UK announce tougher rules to deny citizenship

The British government has announced tougher immigration policies aimed at making it nearly impossible for undocumented migrants arriving via small boats or hidden in vehicles to obtain British citizenship.

Under the new guidelines, individuals entering the UK illegally will generally be denied citizenship, reinforcing the government’s stance on curbing irregular migration.

A Home Office spokesperson confirmed the change, stating that the updated rules make it clear that small boat arrivals and other unauthorized entrants will face automatic rejection of their citizenship applications.

The move comes amid mounting pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government to address migration concerns, particularly after the anti-immigration Reform UK party gained significant electoral support in the last general election.

However, the policy shift has sparked criticism from some Labour lawmakers and immigration advocates. MP Stella Creasy argued that denying citizenship to recognized refugees would create a permanent underclass of individuals. Similarly, the immigration law blog Free Movement described the new rules as harmful to integration efforts, warning they could prevent a large number of refugees from becoming British citizens.

The announcement coincides with parliamentary discussions on the new Border Security, Asylum, and Immigration Bill, which aims to dismantle smuggling networks facilitating irregular crossings.

Migration remains a key political issue, with official figures showing that over 36,800 people were detected crossing the Channel in 2024—an increase from the previous year. Upon taking office, Stammer scrapped the controversial Rwanda deportation plan introduced by his predecessor, opting instead to intensify efforts to combat smuggling operations.