As part of a new immigration reform initiative, the United Kingdom is considering stricter visa regulations for countries with high rates of overstaying.
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According to a report by The Times, the UK Home Office has identified Nigeria, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka as nations whose citizens frequently overstay their visas and subsequently seek asylum.
The Home Office warned that nationals from these countries may soon face more rigorous criteria when applying for work or student visas.“Our upcoming Immigration White Paper will present a comprehensive strategy to restore order to our broken immigration system,” said a spokesperson from the Home Office.
“We are improving our intelligence gathering to quickly identify individuals likely to abuse visa routes, especially those who enter on work or study grounds and later claim asylum.”The paper is expected to be released later this May, outlining more detailed plans.Ongoing Clampdown on Nigerian Applicants
Nigerians have already borne the brunt of UK immigration changes in the past two years. Reforms introduced by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak significantly tightened rules for international students, especially around dependents and post-study work rights.
As a result, Nigerian student applications have sharply declined.
Many Nigerian applicants have shifted attention to the United States, but that avenue is also narrowing. U.S. President Donald Trump has reinforced visa restrictions, warning that even valid student visa holders could face deportation if deemed not beneficial to U.S. interests.
A 2024 study showed a dramatic rise in UK visa rejections for Nigerians — from 1 in 31 applications in late 2022 to 1 in 8 by late 2023 — representing a 63% drop in visa approvals year-on-year.
Despite high rejection rates and non-refundable visa fees, Nigerians spent over ₦40 billion on UK visa applications between June 2023 and June 2024.
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Amid these setbacks, some African economists have urged citizens to reconsider emigration and instead focus on contributing to national development at home.
