More than 5000 Pakistani students file for asylum in UK

LONDON: More than 5000 Pakistani students have filed for asylum in UK, as the British government launches a campaign targeting foreign students, overstaying in the country after visa expiry.

Following a sharp rise in asylum applications from this group, the Home Office has warned international students that they will be deported if they remain in the country beyond their visa validity, according to British media reports.

Figures cited in the report show that in just one year, around 14,800 asylum applications were submitted by individuals who had initially come to the UK on study visas.

Among these, the largest number came from Pakistani students, who filed 5,700 applications, followed by students from India, Bangladesh, and Nigeria.

Thousands of foreign students have reportedly been sent emails and text messages alerting them about the consequences of overstaying.

Officials say the move comes in response to what they describe as a worrying increase in asylum requests from students after their visas expire.

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Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC that some are claiming asylum “even when things haven’t changed in their home country,” adding that many remain in the system for years, which “causes problems with asylum accommodation and hotels.”

She said, “We obviously will do our bit to support genuine refugees, but if nothing has changed in their country, people should not be claiming asylum at the end of a student course.”

Ten thousand students with visas due to expire have already been contacted, while tens of thousands more will receive the message this autumn.

It warns: “If you submit an asylum claim that lacks merit, it will be swiftly and robustly refused… If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave. If you don’t, we will remove you.”

The government has already moved to tighten visa rules, making it harder for universities to keep their sponsorship licences if students fail to complete courses.

Earlier this year, it also reduced the time overseas graduates can stay after their studies from two years to 18 months.

The British government also announced a temporary suspension on new applications for family reunification for asylum seekers.

The Home Secretary said no fresh applications for bringing families of asylum seekers to the UK will be accepted for the time being.