- UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood warned Eritrea it faces a complete visa ban if it does not accept the return of its nationals with no right to remain in the UK
- Eritrea had its fast-track visa access for VIPs and government officials removed on October 15, 2026, after withdrawing returns cooperation earlier this year
- Eritreans were the most common nationality arriving by small boat in the year ending June 2026, making the returns dispute a significant migration concern for the UK
The UK Home Office has issued a stark ultimatum to Eritrea: agree to take back its nationals who have no right to remain in Britain, or face a complete ban on all Eritrean citizens entering the country.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced the warning on Wednesday, October 15, 2026, alongside an immediate removal of Eritrea's preferential visa processing for its VIPs and government officials.
Source: Getty Images
The announcement followed months of failed private diplomatic engagement with Asmara, after Eritrea abruptly withdrew its returns co-operation earlier this year.
"Eritrea has had every chance to accept the return of criminals and those with no right to be in the UK," Mahmood said.
"My message to the Eritrean government is simple: take back your nationals or face a complete ban on your citizens entering the UK. I will not hesitate to impose further measures on other countries refusing to co-operate."
UK visa ban threat: Why Eritrea is under pressure
Eritreans were recorded as the most common nationality crossing the English Channel by small boat in the year ending June 2026.
Returns arrangements are considered essential to the UK's ability to remove failed asylum seekers and foreign criminals, making Eritrea's refusal to engage a particular concern for the Home Office.
Beyond the visa restrictions, the Home Office also announced that Eritrean diplomats based in the UK will now be barred from travelling more than 60 kilometres (37 miles) beyond London without first obtaining permission from the Foreign Office.
The move mirrors restrictions that Eritrea already imposes on British officials in its capital, Asmara.
UK: Three countries have already backed down
Mahmood first pledged to use visa penalties against uncooperative countries in her opening week as Home Secretary.
Since then, Angola, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have all faced similar threats and subsequently chose to improve their return cooperation with the UK.
Eritrea is the first country to reach the point of formal visa restrictions being applied, and the Home Secretary said further escalation remained on the table if the country did not act quickly to resume cooperation.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that the UK had named three categories of applicants exempt from the visa ban on Afghan nationals.
UK had banned student visas for 4 countries
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the UK had banned student visas for nationals of four countries.
It said the decision was taken to put an end to asylum seekers who enter Britain through legal routes.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she was "taking the unprecedented decision to refuse visas for those nationals seeking to exploit our generosity."
Source: Legit.ng