Home Office accused of barring thousands as new rules state applicants will ‘normally be refused’
The Home Office is facing criticism for effectively shutting out thousands of refugees from obtaining British citizenship if they entered the UK via small boats or concealed in vehicles.
Updated guidance for officials reviewing naturalisation applications now states that, as of Monday, individuals who have “undertaken a dangerous journey” will typically be denied citizenship.
The Refugee Council has warned that this policy could prevent up to 71,000 successful asylum seekers from securing UK citizenship. Meanwhile, a prominent immigration barrister has argued that the move violates international law.
This policy shift is widely viewed as further evidence that Keir Starmer’s administration is taking a harder stance on asylum seekers to counter a surge in support for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
Senior Conservative figures argue that the government’s newly introduced border security legislation, which cleared its second reading on Monday, will roll back key provisions of the Illegal Migration Act—previously designed to block irregular arrivals from obtaining citizenship.
Amid growing backlash, a Labour MP has joined advocacy groups in demanding an immediate reversal of the policy.
Stella Creasy, Labour MP for Walthamstow, wrote on X: “This must be changed immediately. If we recognise someone as a refugee, it is unacceptable to deny them a path to British citizenship.”
The Free Movement blog first reported the policy change, which was introduced into official guidance for visa and immigration officers on Monday.
Revised caseworker instructions clarify that individuals applying for citizenship from 10 February 2025 onward who previously entered the UK illegally will “normally be refused,” regardless of how much time has passed since their arrival.
Another new clause states: “A person applying for citizenship from 10 February 2025, who previously entered the UK without valid entry clearance or an electronic travel authorisation and did so via a dangerous journey, will normally be refused citizenship.”
The guidance defines a “dangerous journey” as including, but not limited to, “travel by small boat or concealed in a vehicle or other means of transportation.”
The majority of small boat arrivals eventually secure refugee status, and most of those who gain refugee status later apply for British citizenship. Applying for UK citizenship currently costs £1,630 per person, with no right to appeal if refused.
Colin Yeo, an immigration barrister and editor of Free Movement, condemned the move, writing on Bluesky: “This is bad—full stop. It creates a permanent underclass of people who can never fully integrate, no matter how long they live in the UK. It is also a clear violation of the refugee convention.”
The UN’s 1951 Refugee Convention, under Article 31, explicitly states that “contracting states shall not impose penalties, on account of their illegal entry or presence, on refugees.”
Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, criticised the decision, saying: “This policy defies common sense. The British public supports refugees who have been granted safety and wish to contribute to society.
“Generations of refugees have become proud, hardworking British citizens—doctors, business owners, professionals. Citizenship has enabled them to give back to their communities, and this should be celebrated, not blocked.”
The Home Office has also been accused of “mainstreaming racism” after releasing footage of people being forcibly removed from the UK for the first time.
Government officials believe that taking a tough stance on migration could help retain Labour voters at risk of shifting to Farage’s party. On Sunday, the government published footage of immigration enforcement operations targeting illegal workers, prompting MP Diane Abbott to say: “Trying to present ourselves as a ‘Reform-lite’ party is a huge mistake.”
Sources within the Home Office claim the new guidance was introduced to replace the citizenship restrictions previously enforced under the now-repealed Illegal Migration Act.
A Home Office spokesperson defended the policy, stating: “Existing rules already prevent those who enter the UK illegally from gaining citizenship.
“These updates reinforce our position: anyone arriving in the UK through illegal means, including small boat crossings, risks having their citizenship application denied.”
