LONDON (Chatnewstv.com) — Britain has warned international students they face deportation if they remain in the country after their visas expire, the Home Office said Tuesday.
As part of a new campaign, officials have begun contacting students directly by text message and email, the first time such a method is being used.
“If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave. If you don’t, we will remove you,” one Home Office message reads.
The BBC reported that about 10,000 students with visas close to expiring have already been contacted, with tens of thousands more expected to receive notices in the coming months. Officials said the crackdown is aimed at curbing a rise in asylum applications from students whose visas have run out.
The Home Office also stressed that asylum claims lacking merit would be rejected swiftly.
Earlier this year, the government shortened the post-study work period for foreign graduates, cutting the time they may remain in the country from two years to 18 months.
