Information for Current Students: Home Office 'Visa Brake' Announcement
The UK Government has announced a new visa brake that will affect new Student visa applications made outside the UK by nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan from 26 March 2026.
We understand this may raise questions, so we want to reassure all students who are already in the UK about what this means for you.
If you are currently in the UK, you are not affected
- The visa brake applies only to new out of country applications. It does not affect people who already hold a valid UK visa and are currently in the UK.
- Your current visa remains valid, and the conditions of your stay do not change.
- You may continue studying exactly as normal under the conditions of your existing Student visa.
Future in UK applications are still allowed
If you plan to apply for a visa from inside the UK (for example, another Student Visa or a Graduate Route visa after completing your studies), you can still do so. The brake does not apply to in country applications.
Dependants can still join you
The visa brake only affects main applicants applying from outside the UK. Dependants are not restricted by this change as long as they meet the usual immigration requirements.
Other visa types are not affected
It only affects the sponsored Student visa and Skilled Worker visa routes for the four specified nationalities where applications are being made from overseas.
Further Updates
The information above is the only information we have to date.
Please regularly check this AskHerts page for any further updates.
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