The United Kingdom’s Home Office has officially commenced the implementation of a policy prohibiting Nigerian students and other international students from bringing dependents via the study visa route. In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the Home Office emphasized that only postgraduate research or government-sponsored scholarship students would be exempted from this new restriction, reinforcing the commitment to reducing overall migration.
“We are fully committed to seeing a decisive cut in migration. From today, new overseas students will no longer be able to bring family members to the UK. Postgraduate research or government-funded scholarships students will be exempt,” stated the Home Office.
The PUNCH reported in May 2023 that the UK had introduced legislation to prevent Nigerian students and others studying in the UK from bringing family members as dependents, except under specific circumstances. This move is part of the UK government’s broader goal to reduce immigration, which currently stands at about one million.
Under the updated rule, international students will no longer have permission to switch from the student route to work routes before completing their studies, aiming to prevent misuse of the visa system. Additionally, there will be a review of the maintenance requirement for students and dependents, along with a crackdown on “unscrupulous” education agents using inappropriate applications for immigration purposes rather than genuine education.
The Home Office’s official site stated, “New government restrictions to student visa routes will substantially cut net migration by restricting the ability for international students to bring family members on all but postgraduate research routes and banning people from using a student visa as a backdoor route to work in the UK.”
The Home Office emphasized that these measures are not in contradiction to the government’s commitment to lowering overall migration and ensuring that migration to the UK is highly skilled and beneficial. The proposal aims to support the government in meeting its International Education Strategy commitments while contributing to reducing net migration to sustainable levels, with a clear assurance that the terms of the graduate route remain unchanged.