It said the UK will be introducing additional visa requirements for certain categories of travellers who are considered to present a high risk of remaining unlawfully or making unfounded applications for asylum.

Travellers from 44 countries who do not hold a UK visa but plan to transit through the UK, will be required from today to have Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV).

Travellers who plan to stop off in the UK or whose flights depart from a different airport to the one in which they arrived will continue to require a full UK visit visa.

The press release also said that the UK remains committed to providing a fair, fast and efficient system to ensure that genuine refugees get refugee status, whilst making it harder for those seeking to abuse the asylum system to do so.