UK Government Warns International Students to Leave or Face Removal Amid Surge in Asylum Claims

The UK government has begun directly warning tens of thousands of international students to leave the country when their visas expire or risk being removed, the BBC reported on Tuesday.

The Home Office has launched a new campaign to address what it describes as an “alarming” increase in student visa holders attempting to stay in the UK by claiming asylum. In a first-of-its-kind approach, the government is contacting students via text and email to formally warn them of the consequences of overstaying.

“If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave. If you don’t, we will remove you,” the messages read, according to the BBC.

Home Office data shows that around 15 percent of asylum applications last year—about 16,000—were submitted by individuals who initially arrived on student visas. While the data does not specify how many applied after their visas had expired, officials say the pattern is significant enough to prompt immediate action.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC that some students are “claiming asylum even when things have not changed in their home country,” emphasizing that the UK supports genuine refugees but will not tolerate unwarranted asylum claims at the end of student courses. Cooper added that the influx of student asylum claims is putting extra pressure on already overstretched accommodation and hotel services.

So far, approximately 10,000 students with visas nearing expiration have received direct warnings. A further 130,000 students and their families are expected to be contacted in the coming months, coinciding with the busy autumn intake period.

The full warning message states:
“If you submit an asylum claim that lacks merit, it will be swiftly and robustly refused. Any request for asylum support will be assessed against destitution criteria. If you do not meet the criteria, you will not receive support. If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave. If you don’t, we will remove you.”

This crackdown is part of broader immigration tightening under the Labour government. In May, the Home Office announced stricter requirements for universities, including visa refusal rates and course completion standards, to maintain their ability to sponsor international students.

While much public focus has been on small boat arrivals across the Channel, ministers are increasingly concerned about legal entrants—including students—who later switch to the asylum system. Of the 108,000 asylum applications submitted last year, around 40,000 came from people who entered the UK legally on work, study, or visitor visas, compared with roughly 35,000 from small boat crossings. Student visa holders made up the largest group among legal entrants, with numbers nearly six times higher than in 2020. Although there has been a 10 percent decline recently, the Home Office seeks further reductions.

Cooper acknowledged that student visa asylum claims account for just over 10 percent of total applications but stressed, “to fix the system, we must tackle every single bit of it.”

In addition, the government has shortened the post-study stay period for overseas graduates from two years to 18 months, while successful asylum claims from skilled worker visa holders have also declined, according to recent Home Office figures.