‘Windrush’ accusations over sharp rise in Turkish nationals facing removal from UK
Summary
Hundreds of Turkish nationals with European Community Association Agreement (ECAA) visas have reportedly been refused indefinite leave to remain in the UK since the start of 2026, while approvals have fallen sharply. Applicants and lawyers say some refusal letters contain errors or requirements that do not exist; the Home Office says the rules have not changed, and David Lammy has called for the decisions to be reviewed.Key Facts
- The ECAA route allows Turkish nationals to seek UK residency while setting up a business.
- The article says refusals rose for applications lodged from September 2025, shortly before Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced proposals for tougher conditions on leave to remain.
- Successful ECAA applications reportedly fell from several thousand in previous years to a few hundred since January 2026.
- A freedom of information request found 395 ECAA cases were under administrative review from January to mid-August 2026, compared with 145 in 2025.
- Lawyers told the Guardian that applications lodged from September 2025 have faced delays beyond the usual six-month wait.
- One applicant’s window-cleaning business was rejected as not legitimate because it lacked a social media presence, although the article says no such requirement exists.
- Another applicant with cancer was refused after starting treatment in Turkey, despite her medical team warning that transferring care carried significant clinical risk.
- David Lammy said constituents had been affected by what appeared to be a sudden policy change and urged the Home Office to reconsider the cases.
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