PETITIONOpenPetition · petition.parliament.uk
Remove the student visa 'emergency brake' applied to certain countries
We ask the UK Government to review and remove the student visa ‘emergency brake’ affecting certain countries. Visa decisions should be based on individual merit, not nationality. The policy risks restricting genuine students and harming the UK’s reputation as a global education destination.
Last fetched 03 May 2026 · petition.parliament.uk
Signatures
32
signatures
Government response threshold (10,000) · 32/10,000
Debate threshold (100,000) · 32/100,000
Background
The UK is a leading destination for international students, who contribute significantly to universities, research, and the wider economy. Nationality-based visa restrictions risk unfairly penalising genuine applicants and damaging the UK's global reputation for openness in higher education. We urge the Government to review and remove the 'emergency brake' policy to ensure that visa decisions are fair, transparent, and based on individual circumstances rather than nationality.