UK Student Visa Rule Modified: International students banned from bringing family over

In a major change announced by the UK government, on Tuesday, international students pursuing a non-research Master’s degree course in the country will no longer be permitted to bring along their families or dependents to the country. UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman announced this new immigration crackdown which will come into effect from January 2024. She further added that this bid was mandatory after an over eight-fold rise in visa provisions to foreign students’ dependents was witnessed in December 2022.

Nearly 136,000 visas were granted, whereas in 2019 only 16,000 visas were handed over. The new decision will also impact Indian students as the country recently left behind China in terms of obtaining the highest number of study visas to the UK. In 2020-2021, the highest first-year enrollments were from China (99,965), followed by India (87,045) and Nigeria (32,945).

At present, master’s students are allowed to bring their families to the UK, where they can remain for a period of 24 months after the completion of the students’ course. Check How to Get UK Student Visa in 5 Steps to gain knowledge regarding the entire visa application process.

Three Major Highlights

• Only those international students can bring their families who are pursuing post-graduate research courses, including PhD, in the UK.
• Students won’t be able to switch to the work route from the student route before completing their studies. Maintenance needs for both students and dependents will also be inspected.
• Action will be taken against unscrupulous education agents promoting inappropriate applications in order to sell immigration, not education.

Check: UK Student Visa Document Checklist: Eligibility, Application Procedure, Visa Fee

Braverman stated that an unprecedented rise was recorded in the number of student dependents being brought to the United Kingdom with the help of visas. She recognised the need to become strict with this route so that the number of migrants can be brought down. She said, "This is the fair thing to do to allow us to better protect our public services while supporting the economy by allowing the students who contribute the most to keep coming here". 

She also said that this new change won't alter the terms of the graduate route and the same will remain unchanged. Braverman expressed that their objective remains to garner the attention of outstanding students and bring them to the UK. She claimed that the plans here are to work with universities and come up with another method that would allow the brightest minds to get their dependents with them to the country, while studying in top universities, with a reduced net migration.

Although the Conservative Party promised to reduce the numbers as a part of their election agenda, the Rishi Sunak government witnessed record-high migration to the nation. This step would pull down the migration according to PM Rishi Sunak.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said that bright students relocating to the UK for studies are not only beneficial for their universities but the same is significant for their economy and for developing crucial international connections.