The UK government has issued a stern warning to international students against overstaying their visas, cautioning that they face deportation if they fail to comply.
Gatekeepers News reports that in a new campaign, the Home Office has begun reaching out to students directly through text messages and emails, the first time such a method is being used.
According to the BBC, around 10,000 students with visas set to expire have already received the notices, with tens of thousands more expected to be contacted in the coming months.
The Home Office message states, “If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave. If you don’t, we will remove you.”
The department also stressed that asylum claims lacking merit will be quickly rejected.
Officials say the move comes in response to the alarming increase in the number of students applying for asylum after their visas run out.
Earlier this year, the UK government also reduced the post-study visa period for foreign graduates, cutting the time allowed to remain in the country after completing their studies from two years to 18 months.
