UK to Warn 130,000 Foreign Students Over Visa Compliance

By Staff, Agencies

In a major immigration crackdown, the UK Home Office will directly contact around 130,000 foreign students and their families, warning them to comply with visa terms or face removal.

The unprecedented campaign follows a surge in international students applying for asylum after their student visas expire — a figure that hit 16,000 last year, nearly six times higher than in 2020.

The message, obtained by The Guardian, warns: “If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave. If you don’t, we will remove you.”

While some claims are legitimate, ministers fear the asylum system is being exploited as a way to extend stays.

The move comes amid growing public dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of immigration.

A new YouGov poll for The Times shows 71% of Britons view current migrant housing policies as flawed, with confidence in both Labour and Conservative immigration strategies at single-digit levels, while Reform UK sees rising support.