According to the UK Home Office, the unprecedented move will end sponsored study visas for all four countries and suspend skilled worker visas for Afghan nationals. The Home Office on Wednesday said the decision followed a surge in asylum claims from people who had entered legally on visas before subsequently applying for asylum. “An ’emergency brake’ on visas ‌has been ‌imposed for the first time on nationals from four countries following a ⁠surge in asylum claims from legal routes,” DW News reported that ‌the UK Home Office ⁠said. Nearly 135,000 asylum claims from legal routesIn total, 133,760 people have claimed asylum after arriving legally in the past five years. Since 2021, almost 135,000 individuals entered the UK on student or other visas before lodging asylum claims.

Source: Punch March 04, 2026 23:16 UTC