UK Cracks Down on Pakistani Students Over Deportation After Visa Expiry

The UK government has started a strict campaign against international and Pakistani students who continue to live in the country after their visas have expired. This action comes shortly after the government took similar measures against asylum seekers. The authorities say they want to stop the growing misuse of student visas.

According to British media reports, foreign students have now been warned that if they overstay their visa, they will face deportation. The Home Office has already sent thousands of warning emails and text messages to students whose visas are about to expire. Officials say this step is meant to remind students of their legal responsibility to either renew their visa on time or leave the country.

Government officials explained that this new move was introduced because of a noticeable increase in the number of asylum applications made by students after their visas expired. Many students, instead of leaving, applied for asylum, hoping to stay in the UK through a different route.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper pointed out that in many cases, asylum claims were made by students even though there were no serious changes in the conditions of their home countries. She stressed that this was a clear misuse of the system and that the government would not allow such loopholes to be exploited.

Recent reports revealed that in the past year alone, almost 14,800 asylum requests were made by people who first came to the UK on study visas. Out of these, the highest number came from Pakistani students, with around 5,700 applications. Students from India, Bangladesh, and Nigeria also made a large number of requests, showing that this is a widespread issue among international students.

It is also important to note that just a day before this announcement, the British government had temporarily suspended new applications for refugee family reunification. This means asylum seekers will not, for the time being, be able to submit fresh requests to bring their families to the UK. According to the Home Secretary, this step is also part of the government’s broader plan to control migration and to reduce pressure on the UK’s asylum system.

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