UK Ends Visa-Free Access for Nauru Over Citizenship-by-Investment

(UNITED KINGDOM) The UK government has abruptly ended visa-free entry for Nauru passport holders, imposing a visa requirement on all visitors from Nauru from 3pm GMT on December 9, 2025. The Home Office move, which took effect without advance public consultation, directly links the policy change to Nauru’s new Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program, which British officials describe as highly exposed to abuse and a threat to UK border security.

What changed and when

• From 3pm GMT on December 9, 2025, Nauruan nationals can no longer use the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system for short visits to the UK.
• Instead, Nauru passport holders must secure a standard visit visa through the normal application process before boarding a flight.

The Home Office has provided a six-week transition period, ending at 3pm GMT on January 20, 2026, to reduce disruption for travellers who had already planned trips.

• During this window, Nauruans who already hold a valid ETA booked before December 9, 2025 are still allowed to travel without a visa.
• Once those ETAs have been used or the transition deadline passes, all Nauru passport holders will be subject to full UK visa controls.

Quick reference (key dates)

Why the UK acted

The Home Office explicitly ties the policy change to security and immigration control concerns related to Nauru’s CBI scheme — formally the Economic and Climate Resilience Citizenship Program.

• The Home Office assessed the program as “particularly vulnerable to misuse” and warned 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.”
• Analysis by VisaVerge.com notes this wording signals the UK sees a direct link between the sale of passports and possible abuse of visa-free travel.

How Nauru’s CBI program works

Nauru’s scheme, launched in late 2024, offers a fast route to citizenship with features that concern the UK:

• Processing time: advertised at 3–4 months.
• Financial requirement: contribution of around USD 105,000 to 130,000 to a national treasury fund.
• No residency or language requirements: applicants are not required to live in Nauru or demonstrate cultural/linguistic ties.
• Family inclusion: the program allows investors and their families to obtain citizenship together.
• The fund is promoted as supporting climate adaptation projects, which is important for a low-lying island state.

Previously, Nauru passports provided visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to approximately 40–89 countries, a list that until this decision included the UK.

Practical effects for travellers and applicants

For Nauruan passport holders:
– ETA is closed for new applicants; a standard visitor visa is now required.
– Visa applications typically require:
– Proof of funds
– Accommodation details
– Travel plans
– Additional supporting evidence
– Expect extra time, cost and uncertainty compared with the prior ETA route.

For Nauru’s CBI market:
– Loss of UK access reduces a major selling point for applicants seeking mobility rather than genuine ties to Nauru.
– Programs that lose access to key destinations often become less attractive to such buyers.

Official guidance

Travellers and advisers should consult the UK government’s visa pages, including the Check if you need a UK visa service at gov.uk/check-uk-visa. That site explains when a visa is required and directs users to the correct online application route for a standard visitor visa.

Wider implications

• The move signals to other countries running or planning passport-for-investment schemes that the UK is willing to act quickly when it judges a program to be particularly vulnerable to misuse.
• This may pressure other states to tighten due diligence and screening to protect existing visa-free relationships.

Within Nauru, the decision could prompt debate over program design and oversight. For a small nation with limited revenue sources, selling citizenship is tempting as a way to fund priorities such as climate resilience. But the UK action shows how larger states can respond if they believe the balance between investment, security, and mobility has shifted too far toward rapid citizenship with light checks.

Key takeaway: UK visa-free access for Nauru passport holders ended at 3pm GMT on December 9, 2025. A transition period runs until 3pm GMT on January 20, 2026 only for valid ETAs booked before December 9. After that, all Nauru nationals must apply for a UK visit visa before travelling, regardless of how their citizenship was obtained.