Politics · United Kingdom · 2 hrs ago
UK threatens entry ban on Eritreans over returns dispute
The UK has threatened to bar Eritreans from entering the country unless Eritrea agrees to accept more of its citizens sent back from the UK.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood says the returns include people whose asylum claims were rejected and foreign nationals convicted of crimes.
Eritrea stopped cooperating with returns earlier this year, according to the UK government, which has already ended fast-track visas for Eritrean VIPs.
Eritrean diplomats also face restrictions on travel outside London, while the UK considers further measures.
Eritreans were the most common nationality among people arriving in the UK by small boat in the year to June; one source says they made up 18% of arrivals.
But refugee organisations warn against rejecting Eritrean asylum claims, and about 84% of Eritrean applications succeed at first instance, according to a migration researcher.
The next step depends on whether Eritrea resumes cooperation; the UK has not specified what form a wider ban would take.
The UK has threatened to ban Eritreans from entering unless Eritrea accepts more people being returned from the country.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said Eritrea had refused to cooperate with returns of criminals and people without the right to remain in the UK.
Fast-track visas for Eritrean VIPs have been stopped, and diplomats face restrictions on travel outside London.
Eritreans were the most common nationality among small-boat arrivals in the year to June 2026.
Refugee organisations have warned against rejecting Eritrean asylum applicants, noting that Eritrea is a war-torn country.
- Who
- The UK government, led on this issue by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, and the government of Eritrea.
- What
- The UK has threatened to ban Eritreans from entering unless Eritrea accepts more returns. It has stopped fast-track visas for VIPs and imposed movement restrictions on Eritrean diplomats.
- When
- The warning was reported on 14 and 15 October 2026. Diplomatic movement restrictions were due to begin on Thursday.
- Where
- The measures concern entry to the UK and Eritrean diplomats’ movement outside London.
- Why
- The UK says Eritrea withdrew cooperation on returns and has refused to accept more of its nationals who were refused asylum or convicted of crimes.
UK government
Refugee organisations
Returns policy
UK government
The UK says Eritrea must accept the return of criminals and people with no right to remain, or face further measures.
Refugee organisations
Refugee organisations warn the UK against rejecting Eritrean asylum applicants because Eritrea is war-torn and many applicants are escaping famine and conflict.
Eritrea withdrew cooperation with the UK on returns, according to the Home Office.
The BBC reported that Mahmood had threatened to ban Eritreans from entering the UK.
Eritrean diplomats were due to face restrictions on travel outside London, and fast-track visas for VIPs were to be stopped.
- People returned
- Just over 100 of 2,626 Eritreans whose asylum claims were rejected in the past four years were deported, according to the Guardian.
- Small-boat arrivals
- Eritreans accounted for 18% of arrivals in the 12 months to June, according to figures cited by the BBC.
- Diplomat movement
- Eritrean diplomats need permission to travel more than 60km outside London.
- Asylum applications
- About 7,000 asylum applications came from Eritreans, around 8% of the total, according to Madeleine Sumption.
- Visa measures
- Fast-track visas for Eritrean VIPs were stopped.
3 sources
What people are saying
My message to the Eritrean government is simple: take back your nationals or face a complete ban on your citizens entering the UK.
Eritrea has had every chance to accept the return of criminals and those with no right to be in the UK. Unlike other countries, it has refused
It will be interesting to see what kind of impact this has on the number of returns.