Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the suspension of student visas on Afghan women who are prohibited by the Taliban from accessing higher education in Afghanistan; and whether they will introduce an exemption for women offered places at UK universities.

The Government has no current plans to introduce exceptions to the visa brake. However, the government has recently announced the development of new safe and legal routes to offer sanctuary to those fleeing war and persecution from around the world. We will ensure that these routes will be sustainable, well-managed and in line with UK capacity to support new refugees. It is expected that the student refugee route will be open for applications from Autumn 2026, with the first students arriving in Autumn 2027.

The visa brake is being kept under regular review. It is not intended to be permanent and will be released once the government considers it appropriate to do so.