UK to add India to list of safe states, illegally entering Indian nationals can't seek asylum

London, November 10

The UK government has announced that it will add India to a list of “safe states”, which will speed up the process of returning people who have travelled from India illegally.

With this addition, all asylum claims from Indian nationals who arrive on small boats or illegally on other routes will be deemed inadmissible. There will be no appeals and they will be sent back.

In a statement, the UK Home Office said the government would add India and Georgia to the list of ‘safe states’.

It noted that the decision would mark another step in the delivery of the “Illegal Migration Act, 2023” and its plans to stop the boats.

The UK Home Office in the statement said, “Draft legislation laid in Parliament on Wednesday will strengthen the immigration system and help prevent abuse, including by people making unfounded protection claims.”

According to the UK Home Office statement, Indian and Georgian small boat arrivals have witnessed a rise over the last year despite people not being at obvious risk of persecution. It further said, “Deeming these countries safe will mean that if an individual arrives illegally from either one, we will not admit their claim to the UK asylum system.”

The UK Home Office stated that the other nations deemed safe by the UK include Albania and Switzerland, the European Union and European Economic Area states. UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman said that they must stop people from making “dangerous and illegal journeys” to the UK from “fundamentally safe nations”.