British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has threatened to ban Eritrean nationals from entering the UK unless the East African country agrees to accept the return of more rejected asylum seekers and foreign national offenders.
From Thursday, Eritrean diplomats will face restrictions on travelling more than 60km outside London without permission, while fast-track visas for senior officials will be suspended.
The UK government accuses Eritrea of withdrawing cooperation on migrant returns earlier this year.
Mahmood said Eritrea had repeatedly refused to accept the return of criminals and people with no legal right to remain in Britain, warning that further restrictions could follow.
However, Eritrea’s embassy in London dismissed the measures as a “perfunctory political gimmick” and accused the UK of failing to engage in meaningful diplomatic dialogue.
Eritrean officials also challenged Britain’s handling of deportations, claiming some proposed returns were incorrectly described as voluntary.
The Home Office rejected the accusations, saying Eritrea had misrepresented the UK’s position.
According to official figures, more than 5,800 Eritreans arrived in Britain via small boats in the 12 months to June 2026, accounting for approximately 18% of arrivals.
During the same period, only seven people were returned directly to Eritrea, while another 244 Eritreans were removed to other countries.
However, most Eritrean asylum seekers are granted protection in Britain, with 84% of applications approved at the initial decision stage.
Eritrea has faced longstanding criticism from human rights organisations over indefinite military conscription, political repression and restrictions on religious freedom and freedom of expression.
The country has not held national elections since gaining independence from Ethiopia in 1993 and remains under the leadership of President Isaias Afwerki.
The UK has previously threatened similar visa restrictions against Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo to secure greater cooperation on migrant returns.
British government figures show that more than 20,400 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats so far in 2026, a 40% reduction compared with the same period last year.
