Nationals of Nauru will require visit visa from 3pm today in response to country's new Citizenship by Investment programme
The Home Office has today released a new statement of changes to the Immigration Rules, the seventh of the year. It introduces a visit visa requirement for Nauru, closes the Service Providers from Switzerland route, and makes amendments to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS).
You can access the statement of changes from here on GOV.UK. The direct link to download the 20-page statement (HC 1491) is here. The accompanying explanatory memorandum can be downloaded here.
A written statement to the House of Commons by the Minister for Migration and Citizenship only covered the introduction of a visit visa requirement for nationals of Nauru, a South Pacific island state with a population of around 12,000. The change takes effect at 3pm today. The visa requirement is being introduced due to Narau's recent Citizenship by Investment programme, which allows investors and their families to acquire citizenship in return for a contribution to a government fund, starting at US $105,000.
The Home Office stated: "It is our assessment that the design of Nauru’s Citizenship by Investment programme is particularly vulnerable to misuse. In its present design, it poses an unsustainable risk of being exploited by criminal actors or individuals seeking to circumvent UK immigration controls without genuine intent to comply with UK law."
The statement of changes also closes the Service Providers from Switzerland (SPS) route on 31 December 2025. The route was created in 2020 under the UK-Switzerland Citizens' Rights Agreement to allow UK and Swiss companies to continue servicing certain pre-existing cross-border contracts.
Further changes to the EUSS will align the grounds for cancelling pre-settled status at the border with those already in place for curtailing it in the UK, allowing action where it is deemed more likely than not that an individual has helped someone else to obtain status by fraudulent means after the transition period. In addition, the scope of the EUSS travel permit is expanding. All EUSS status holders who are outside the UK and unable to update their UKVI account, for example because they hold a new travel document, will be able to apply for a travel permit to facilitate their return.
The Minister's written statement to Parliament follows below:
Mike Tapp
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Migration and Citizenship
Statement
My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is today laying before the House a Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules.
Introduction of a Visit Visa requirement for Nauru
We are, today, introducing a visa requirement on all visitors from Nauru. This will come into force at 15:00 GMT today. Nationals of Nauru will also be required to obtain a Direct Airside Transit Visa if they intend to transit via the UK having booked travel to another country.
Nationals of Nauru will no longer be eligible to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for travel to the UK. There will be a six-week, visa-free transition period for those who already hold an ETA and have a confirmed booking to the UK obtained on or before 15:00 GMT 9 December 2025, where arrival in the UK is no later than 15:00 GMT 20 January 2026.
Arrangements are in place so that nationals of Nauru can apply for visas. We are publicising the changes so travellers are aware and can plan accordingly.
We are taking this action in response to the country's decision to introduce a new Citizenship by Investment programme. The practice of granting citizenship through investment is inherently high-risk and allows individuals access to a new identity with minimal ties to the issuing jurisdiction. Careful consideration of Nauru's programme has highlighted significant risks to UK border and national security. Its design is particularly vulnerable to misuse and, in its current form, poses an unsustainable risk of exploitation by criminal actors or individuals seeking to circumvent UK immigration controls without genuine intent to comply with UK law. Due to the programme set up, we also lack confidence in the legitimacy of any vetting and due diligence processes. This model cannot operate without rapidly escalating the level of risk to the UK border. Therefore, the Government considers it necessary to take action through this Rules change.
The decision to introduce a visa requirement has been taken solely for national and border security reasons. This does not change the importance of our relationship with Nauru, a Commonwealth partner. Any decision to change a visa requirement status is not taken lightly. We keep the border and immigration system under regular review to ensure it continues to work in the UK national interest.
All other changes will come into effect on 30 December 2025 and 1 January 2026 as detailed in the Statement of Changes.