Application of Strict British Visa Rules for Foreign Students

The UK has implemented strict visa rules for foreign students. After January 1, 2024, overseas students will not be able to bring their families to the UK. British Home Secretary James Cleverly announced that the ban has been implemented since January 1.

He further informed them that the ban on bringing family along with them will not be faced by those students who are doing postgraduate research courses or studying in the UK on a government scholarship.

The UK tightens rules to reduce the number of asylum seekers. The ban was initially announced in May 2023 and has now come into effect. According to experts, the ban will affect universities that rely on foreign student fees, while it could also damage Britain's reputation internationally. After this ban, people going to the UK for education will not be able to get visas for their relatives.

In this regard, British Prime Minister Rishi Sonak said in an X-Post article on January 1 that 'from today, foreign students studying in universities will not be able to bring their family members to Britain'.

The British Home Secretary said in his statement that the government's promise to the British people to stop the arrival of immigrants is being fulfilled.

"We have developed a tough plan to rapidly reduce the number of immigrants, control the borders, and prevent people from taking advantage of our immigration system," he said.

He said that this project would be implemented this year. Tom Pursglove, the UK's immigration minister, said: "Our universities attract the best students from around the world to the UK, but we have seen an increase in the number of students accompanying their relatives, which has had a destabilizing effect on immigration.

According to the data released last month by the British Department of Statistics, between June 2022 and June 2023, 672,000 people migrated to the UK. Similarly, in the year ending September 2023, more than 152,000 visas were issued to the family members of the students.

In December 2023, James Cleverley said the new restrictions would reduce the number of people moving to the UK by 300,000 a year.

For this purpose, the minimum annual income for foreign spouses of persons employed in the United Kingdom to be invited there was increased to $49,300. The details of this policy are currently being considered by the government, but it has been heavily criticized by various quarters.