Diplomacy
UK Threatens Visa Ban and Diplomatic Restrictions on Eritrea Over Migrant Returns
BBC · 4 hours ago · Read the Full Story on BBC
AI SUMMARY
The UK has threatened to restrict Eritrean diplomats and halt visa services for nationals if Eritrea refuses to accept the return of its citizens who entered illegally or committed crimes.
- UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced potential visa restrictions on Eritrean nationals if the Eritrean government fails to accept migrants who arrived on small boats or committed crimes.
- Starting Thursday, Eritrean diplomats will face movement restrictions preventing them from traveling more than 60 kilometers outside of London without prior permission.
- Fast-track visa services for VIPs from Eritrea will be suspended.
- Eritrean citizens accounted for the largest group of illegal arrivals in the 12 months leading up to June, representing 18 percent of small boat entries.
- The BBC received no response when contacting the Eritrean Embassy in London for comment.
- The UK Home Office stated that the diplomatic movement restriction mirrors measures placed on British officials in Asmara.
- Similar potential restrictions were announced earlier this year for Angola, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the DRC's ban later lifted after cooperation improved.
- Since the beginning of 2026, over 20,400 migrants have arrived in the UK via small boats, marking a 40 percent decrease from the previous year.
- Between July 2025 and June 2026, more than 40,600 migrants were deported or returned, with fewer than 6,000 of them convicted of criminal offenses.
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