The United Kingdom has threatened to block all Eritrean nationals from entering the country unless Eritrea agrees to accept more citizens being returned after failing to secure the right to remain in Britain.
UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced the warning on Thursday, October 15, 2026, as the British government intensified pressure on countries it says are refusing to cooperate with the return of migrants and foreign nationals convicted of crimes.
As part of the measures, Eritrean government officials and other VIPs have lost access to preferential visa processing. Eritrean diplomats based in the UK are also restricted from travelling more than 60 kilometres outside London without permission from the Foreign Office.
The British government says Eritrea withdrew its cooperation on returns earlier this year despite repeated efforts to resolve the dispute through diplomatic channels.
“Take back your nationals or face a complete ban on your citizens entering the UK,” Mahmood warned, adding that further measures could be imposed on countries that fail to cooperate.
Eritrea has rejected the British government’s position, describing the threat as a “perfunctory political gimmick”. Its embassy has also accused London of failing to engage in meaningful dialogue and raised concerns about the treatment of Eritrean nationals being returned.
Figures cited by the British government show that more than 5,800 Eritreans arrived in the UK by small boats in the year ending June 2026, making them the largest nationality group among such arrivals during that period.
However, migration experts have questioned how effective a blanket visa ban would be, noting that many Eritreans seeking asylum have their claims approved because of conditions in their home country.
The dispute forms part of a wider UK effort to use visa restrictions to secure cooperation on migrant returns.
