UK to Restrict Pakistani, Nigerian and Sri Lankan Visa Applicants Under New Proposals and Other Updates

UK to Restrict Pakistani, Nigerian and Sri Lankan Visa Applicants Under New Proposals

UK visa applicants from countries such as Pakistan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka could find it more difficult to come to the UK under new Home Office proposals.

The proposals suggest that some nationalities are more likely to either overstay their visa or apply for asylum once they have entered the UK on a legal route, such as a Student visa.

Professor Jonathan Portes, senior fellow of the think tank UK in a Changing Europe, stated on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think the impact here is not designed primarily to be about numbers overall, it’s designed to be about reducing asylum claims which are perceived to be abusive.”

“When you have someone who comes here ostensibly as a student and then switches quickly to the asylum route… that is an abuse of the system – the government is trying to reduce that.”

It is not yet certain which nationalities may be affected over others.

However, the government are reportedly working with the National Crime Agency to “build models to profile” applicants in order to reduce potential asylum claims in the UK.

Latest Home Office figures show that 10,542 Pakistani nationals claimed asylum in the UK in 2024, the most out of any nationality. Around 2,862 Sri Lankan nationals and 2,841 Nigerian nationals also claimed asylum during 2024.

Reform UK to Prevent Asylum Seekers Being Housed in Their Council Areas

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has stated that he will “resist” efforts to house asylum seekers in the 10 council areas that the party now controls in the wake of last week’s local elections.

The party has also stated intentions to cut diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) roles and initiatives within its council areas.

Zia Yusuf, party chair for Reform, has stated that the party will utilise “judicial reviews, injunctions, planning laws” in efforts to prevent asylum seekers from being accommodated in its council areas.

Further comments have also been made by party member such as Andrea Jenkyns, now Reform’s Greater Lincolnshire Mayor, suggesting that asylum seekers could be accommodated in tents rather than hotels.

She stated in an interview to LBC: “This is taxpayers’ money and it should actually be tents, not rent.”

UK Visa Application Numbers Drop

The number of UK visa applications dropped by around 37% in the 2025, according to latest Home Office statistics.

The total number of applications received during this time was around 772,200, representing a significant decline from the 1.24 million applications received in the preceding 12 month period.

The decline in applications has been attributed to the various new rules introduced in and around 2024, which tightened a number of restrictions for work and family visas.

The most significant of these was the removal of the ability of foreign care workers to bring dependents with them to the UK, which has resulted in a 78% drop in applications from individuals and their families in this sector (359,300 in 2023/24 to 80,700 in 2024/25).

Applications from dependents on Student visas also fell 83%, in contrast to a smaller 11% decrease of main Student visa applications.

Foreign students in the UK have also been subject to increasingly restrictive rules on dependents, with only a few select categories of post-graduate or government-sponsored students able to bring family members with them to the UK.

Sex Offenders to be Denied Refugee Protections in UK

The Home Office have announced new crackdowns on foreign sex offenders being able to claim asylum in the UK.

Under new plans, anyone who has been convicted of a crime that would qualify them for inclusion on the sex offenders register will be denied refugee status in the UK.

Previously, the Refugee Convention allows countries to refuse asylum to terrorists, war criminals and individuals convicted of a ‘particularly serious crime’ who present a danger to the community.

However, an amendment to the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill will widen the scope in which the UK can deny asylum to foreign refugees.

According to a Home Office press release, this move “marks a further step in the government’s landmark mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade, making Britain’s streets safer and sending a clear message that sexual offences will be treated with the seriousness they deserve.”

Other measures have also been announced to help tackle the backlog of asylum applications in the UK, such as a new 24-week target for appeals and stricter penalties for fraudulent immigration advisers, with fines of up to £15,000 for the latter.

How Can IAS Help With Your UK Visa Application?

IAS have a team of immigration advisers and caseworkers experienced in the field of UK immigration law.

Regardless of where you’re coming from or what your chosen immigration pathway is, we can help you with almost all UK immigration and visa cases, using our years of experience and compassionate customer service to help get you to where you need to go.

We also offer fast-track and urgent application packages if you need to submit your application to a deadline.

Don’t hesitate to reach out for help on your situation today. Call us on +44 (0)333 414 9244 or reach out to us online.