Changes to Citizenship
February 2025
Recently, the government changed their guidance to make it harder for some people to get British citizenship, depending on how they arrived in the UK. We know that people are worried about what this might mean for them. Here is what we know so far.
What is the Home Office’s ‘good character requirement’ guidance?
When they apply to become a British citizen, adults and children over 10 must meet a “good character” requirement, which is set out in guidance. Generally, factors such as past criminal history, financial stability, and breaches of immigration law impact what the Home Office sees as “good character”. However, most issues (except serious criminal convictions) are disregarded after 10 years, a rule that has been part of the guidance for some time.
What has changed?
On 10th February 2025, the Government made changes to the ‘Good Character’ guidance. The changes say that people who entered the UK “illegally” and/or arrived through dangerous routes will “normally” be refused British citizenship.
- The Home Office defines “illegal entry” as entering through any route in breach of immigration laws, for example in breach of a deportation order or through deception.
- A “dangerous journey” includes, but is not limited to, traveling by small boat or being hidden in a lorry. It does not include arriving as a passenger on a commercial flight.
This means, from 10th February 2025, anyone who applies for citizenship who arrived in one of the above ways will normally be refused, no matter how long ago they arrived. This will impact many refugees who gained status through an asylum claim in the UK, and people who are in the asylum system now.
If you submitted your citizenship application before February 10th 2025, there are no changes. As before, your method of arrival in the UK may be taken into account, especially if you arrived through an irregular route within the past 10 years.
What does “normally” mean?
The guidance says that the person making the decision on a citizenship application can still use their discretion and grant citizenship, but that they will “normally” (not always) refuse it. We do not yet know how this discretion will be used or what factors may be taken into account. An application for British citizenship costs £1,630 and is non-refundable – many people will not want to risk making the application if it is unlikely to succeed.
What will the impact be?
This change will make it harder for anyone who arrived in the UK through an irregular route to successfully apply for British citizenship. This includes people who currently have refugee status. It does not include people who arrived in the UK on a resettlement route or through refugee family reunion.
This change does not impact asylum applications or applications for indefinite leave to remain, also known as settlement. If you are waiting for an asylum decision, this will not change how your claim is considered. When you have had refugee status for 5 years, you can apply for permanent settlement, and again this change will not impact how your claim is considered. However, we know that for many people, British citizenship represents safety and security, and this is what they are hoping for.
This change came unexpectedly, and we understand it is confusing and worrying. We know many are concerned about how these changes will affect you and your families. At GMIAU we stand with you. These changes will be legally challenged, and we hope the Government will reverse them.
GMIAU’s stance:
GMIAU strongly opposes this attack on people seeking safety, which will harm many members of our Greater Manchester community, leaving thousands without a pathway to citizenship. Everyone building their life in the UK, forming roots in our communities, should have the opportunity to become British citizens, whether they have arrived recently or already have refugee status. People must not be treated differently based on where they are from and how they got here. To punish people for their method of travel to the UK is to punish them for circumstances beyond their control: there are no safe routes to claim asylum in the UK.
In the words of this letter, signed by over 100 organisations including GMIAU, “Citizenship is not just a legal status; it is a tangible fulfilment of the promise of safety, dignity, and opportunity.”
GMIAU stands firmly in solidarity with our community. We will update when we have more answers about what this will look like, and we will continue to fight for justice, safe routes, and the dignity and safety of all.
We ask the government to:
- Immediately reverse this change to the Good Character guidance
- End the harmful rhetoric and policy that blames people seeking safety for the lack of safe routes to the UK, and prevent further harm by introducing safe routes to claim asylum.
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