Two nations have agreed to enhance their efforts in repatriating their citizens who were deported from the UK following a warning of a visa ban by the Home Secretary.
Last month, Shabana Mahmood stated the possibility of halting visa issuance to foreign nationals from specific countries unless those governments cooperated on repatriation agreements. Angola, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were initially mentioned.
The Home Office cited the inadequate and obstructive returns processes of these three countries, leading to the imposition of penalties. Recently, Angola and Namibia have agreed to accept the return of migrants after facing potential penalties.
Conversely, the UK has taken action against the DRC by revoking fast-track visa processing and suspending preferential visa treatment for diplomats and VIPs as a cautionary measure due to a lack of compliance.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood emphasized the need for countries to adhere to regulations regarding the return of their citizens without the right to remain in the UK. She thanked Angola and Namibia for their cooperation and urged the DRC to follow suit promptly.
She highlighted that these actions are just the beginning of the strategies being implemented to secure borders and increase the removal of individuals without lawful status in the country.
The three countries mentioned accounted for a small fraction of the over 800,000 visas issued for various purposes in the previous year. Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary, highlighted the government’s commitment to removing individuals without legal rights to stay in the UK and urged cooperation from other nations in this process.
Efforts to prioritize returns have been instructed across diplomatic networks globally, with the acknowledgment that collaboration between countries can yield more efficient outcomes in dealing with illegal immigration issues.