UK to deny asylum to refugees passing through 'safe' third country

UK

Immigration rule will also prevent migrants from making a claim in UK territorial waters

Jamie Grierson Home affairs correspondent

@JamieGrierson

Thu 10 Dec 2020 19.27 GMT

Ministers have quietly changed immigration rules to prevent people fleeing war or persecution from claiming asylum in the UK if they have passed through a “safe” third country, prompting accusations of a breach of international law.

From 1 January, claims of asylum from a person who has travelled through or has a connection to a safe third country, including people coming from EU member states, will be treated as inadmissible.