UK Labour government to ‘restrict visas’ from nationalities including Pakistanis and Nigerians who are ‘most likely to overstay. Visa applicants from 'high-risk' nations could reportedly be rejected outright

UK Labour government to ‘restrict visas’ from nationalities including Pakistanis and Nigerians who are ‘most likely to overstay.

Visa applicants from 'high-risk' nations could reportedly be rejected outright

6 May 2025

The UK Home Office will restrict work and study visa applications from nationalities including Pakistanis, Nigerians and Sri Lankans who are most likely to overstay and claim asylum.

UK LABOUR Government is reportedly planning on "restricting visas" from certain nationalities "most likely to overstay" in the UK including Pakistanis and Nigerians.

Applications for work and study visas from these nationalities among others could soon be curbed by the Home Office, according to The Times.

The sweeping reforms are set to be unveiled in next week’s Immigration White Paper, which will lay out Sir Keir Starmer’s plan to slash net migration after it hit a record 728,000 last year.

Ministers are also ordering immigration officials to get tougher on visa applicants who use dodgy bank statements to pose as poor, reports the outlet.

Officials will be on the lookout for those who falsely claim that they are destitute and require taxpayer-funded accommodation such as hotels.

Under the shake-up, Visa applicants from "high-risk" nations could be rejected outright if they fit the profile of someone likely to stay and claim asylum.

The list of flagged countries - including Pakistan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka - is already raising eyebrows, with some legal experts warning of court challenges over discrimination.

But the Government is standing firm, saying the system is being abused, and that genuine migrants are being undermined by those playing the system.

A new model built with the National Crime Agency will also flag suspicious applications, including students who don’t turn up to class or have links to people smugglers, reports The Times.

Insiders say one case involved a Pakistani student who overstayed and won asylum despite being convicted of sexual assault, according to the paper.