'Backdoor' Asylum Claims Surge: UK to Crack Down on Visa Holders

The UK is facing a growing challenge to its immigration system, as new Home Office data reveals a record number of individuals are claiming asylum despite initially arriving with legal visas. The figures indicate a sharp rise in the practice, prompting a government response aimed at tightening immigration rules and preventing the system from being exploited.

According to the data, 4,394 individuals who arrived in the UK in 2022 on a work or study visa had claimed asylum within three years of their arrival. This figure represents an almost threefold increase from two years prior, when just 1,518 such claims were made. The overall number of migrants who have switched from a visa to an asylum claim or refugee status has doubled over the last decade, reaching 18,442 in 2024.

This trend is particularly notable among certain demographics. The data shows that of the 18,442 individuals who had switched their status, one in five were Pakistani nationals. A large majority of these individuals—3,603—had initially entered the country on student visas. The list of nationalities with high rates of switching also includes Afghans, Iranians, Libyans, and Bangladeshis.

The Home Office report also highlighted specific cases that illustrate the complexities and potential for abuse within the system. One case involved a Pakistani man who arrived in the UK on a student visa in 2006, overstayed illegally for 11 years, and was later granted refugee status by an immigration tribunal despite a conviction for sexual assault. In another instance, a Pakistani woman, Nadra Almas, who also arrived on a student visa, won a 16-year legal battle for refugee status by claiming she would face persecution as a Christian in her home country.

In response to these findings, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is preparing to unveil a series of new restrictions. The proposed measures are designed to prevent the use of work and study visas as a "backdoor" into the asylum system and to limit the ability of rejected asylum seekers to prolong their stay through repeated appeals.

The new policies will reportedly include stricter criteria for visa applications, particularly for individuals from countries with high rates of people switching to asylum. Additionally, the government plans to introduce measures to bar migrants who arrived on a visa from claiming taxpayer-funded accommodation. This is intended to address a disparity where asylum seekers can claim support if they are destitute, while visa holders are required to prove they have the financial means to support themselves. By using bank statements from initial visa applications, officials aim to make it significantly more difficult for these individuals to claim free accommodation after switching to asylum status. A Home Office source confirmed the need for "further restrictions to cut the number of people applying for asylum to extend their stay because their visa has run out."