UK threatens full visa ban on Eritreans over migrant returns dispute

The United Kingdom has threatened to bar all Eritrean citizens from entering the country unless Eritrea agrees to take back its nationals refused asylum or convicted of crimes in the UK. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she would not hesitate to act, while Eritrea's UK embassy dismissed the move as a "perfunctory political gimmick" and said it does not accept forced returns.

The threat escalates a dispute that has run for months over the return of Eritreans who entered the UK irregularly, many of them by small boats across the Channel.

Key facts

• The UK has threatened a complete ban on Eritrean citizens entering the UK if Eritrea refuses to take back its nationals. No start date has been announced.
• Fast-track visa access to Britain has already been withdrawn from Eritrean VIPs and diplomats.
• Eritrean diplomats in the UK may not travel 37 miles beyond London without permission from the Foreign Office.
• 106 failed asylum seekers from Eritrea have been deported out of 2,626 rejected claims in the past four years, fewer than 4 per cent.
• The UK had a returns agreement with Eritrea from 2024 until March 2026, when officials said Eritrea ended co-operation.

What has changed so far?

Two measures are already in force, according to the Home Secretary's actions described in the dispute: Eritrean VIPs and diplomats have been stripped of their fast-track visa access to Britain, and Eritrean diplomats based in the UK have been barred from travelling more than 37 miles beyond London without Foreign Office permission.

The broader measure — a complete ban on Eritrean citizens entering the UK — has been threatened rather than imposed. Ms Mahmood said Eritrea had "every chance" to accept the return of criminals and people with no right to remain, and warned that other countries refusing to co-operate could face further measures.

What has Eritrea said?

Eritrea's UK embassy said it does not accept the forced return of its citizens and has communicated this to British officials on various occasions. It said it has repeatedly asked for talks on the dignified return of its nationals, and called the Home Secretary's decision regrettable.

The embassy claimed the UK has not issued a single visa to an Eritrean official since 2023. A Home Office spokesman said the Eritrean Government's statement misrepresents the UK's position and contains numerous factual inaccuracies, while Home Office sources denied that no visas had been issued, noting that an Eritrean minister was granted fast-track entry to the UK and exempted from immigration controls in August.

How many Eritreans are affected?

In the year to June 2026, 6,952 Eritrean asylum seekers arrived in the UK — the second-highest number of any nationality — including 5,875 who came by small boats, the highest number of any nationality. Eritreans have a high asylum-approval rate of 83.1 per cent, and 106 failed asylum seekers have been deported from 2,626 rejected claims over the past four years.

Which other countries face similar action?

The Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia and Angola were threatened with visa bans for their ministers, diplomats and tourists in December, and agreed in February to take back their citizens. The Home Secretary has identified India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Somalia, Egypt and Gabon as resistant to taking back illegal migrants and warned they could face sanctions. The approach mirrors visa restrictions placed by US President Donald Trump on nearly 40 countries.

What this means for travellers

Eritrean citizens have not yet been barred from entering the UK; the ban has only been threatened. Anyone with Eritrean nationality planning UK travel should follow official announcements for confirmation of whether and when the measure takes effect. Diplomats already face fast-track visa restrictions and limits on travel outside London.