Terrorists and other dangerous individuals stripped of their British citizenship will no longer have their papers automatically reinstated, even after an initial successful appeal against the decision.
The new law is intended to close a legal loophole for those deemed a threat while legal proceedings were ongoing.
As well as stopping the automatic return of British citizenship, the legislation also allows the government to continue detaining an individual or deny them the right to return to the UK until all appeals are concluded.
It also prevents individuals from renouncing other nationalities they hold to render themselves solely British.
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Previously, this practice meant that any decision to strip British citizenship from these persons would not have been possible, as it would leave them stateless.
This loophole also prevented efforts to deport them or block their return to the UK.
Now, the government has the power to handle immigration cases regarding terrorists, extremists, and criminals involved in serious organised crime more effectively.
The Deprivation of Citizenship Orders (Effect during Appeal) Act 2025 received Royal Assent on October 27 after being passed through Parliament on October 21.
A new law will prevent terrorists from having their British citizenship automatically reinstated, as legal proceedings are ongoing
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The Home Secretary makes such deprivation decisions based on grounds that they are “conducive to the public good”.
This occurs in only the most serious cases and because an individual's conduct or the threat they pose to the UK.
Between 2018 and 2023, an average of 12 people a year were deprived on these grounds.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis welcomed the new powers.
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The legislation also prevents individuals from renouncing other nationalities they hold to render themselves solely British
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“The government takes national security extremely seriously, and this new law sends a clear message: we will take no chances when it comes to protecting our country and our people,” he said.
“We have strengthened our ability to keep the most dangerous people out of Britain – those who threaten our safety, our way of life, and the values we stand for.
“This law makes us all safer,” Mr Jarvis declared.
It is billed to close a gap identified following a Supreme Court judgment in February 2025, where it ruled that individuals deprived of British citizenship would automatically regain that status upon their successful appeal, even if proceedings were still ongoing.
It comes as Dame Karen Bradley has called for the Home Office to be broken up to better deal with Britain’s migrant crisis
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The new law is based upon the process of asylum and human rights appeals cases, where asylum is not granted to a person appealing a rejection until all further appeals, up to the Court of Appeal, have been determined.
It comes as Dame Karen Bradley, chair of the Home Affairs Committee, called for the Home Office to be broken up to better deal with Britain’s migrant crisis.
The Tory MP told Sky News: "I was a minister in the Home Office over 10 years ago.
"I've been firmly of the view for some time that the Home Office isn't fit for purpose and really should be split up, and we should have a separate department managing our borders and another department that manages crime and policing."
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