Six students from Sudan and Afghanistan have initiated legal action against the Home Office, alleging racial discrimination following a new policy restricting student visas for certain nationalities.
The students – five from Sudan and one from Afghanistan – have secured offers from leading UK institutions, including University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and Imperial College London, to study medicine and science-related degrees.
New visa restrictions
Earlier this month, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced an βemergency brakeβ on student visas for applicants from Sudan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Cameroon. The measure, which came into force on 26 March, was introduced in response to a sharp increase in asylum claims made by students after arriving in the UK.
According to the Home Office, visa applications from these four countries increased by over 470% between 2021 and 2025, prompting concerns about misuse of study routes as a pathway to claim asylum.
Legal claims and discrimination concerns
The students argue that the policy is unlawful, irrational, and breaches human rights law. In their pre-action letter, they specifically claim that targeting only four countries amounts to direct racial discrimination and lacks proper legal justification.
They are calling on the government to withdraw the visa restriction entirely or, at a minimum, suspend it for students due to begin their studies later this year.
Their legal representatives have also indicated that dozens of other affected students have come forward expressing interest in joining the challenge, suggesting the case could expand significantly.
Wider impact on students and universities
The ban is expected to have serious consequences not only for students but also for UK universities. Many affected applicants had already secured places, and institutions may struggle to fill those positions at such a late stage.
The policy could also disrupt long-term academic and career plans, particularly for students from countries like Afghanistan, where access to higher education – especially for women – is already severely restricted.
Critics further argue that the policy is inconsistent, noting that other countries with higher numbers of asylum claims through visa routes, such as Pakistan, are not subject to similar restrictions.
Government response
The government has defended the measure, stating that study routes are being misused as a βbackdoorβ to claim asylum. Officials maintain that the visa restrictions are lawful and necessary to protect the integrity of the UKβs immigration system.
They have also indicated that similar measures could be introduced for other countries if asylum risks increase, and confirmed that the policy will be strongly defended against legal challenges.
LawSentis point of view
This policy marks a significant shift in the UKβs approach to student visas, but it raises serious legal and ethical concerns. Targeting specific nationalities risks undermining fairness and could face strong challenges under discrimination and human rights law.
At LawSentis, we believe that while preventing misuse of visa routes is important, blanket restrictions may unfairly impact genuine students and damage the UKβs global reputation for education.
If you are affected by visa restrictions or need legal advice on UK immigration options, contact LawSentis for expert support and guidance.