London (The COW News Digital) The British government has passed a major amendment to its citizenship laws, tightening restrictions on individuals linked to terrorism, extremism, or serious organized crime. Under the new legislation, such individuals will no longer be able to have their British citizenship reinstated immediately after winning an initial appeal.
The Deprivation of Citizenship Orders Act 2025, which received Royal Assent on October 27, aims to close a legal loophole that emerged following a Supreme Court ruling earlier this year. That February 2025 decision had created the possibility for individuals stripped of their citizenship to regain it automatically after winning a preliminary appeal — even before all legal processes were exhausted.
The new law stipulates that citizenship will not be restored until all appeal stages have been fully completed. This means that anyone deemed a national security threat will not be entitled to re-enter the country or be released from immigration detention during ongoing legal proceedings.
In addition, the legislation prevents individuals from renouncing other nationalities in order to portray themselves as “solely British,” a tactic that some were reportedly using to exploit the legal gap and reclaim British citizenship.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis said the government remains unwavering in its commitment to national security. “The United Kingdom will take no chances when it comes to protecting our people. This law ensures that those involved in terrorism or serious crimes cannot exploit the system to regain British nationality,” he stated.
Officials clarified that the legislation does not remove an individual’s right to appeal nor expand the list of offenses that can lead to citizenship deprivation. Instead, it aligns the citizenship process with similar practices in human rights and asylum cases — where final decisions are only made after all appeals have been concluded.
Legal analysts have described the move as a significant reinforcement of the government’s powers to control immigration and prevent security risks, though civil liberties groups are expected to raise concerns over potential misuse or prolonged detentions.
The Home Office emphasized that the amendment is designed to protect the integrity of the UK’s citizenship system while maintaining fairness and due process under British law.
