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On 4 March 2026, the UK Government announced that they would be putting what they say is an ‘emergency brake’ on visas being issued to Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan.
This is the first time that a visa brake has been put in place by the Government, which has been introduced following a large increase in asylum claims from people travelling to the UK on visas from these four countries.
In the following sections, we will cover what the visa brake actually involves, as well as the reasoning behind its implementation, and a look to the future.
What does the visa brake involve?
The UK Government has claimed that the brake has been introduced due to abuse of the visa system; but what does it actually do?
Essentially, the visa brake prevents people from the four countries from applying for new visas to enter the UK.
Specifically, all Student Visa routes have been closed to the aforementioned countries. However, Afghanistan has also seen its access to the Skilled Worker route closed.
The Government’s reasoning
To support the introduction of the visa brake, the Government has provided several statistics to show abuse of the visa system.
For example, asylum applications by students from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan greatly increased by 470% from 2021 to 2025.
Additionally, they stated that the number of Afghan nationals claiming asylum on work visas is outnumbering the number of visas being granted.
People who apply for asylum after travelling to the UK using a visa are seen as abusing the system, as they already have a separate route into the UK and do not carry out the purpose of their visa.
According to the Government, in 2025, 39% of the 100,000 people who applied for asylum came from legal visa routes. Many people claim to be destitute, so they are supported by money from the Government, which currently costs £4 billion a year.
People already in the UK
Those who are already in the UK from one of these four countries should still be fine as long as they have come here with the intention to carry out the purpose of their visa.
However, some of those who have applied for asylum whilst on visas may face deportations to their home countries.
Finally, if at the end of their visa, they originally planned on applying for a visa extension or a Graduate Visa, it seems they will no longer be able to do so. So far, there seems to be no mention of allowing those already in the UK and following the rules to be able to apply for visas later on.
Ultimately, those on visas in the UK will likely need to return to their home countries once the visas expire.
Looking to the future
Now a precedent has been set for the use of visa brakes, it seems likely that we will see more put in place in the future if nationals of other countries are seen as abusing the visa system.
Furthermore, as part of the press release announcing the visa brake, it was mentioned that more legislation would be introduced by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood in the coming week.
Moreover, due to current trends, it is likely that throughout the year, more legislation will be introduced to make the immigration system stricter. There are also unimplemented rule changes mentioned in the Immigration White Paper from last year that could still be made into law.
Finally, the Government has mentioned that it will be overhauling the asylum system so that it is quicker at processing applications, but also so that those who truly need help to flee war can find refuge in the UK.
Our immigration services
With the UK’s immigration rules being updated so often and becoming stricter, as the visa brake shows, it can be difficult to keep track of what applies to you, what route is best for you, or if you can even come to the UK.
This is where our team of immigration experts comes in. With their assistance, you can figure out what the best option is for you, or understand whether you can come to the UK to begin with. No matter what, they are here to help you.
To discuss your immigration issues with them, you can contact us by phone, email, or by booking a free 10-minute assessment. After your initial contact with our team, you can book a 30-minute or a one-hour long consultation during which you will receive legal advice.
Get in touch with us today for our expert immigration advice.
