‘I can no longer see a future in the UK’: new citizenship guidance shuts out refugees

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/may/11/i-can-no-longer-see-a-future-in-the-uk-new-citizenship-guidance-shuts-out-refugees

Posted by topotaul

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32 Comments

  1. But refugees are meant to be here temporarily we are told? Why would they want to apply? Because they had no intention of going home. I support the Labour government on this

  2. socratic-meth on

    > For many people, irregular arrival will have been to flee war or persecution and their unlawful entry will have occurred many years ago.

    Don’t most ‘irregular arrivals’ come from France? Not really fleeing war if you are launching a dingy out of Calais.

  3. Choice_Sorbet9821 on

    Return to Syria there is no war there now.
    Go and build your country back up.

  4. Dedsnotdead on

    So this is difficult, given we are an island but at the same time there’s some mental gymnastics involved in this case.

    “Now people like me who have never committed a crime will be treated worse than criminals,” said Alhussein, 31.”

    But the Governments position is that you entered the country illegally and consequently broke the law.

  5. Into NI and bus to Dublin. Citizenship and EU access. Good social welfare for immigrants and very welcoming NGO system. Families usually reunited.

  6. Designer_Machine1583 on

    I don’t think enough people (including refugees) realise that claiming asylum and being granted it isn’t the same as being granted citizenship to a nation. It is predicated on you leaving the country once it is safe to do so, not a route to a long term life in another nation.

    If you want to live in a country for the rest of your life, apply to do so with a skillset that is of current value to that nation. That is what I would have to do to move to any other decent nation, why should it be any different for a refugee at the point at which their home nation becomes safe to live in again

  7. InformationNew66 on

    There is the good character requirement and even a speeding fine technically has to be declared, although one speeding fine will not mean application denied.

    Now, imagine declaring a “crossed border illegally and knowing it’s an illegal route, paying smugglers/mafia/money launderers on the way”

  8. Wide-Cash1336 on

    It’s not an airport, no need to announce your departure..just go… But yet I bet they won’t of course.

  9. Infrared_Herring on

    Whatever your take on migration into the UK, something needs to be done.

  10. Annual_History_796 on

    And rightly so. The war in Syria is over. He can and should go home.

  11. No-Tart6352 on

    Kinda weird to flee war and say, “you know where I want to be as a conservative Muslim with severely outdated views on women and gays? The UK! A sunny Muslim paradise!”

    Even worse they have to travel through like 15 countries to get specifically to the UK!! It’s a fucking dump, fuck off we’re full and trying to fix the place. It’s broken. Last thing we need is freeloaders and charity cases.

  12. Kitchen-Invite-5123 on

    There are plenty British citizens who no longer see a future in the UK either, myself included.

  13. AddictedToRugs on

    There’s no reason why being granted asylum should necessarily lead to citizenship.

  14. Crazy-Condition-8446 on

    Good, they leave safe countries to come here. I am very supportive of people from genuine war torn countries, who have a want to make a better life.
    However It’s primarily men, and we cannot deny there has been massive problems, especially towards females. Anyone who says different are unaffected.

  15. Available-Ask331 on

    Don’t we have embassies in countries closer, or actually, in countries their ‘fleeing’ from?

    Can we not just stick someone there with a desk and computer and ask them to crack on with the asylum seekers?

    1 guy on minimum wage is a lot cheaper than pissing billions away, trying to stop them. And shit like this happening.

  16. FilmFanatic1066 on

    He’s welcome to go back home and free up his housing for actual British citizens then.

  17. ShoeApprehensive8582 on

    I really do not care

    It is time BRITISH people come first

    He can go to many other countries, maybe he could go back to syria and help rebuild his home country because this is exactly what us brits did, it what the french did, its what the germans did, its whats the polish did and its what the ukrainians will do.

  18. Broad-Coast-3450 on

    I can’t see a future in the uk anymore as a citizen. Got laid off. Back to working minimum wage. Can’t afford to live independently. Can’t get a better job. I’d feel bad for him if I didn’t feel hopeless for myself

  19. Remarkable_Misty on

    Does this now mean that every illegal immigrant who enters the country by boat or other illegal ways is automaticaly going to be returned? As they would have commited a crime entering illegally due to The Illegal Migration Act and its a crime under u.k law?

  20. Long time ago I too was a refugee in the U.K.

    As I was waiting for my application to be processed, I completed a PhD in Physics, married and had kids. Although my wife is British, my status and eventual citizenship derived from the refugee status.
    We later moved to USA, I started and sold my company and now we returned to the U.K.

    I don’t need to work ever again but I’m training to be a teacher, as I know there is a shortage of physics teachers and I want to give back.

    Are you all saying that you’d rather I returned back to wherever I came from the minute the war ended in my former country? I know the opinions in this sub are so far removed from my community but I’d like you all to reflect on it.

    BTW, I’m white. Does that make a difference to you?

  21. External-Piccolo-626 on

    We need to distinguish between immigrants, illegal immigration and refugees.

  22. Successful_Swim_9860 on

    People do realise the irregular migration surge is “brexit benefit” right?

  23. Nigelthornfruit on

    Any illegal refugee in the country has no claim to safety as they travelled through very safe countries like France, Italy, Germany and Greece to get here.

    Sure we should take our share of refugees but legally and on some of our own terms.

  24. AllahsNutsack on

    They’re taking refuge.

    They’re refugees.

    It’s always meant to be temporary..

    In a storm sometimes I take refuge under a tree. I don’t then live under that tree forever..

  25. real_Mini_geek on

    No and neither can many of the people who have lived here their whole life

  26. BabaGanoushHabibi on

    It’s a historically unprecedented abomination to even consider them for citizenship.

  27. The Guardian finding a boat migrant with a successful job as if that represents the majority of them who aren’t in employment & are on lifetime benefits.

  28. ethos_required on

    Good. Refugees are supposed seeking refuge, not economically migrating. They should not end up with citizenship imo. And any treaty or law which says they will should be rewritten 🤷‍♂️.

  29. gardenfella on

    “Now people like me who have never committed a crime will be treated worse than criminals,”

    But you DID commit a crime. You entered the country ILLEGALLY.