Thousands of international students in the UK have received direct warnings from the government, reminding them to leave once their visas expire—or face removal.
In a new campaign described as the first of its kind, the Home Office has started sending text messages and emails to students whose visas are running out. The move comes amid a sharp rise in cases where former students are switching into the asylum system after overstaying.
So far, around 10,000 students with visas nearing expiry have already been contacted. The warning is clear: “If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave. If you don’t, we will remove you.”
Over the next few months, more than 130,000 students and their families are expected to get similar notices, especially during the autumn intake season.
Government figures show that in 2024 alone, about 16,000 asylum claims—roughly 15%—were lodged by people who had originally entered the country on student visas. Many of these applications were submitted after their visas had already lapsed.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stressed that while the UK will continue to support genuine refugees, students should not misuse the asylum process to prolong their stay. “Some students are applying for asylum even when nothing has changed in their home countries,” she noted, adding that this trend is stretching accommodation and hotel services meant for asylum seekers.
Of the 108,000 asylum claims last year, 40,000 came from people who had entered the UK legally through work, study, or visitor visas. Another 35,000 were linked to small boat crossings across the Channel. Among legal entrants, former students made up the largest share of asylum seekers—almost six times higher than in 2020. Though the numbers have recently dipped by 10%, officials insist further cuts are needed.
Cooper explained: “Student visa asylum claims may only make up just over 10% of the total, but if we want to fix the system, we have to deal with every part of it.”
The Home Office message being circulated ends with a tough reminder: “If your asylum claim has no merit, it will be rejected quickly. If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave—or we will remove you.”
