not hesitate to take action,” it stated.
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If adopted, the policy could make it harder for affected nationals to obtain UK work and study visas.
Nigerians, in particular, have borne the brunt of the UK’s tightening immigration policies over the past two years. Reforms introduced under former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak led to significant restrictions on dependents and post-study work rights, causing a sharp decline in international student applications from Nigeria.
The situation has pushed many Nigerians to explore other destinations like the United States. However, that route has also narrowed, with President Donald Trump introducing stricter visa controls, including the threat of deportation for international students deemed not in America’s best interest.
A 2024 report revealed that UK visa rejection rates for Nigerians jumped from 1 in 31 applications in late 2022 to 1 in 8 by the end of 2023. This led to a 63 per cent drop in visas granted to Nigerian nationals.
The financial toll has also grown steeper. Between June 2023 and June 2024, the British government reportedly earned over ₦40 billion in non-refundable visa processing fees from Nigerian applicants—many of whom were ultimately denied entry.
Amid the tightening restrictions, African economists and development experts have called on citizens of developing nations to invest their skills and ambitions at home rather than pursue uncertain prospects abroad.
