The UK government has taken a hard line against nations refusing to accept the return of their citizens, imposing immediate visa sanctions on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) while praising Angola and Namibia for their cooperation.
Gold Standard vs. Non-Cooperation
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood confirmed the divergent outcomes for the three African nations. She stated that while Angola and Namibia have agreed to improve their processes for accepting returned migrants, the DRC has failed to meet the required standard.
"We expect countries to play by the rules. If one of their citizens has no right to be here, they must take them back," Ms Mahmood said. She expressed gratitude to Angola and Namibia for their cooperation but issued a stark warning to Congolese authorities.
Consequences for the Democratic Republic of Congo
As a direct result of its non-cooperation, the DRC faces significant travel restrictions. The Home Office has revoked fast-track visa processing services for all of the country's nationals.
More notably, VIPs and government decision-makers from the DRC have been stripped of the preferential treatment they previously enjoyed. They must now apply for UK visas through the standard, often lengthier, channels used by the general public.
The Home Secretary warned that "further measures" could follow, potentially escalating to a complete halt on visas for DRC nationals, unless cooperation improves rapidly.
A Broader Push on Removals
These targeted visa sanctions form part of a wider government strategy to increase the rate of deportations. The Home Office released new figures showing the scale of this push.
Since July 2024, nearly 50,000 people with no right to remain in the UK have been deported. This represents a significant 23% increase in removals. During the same period, over 7,000 foreign national offenders have been returned to their countries of origin.
"This is just the start of the measures I am taking to secure our border and ramp up the removal of those with no right to be here," Ms Mahmood asserted, signalling a continued tough stance on immigration enforcement.
The message from the Home Office is clear: international cooperation on migration is non-negotiable, and countries that refuse to take back their own citizens will face tangible diplomatic and travel consequences.
