- The UK government has stripped visa-free entry from six countries after a surge in asylum claims by tourists, with Nicaragua and Saint Lucia added to the list in 2026
- Almost 90% of Nicaraguan visitors made asylum claims upon arrival at UK ports in 2025, prompting the government to act
- Students from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan now face a visa ban under a first-of-its-kind measure introduced alongside the new rules
The United Kingdom has revoked visa-free entry for six countries after a significant rise in asylum claims by visitors, with the Home Office announcing Nicaragua and Saint Lucia as the latest additions to the restricted list.
According to an official UK government statement, the countries below had already lost visa-free access after thousands of their nationals arrived as tourists and subsequently filed asylum claims:
1. Jordan
2. Colombia
3. Trinidad and Tobago
4. Botswana
Source: UGC
The federal government says tougher controls on those four countries slashed asylum claims by 93% and eliminated almost all port-of-arrival claims.
The Home Office estimates the measures have stopped more than 6,000 asylum applications and saved over £370 million in associated costs since July 2024.
Why Nicaragua and Saint Lucia were targeted
5. Nicaragua was added to the visa requirement list because of persistent exploitation of visa-free access, with nearly 90% of Nicaraguan visitors making asylum claims on arrival at UK ports in 2025.
6. Saint Lucia's inclusion stems from rising and disproportionately high asylum claim rates, compounded by concerns over the country's Citizenship by Investment programme, which grants citizenship in exchange for a one-off payment of $240,000 (N319,435,200) to the Saint Lucian government.
The Home Office noted that both nationalities have above-average costs because more people arrive destitute, with close to 500 Saint Lucian and Nicaraguan nationals currently receiving Home Office support.
New student visa brake, broader border measures
Alongside the visa removals, the government introduced what it described as a first-of-its-kind "brake" on student visas from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan. Students from those countries will now be refused visas, as they represent the nationalities most likely to claim asylum, with applications rising by over 470% between 2021 and 2025.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who was set to deliver a speech outlining her vision for a "good migration system," made her position clear in a statement:
"I will not tolerate systematic abuse of Britain's generosity by people granted the privilege of visa-free entry. From imposing visa requirements to shutting down visas entirely, I will do whatever it takes to restore order and control to our border."
The government also pointed to progress on returns, noting that Angola, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo had all agreed to accept back illegal migrants following pressure from the Home Secretary last November. Flights are now operating to return foreign nationals from all three countries.
People arriving through legal routes accounted for 39% of the more than 100,000 asylum claims lodged in the UK last year, with the total cost of supporting asylum seekers running at £4 billion annually.
In a similar report, Legit.ng published that the US released a list of 25 African countries whose citizens must use a regional visa hub in 2026.
UK: Foreign military exempt from immigration rules
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the UK announced 59 countries whose military personnel are exempt from standard immigration controls under the Visiting Forces Act 1952.
The list includes Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa, helping make military visits and joint training possible without the usual immigration rules. Find out which other countries are included.
Source: Legit.ng