Students from Nigeria and other countries are not permitted to bring family members into the United Kingdom. This policy applies to students from all countries.
As part of the plan to lower the overall number of people moving into the country legally, Home Secretary Suella Braverman announced the prohibition.
The Home Secretary has stated that beginning in January 2024, it will be impossible for international students to bring their partners, children, or parents into the country with them, with the exception of those who are participating in postgraduate research programmes.
The United Kingdom allows dependents to follow their spouses or parents who are studying there, provided that they hold a valid student visa.
Braverman was quoted as adding that there had been a “unexpected” surge in the number of dependents, and that the economic gains offered by students could “not be at the expense” of the Tory promise to decrease immigration. Braverman was referring to the promise made by the Conservatives to reduce immigration.
According to Sky News, “There will also be a review of the maintenance requirement for students and dependents and a crackdown on so-called ‘unscrupulous’ education agents who make use of inappropriate applications to sell immigration, not education.” Additionally, “there will be a review of the maintenance requirement for students and dependents,”
The prohibition will apply to students pursuing a master’s degree as well as some other post-graduate degrees; however, it will not apply to students pursuing a doctorate, who are highly skilled and whose programmes typically run between three and five years.
If it goes forward, the crackdown would have a significant impact on the number of Nigerian students who wish to continue their education in the United Kingdom at the postgraduate level. This is because Nigerian students accounted for the greatest increase in the number of dependents accompanying those who had study visas in 2022.