London threatens to ban all visas for Eritreans to force Asmara to take back its nationals

British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood threatened on October 15, 2026, to close access to British visas for all Eritrean nationals if Asmara does not accept the return of a larger number of migrants who arrived by small boat and individuals with criminal convictions, reports Africanews.

The threat does not target a specific category of applicants but an entire nationality: students, families, and business travelers would be affected just as much as Eritrean state officials. Such a measure would primarily punish civilians for a disagreement between two governments.

Measures already in force

London has already revoked expedited visa access for Eritrean officials and public figures. Eritrean diplomats stationed in the United Kingdom can no longer travel more than 60 kilometers from London without authorization from the Foreign Office, according to Africanews. The British Home Office justifies this hardening of policy by citing Asmara's sudden withdrawal of cooperation on returns during 2026, following months of discreet negotiations.

What the figures say

Eritreans constitute the most represented nationality among arrivals by small boat in the United Kingdom for the year ending in June 2026. Over the last four years, 2,626 Eritreans have had their asylum applications rejected, and less than 4% of them have actually been deported, according to data cited by Africanews. Shabana Mahmood has warned that other countries could face similar restrictions if they refuse to take back their nationals.

Why Eritreans are leaving

This standoff ignores the underlying issue: the reason for these departures. Human rights organizations have long documented forced labor, torture, and the suppression of the press in Eritrea, recalls an analysis by African Arguments cited by AllAfrica on October 15, 2026. The same text notes that Washington lifted sanctions on September 19, 2026, that had been imposed in 2021 on the ruling party, the PFDJ, for its role in the Tigray war, and estimates that the benefits of this lifting will go primarily to the targeted elites rather than the population.

The logic is therefore twofold: Western capitals are easing pressure on the Eritrean government while threatening to build a wall in front of the Eritreans fleeing it. The right to seek asylum does not depend on the goodwill of the country one is leaving. Using visas as an instrument of diplomatic pressure amounts to turning civilians into bargaining chips.