Eritreans face total UK visa ban in row over return of small boat migrants
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has warned Eritrea it could face a complete UK visa ban if it does not co-operate with the return of its nationals, including people convicted of crimes and those with no right to remain. She said Eritrea had refused to accept returns and warned that other countries could also face visa restrictions.
Eritrean diplomats have already lost fast-track visa access and face limits on travel outside London without Foreign Office permission. Government figures show 6,952 Eritrean asylum seekers arrived in the UK in the year to June 2026, including 5,875 by small boat; 84 per cent of Eritrean asylum claims were accepted. Similar visa pressure on Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo was followed by agreements on returns, which the government said could allow more than 3,000 people to be removed.
- Eritrea could face a complete UK visa ban over returns.
- 5,875 Eritrean asylum seekers arrived by small boat.
- 84 per cent of Eritrean asylum claims were accepted.
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The UK can remove someone who has no legal right to stay, or who is subject to deportation after a criminal conviction, but carrying this out usually requires their country of nationality to confirm their identity and accept their return. Eritrea has not been co-operating with returns, according to the UK government.
The Home Secretary is the minister responsible for immigration and border policy. Eritreans have also sought asylum in the UK, which means asking for protection from persecution; each claim is considered under asylum rules, separately from decisions about returning people who have no right to stay.
Visa restrictions are one way the UK can put pressure on another country, but they can also affect people seeking to travel for other reasons. The dispute matters because it concerns how the UK enforces immigration decisions while managing relations with Eritrea and access to protection for people fleeing danger.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The government can argue that a functioning immigration system depends on countries accepting their nationals when they have no legal right to remain, including people convicted of crimes. Visa restrictions may be a proportionate way to press Eritrea to co-operate, and the government says similar pressure helped secure return agreements with other countries.
The case against
A broad visa ban could punish Eritrean travellers who have no role in their government’s refusal to accept returns, while doing little to resolve individual cases fairly. Critics could argue that diplomatic pressure should not undermine access to protection: the high acceptance rate for Eritrean asylum claims underscores that many arrivals may have legitimate reasons to seek refuge in the UK.