Government urged to reverse decision to close off citizenship to people arriving irregularly
The Quaker Asylum and Refugee Network (QARN) has criticised new Home Office guidance that makes it even more difficult for refugees to become British citizens.
Last week the government updated the "good character" guidance which immigration staff use to assess whether people applying for citizenship should have their application approved or denied.
The main change is the addition of the following sentence:
"Any person applying for citizenship from 10 February 2025, who previously entered the UK illegally will normally be refused."
The updated guidance adds that people "arriving without a required valid entry clearance or electronic travel authorisation, having made a dangerous journey will normally be refused citizenship". Travelling by small boat or being concealed in a vehicle are cited as examples of a dangerous journey.
Before this change, refugees who had arrived 'irregularly' would need to wait 10 years before being considered for naturalisation. A citizenship application currently costs £1630 and there is no right appeal.
There are very limited safe and legal routes available for people to travel to the UK to claim asylum, and it is not possible to apply for asylum in the UK without being here.
Under international law, applying for asylum is not "illegal", regardless of how the person arrived. Under Article 31 of the Refugee Convention, countries are prohibited from penalising refugees because they have entered a country irregularly, if they meet certain requirements.
Quakers believe that all life is precious and immigration policy (PDF) should recognise that of God in everyone. QARN has signed a joint letter to the Home Secretary calling on the government to reverse the decision:
"Labelling refugees, who through no fault of their own have had to put their lives at risk on flimsy vessels, or have had to hide in the backs of lorries to reach safety on our shores, as a type of second class individual will simply breed division and distrust."
QARN is now encouraging people to write to their MPs calling for the change to be democratically debated in the House of Commons.