UK refugee sponsorship routes open in Pakistan: who qualifies and who does not

The United Kingdom has opened new refugee sponsorship routes in seven countries, Pakistan among them, letting British community groups, universities and employers sponsor refugees for a five-year stay, ARY News reported on Saturday. The other countries are Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Egypt, Uganda and Kenya.

The headline that the UK refugee sponsorship covers Pakistan has been read by many as a new visa for Pakistanis. It is not: Pakistani nationals living in Pakistan, and internally displaced people, are not eligible. The routes are for refugees who fled another country and are now sheltering in one of the seven.

Who can qualify

• A refugee who fled their own country and is seeking protection in Pakistan or one of the other six countries.
• Recognised by UNHCR as meeting the refugee definition.
• Registered with UNHCR or the local authorities before 1 October 2026.
• Identified through an approved sponsor: individuals cannot apply directly.

In Pakistan, that points mainly to registered Afghan refugees and Rohingya and other Myanmar refugees, subject to the checks. Every applicant goes through Home Office identity, eligibility and security checks, and a sponsor's offer does not guarantee a visa.

The three routes

Community groups may need £9,000 to £15,000 per refugee family, and must arrange housing and support. That is roughly Rs 3.3 million to Rs 5.6 million at today's open-market pound rate on our GBP to PKR page. Sponsors may not charge refugees or make money from the scheme.

What refugees get

Refugees arriving on these routes get five years' permission to stay, with the right to work, study and claim benefits under the usual rules. The government says it intends a route to settlement after five years, but the conditions for indefinite leave to remain have not been set out. The first arrivals are expected in autumn 2027.

Why Britain is doing it

The scheme borrows from Canada's private sponsorship model. It shifts housing and early support costs from the state to sponsors, which London hopes will cut spending on asylum hotels and reduce dangerous small-boat crossings.

Beware of agents

Because sponsorship cannot be bought and there is no application form for the public, anyone in Pakistan selling a "UK refugee visa" is running a scam. Report such offers to the FIA. For legitimate routes to study or work abroad, see our passport fee calculator to plan the first step.