Turkish nationals facing removal after sharp rise in UK residency refusals, prompting Windrush comparisons
Home Office denies policy change as figures show 78% drop in grants of indefinite leave to remain for ECAA visa holders
Concerns have been raised over a sudden rise in Turkish nationals being denied indefinite leave to remain in the UK, with concerns over mistakes and former foreign secretary David Lammy saying the cases evoked memories of the Windrush scandal. Since the start of the year, the number of rejected applications from holders of European Community Association Agreement (ECAA) visas has soared, while successful grants have plummeted by 78% compared with the same period in 2025. The Home Office maintains that there has been no change to the rules, but critics point to basic errors in refusal letters and a harsher approach to applications lodged since September 2025.