British Citizenship Rules Tightened Under New Law

The UK has passed new legislation that delays the automatic reinstatement of British citizenship for people linked to terrorism, extremism, or serious organised crime until all legal appeals are complete.

The Deprivation of Citizenship Orders Act 2025, which received Royal Assent on 27 October, changes the appeal process to prevent citizenship from being restored while further legal challenges are still pending. The reform closes a gap exposed by a Supreme Court ruling earlier this year, which allowed citizenship to be reinstated after a successful first appeal even if additional appeals were ongoing.

Under the new law, individuals whose citizenship has been removed will not be released from immigration detention or allowed to return to the UK if they are considered security risks, regardless of any interim appeal results. It also prevents individuals from renouncing other nationalities to make themselves solely British, a tactic previously used to delay or obstruct deportation. Security Minister Dan Jarvis said the Act strengthens the government’s ability to protect the public. 

“We take national security seriously,” he said. “This legislation ensures no chances will be taken when it comes to protecting the country and its people.”

The Act does not change the legal grounds for revoking citizenship or the right to appeal such decisions. Instead, it brings citizenship appeals into line with procedures in human rights and asylum cases, where outcomes are finalised only after all appeal options have been exhausted.

The new measures are expected to have the greatest impact on cases involving people detained under immigration powers while contesting citizenship deprivation. By postponing reinstatement, the government retains authority over detention and re-entry decisions, allowing greater control over potential security risks.