UK to refuse citizenship to refugees who have ‘made a dangerous journey’
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/feb/11/uk-home-office-citizenship-refugees-dangerous-journey
Posted by eyupfatman
UK to refuse citizenship to refugees who have ‘made a dangerous journey’
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/feb/11/uk-home-office-citizenship-refugees-dangerous-journey
Posted by eyupfatman
30 Comments
More excellent news from Labour, thank you Kier.
> Any person applying for citizenship from 10 February 2025, who previously entered the UK illegally will normally be refused, regardless of the time that has passed since the illegal entry took place.
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> Any person applying for citizenship before 10 February 2025 where illegal entry is a factor, will continue to have their application reviewed to determine whether that immigration breach should be disregarded for the purpose of the character assessment.
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> A person who applies for citizenship from 10 February 2025 who has previously arrived without a required valid entry clearance or electronic travel authorisation, having made a dangerous journey will normally be refused citizenship.
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> A dangerous journey includes, but is not limited to, travelling by small boat or concealed in a vehicle or other conveyance. It does not include, for example, arrival as a passenger with a commercial airline.
If you’ve gotten the tyne and wear metro you are out of luck
> Stella Creasy, the Labour MP for Walthamstow, wrote on X: “This should be changed asap. If we give someone refugee status, it can’t be right to then refuse them [a] route to become a British citizen.”
Yes it can, because refugee status is supposed to be temporary. You are acknowledging that asylum seeking is simply being used as a route to live permanently in the UK.
In reality, nobody who enters illegally should be given anything other than immediate deportation and a permanent entry ban. Let alone citizenship.
I did a bit of digging after seeing Stella Creasy MP’s tweet. Basically, before the changes, if a refugee enters illegally and claims asylum, they have to wait 10 years before getting the right to citizenship. Now they can’t ever get citizenship. So if a child is trafficked across the channel at the age of 10, saved and granted asylum, they can spend 40 years living in the UK and not have the right to citizenship.
Also refuse asylum/citizenship to any refugee that has not claimed asylum at the first safe country. No more of this walking through Germany and France to just claim asylum in the UK. They clearly are not in need of genuine asylum if that can be so picky.
Too late. Mass immigration has already changed the fabric of British society permanently.
Why were we ever giving citizenship to migrants who had originally arrived here illegally?
What’s the point for legal migrants to do the entire visa process and bureaucracy if they could have just turned up illegally and waited long enough for the government to essentially give up
Too little too late, the country is a cesspit already
I could cry….. Keir you are finally giving me good reasons to vote for you. As someone that was heavily leaning towards reform and voted for Boris over jeremy corbyn, you are finally giving me good reasons (with actions) to actually go back to the left.
Keep it up! You have been absolutely smashing it for the last couple of weeks!
Does flying with Ryanair count as making a dangerous journey? I think my last landing lowered the runway about 2 inches at the impact point.
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The asylum system is too old and doesn’t reflect new reality. It is just abused by economic migrants. Why most boat arrivals are young men but women and children remain in their countries if their countries are so dangerous? Asylum is just a way to a better life for them but it shouldn’t be used for this purpose.
> The Home Office has been accused of quietly blocking thousands of refugees from applying for citizenship if they arrived in the UK by small boats or hidden in vehicles.
… why are they in the country? Come back to me when the planes are packed with them, and not the news that we won’t be letting them vote (unless they’re refugee’ing from Commonwealth countries of course)
Also stop benefits to anyone who isn’t a UK citizen. No help towards housing. No money. Nothing. If you don’t have money, don’t come here.
I mean, all around great news that we should praise.
But. How. Was. It. Not. Always. Like. This. Fair play from the pressure parties.
This is a fine first step but we need to change the law to stop judges from their usual extreme activism, ignoring the govt to pursue their personal preference. In all honesty, I think we need a carve out of the ECHR for illegal migrants.
This will fall foul of the EHCR. So that old chestnut will rear its head again
Why are we giving citizenship to any refugees? They’re supposed to be here until their famine or war or whatever is over.
Didn’t Kemi propose a similar idea just a week back?
It should be anything not just citizenship!
This sort of thing should have been done decades ago, entering the UK illegally is a criminal offence, they are sent straight before a judge, found guilty and then deported, if a adult has brought a child along the adult is also charged with bringing in a child as well.
They all get DNA tested, iris scan and fingerprinted before they get put back on a boat.
The UK has plenty of embassies in safe countries, they can go there first.
Good move, should be asked what wrong with France and all the safe Countries they passed through.
These people dont want citizenship.
They want benefits.
They get residency by default, due to the time it takes to process them and the incredibly tiny chance they get deported.
This is a meaningless distraction from Labour and doesnt address any real problems.
The article says its happening quietly, but it really needs to be advertised. I am glad and I have been suggesting this for some time. We can still fulfill our obligations regarding asylum while banning dangerous entrants from citizenship. This will save lives, and stop aiding the criminal gangs who prey on people.
Never thought I’d say it ….but I’ll say it. Labour getting something done for once.
I’ll believe it if i see it. Somtimes i think such stories are to push a narrative to make disgruntled citizens believe somthin is actually being done… labour are all for pro immigration even if you made the dangerous journey… heres a hotel and tax payers. Money…
Labour are scared of reforms popularity as of late. Its why council elections will be cancelled.
Current laws say:
“To be eligible for UK citizenship, applicants must demonstrate “good character,” meaning they must have observed UK laws and shown respect for the rights and freedoms of British citizens, essentially indicating a lack of serious criminal activity or other concerning behaviors; this requirement applies to individuals aged 10 or older. “
Sorry but just because you made a difficult journey doesn’t mean you get citizenship.
bet they still manage to petition the ECHR and stay on grounds they dont like the chicken nuggys abroad
Have you seen Boeings flight safety record recently?
10 years ago implementing policies like this would have been an unthinkable act of nazism. Most people ITT would have raged and spazzed out at the thought.