Arab News | UK gives Eritrea visa curb ultimatum over migrant returns

LONDON: Britain’s interior minister warned Eritrea on Thursday it could face a complete visa ban unless it agrees to accept the return of more of its nationals.

The warning from Shabana Mahmood came after the Democratic Republic of Congo agreed earlier this year to take back undocumented immigrants following visa restrictions imposed by London.

Home Secretary Mahmood said she wanted Eritrea to accept the repatriation to the east African country of convicted criminals and irregular migrants.

Eritreans were the most common nationality arriving by small boat in the year ending June 2026, the Home Office said.

It accused the country of “abruptly” withdrawing 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. Unlike other countries, it has refused,” Mahmood said in a statement.

“My message to the Eritrean government is simple: take back your nationals or face a complete ban on your citizens entering the UK.”

She put other nations on notice that she would “not hesitate” to act if they refused to cooperate.

In December 2025, the UK government revoked fast-track visa processing for Congolese nationals as well as preferential treatment on visas for its VIPs and decision makers, and threatened to further halt all visas.

The curbs were a result of what it called Kinshasa’s “poor cooperation” on returning undocumented migrants as well as nationals convicted of an offense in a British court.

The Home Office said in February that the DR Congo had agreed to take back irregular immigrants.

Last year, the UK also threatened visa restrictions against Namibia and Angola, prompting those countries to accept returns in December.

Immigration, especially the arrival of undocumented asylum seekers by small boats on England’s southern coast from northern France, has become a political hot potato in Britain in recent years.

The issue has fueled support for the hard-right, anti-immigrant Reform UK party.

According to latest official data released in August, the UK granted 679,000 people work, study or family visas in the year to June 2026. A further 25,000 people arrived by legal routes, while 33,000 arrived without documents by small boat.