UK to Deport Foreign Students After Visa Expiry

The UK government is taking a tougher stance on foreign students who overstay their visas. According to a report by The Guardian, the Home Office plans to directly contact around 130,000 international students and their family members with a warning: once their student visas expire, they must leave the country.

The report highlights a growing trend where students, after legally entering the UK on student visas, apply for asylum once their visas expire. In response to the rising numbers, the government is initiating this large-scale communication effort for the first time, aiming to curb this practice.

The warning from the Home Office will state that any asylum application deemed illegitimate will be rejected. Additionally, any application for support due to poverty or destitution will be strictly assessed under existing criteria. If an individual no longer has legal grounds to remain in the UK, they will be expected to leave—voluntarily or through enforcement.

Jo Grady, General Secretary of the University and College Union (UCU), criticized the move, calling it “an attack on international students.” She argued that the policy is not just about visa enforcement but part of a broader political strategy.

“It’s a short-sighted approach. Instead of driving away international students, the government should be welcoming them as a vital part of building a stronger UK economy,” Grady added.

Government statistics show that in the year leading up to June 2024, 43,600 people entered the UK illegally by small boats, while 41,100 individuals who arrived on legal visas also applied for asylum—most of whom were international students. In 2023 alone, 16,000 international students applied for asylum, a sixfold increase compared to 2020.

The UK government is currently facing mounting pressure from both the Conservative Party and opposition groups to declare a “national emergency” over illegal immigration.