Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, of the EU citizens who were refused entry at the UK border in 2023, how many and what proportion had a pre-approved visa in place.

Border Force does not hold the data to questions 1 and 2 in an easily accessible format. The information requested could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

The Home Office publishes statistics on passengers refused entry at the border, by nationality, in table Stp_D01 of the ‘Passengers refused entry at the border detailed datasets’ as part of the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. The latest data relates to the end of September 2023.

Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. Data up to the end of December 2023 will be published on 29 February 2024.

You asked whether EU citizens refused entry at the UK border in 2023 will be able to reapply to travel to the UK. Applications for permission to enter at the border are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the immigration rules. EU citizens should ensure they are properly documented for the purpose they are seeking to enter and check whether they need a visa before they travel. Guidance is available at www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa.

EU citizens not holding required entry clearance must be refused entry under paragraphs 9.14.1 of Part 9 of the Immigration Rules – but they may apply for clearance and seek entry after having obtained the required clearance.