The UK has reached agreements with Angola and Namibia to accept the return of illegal migrants and criminal offenders, following warnings from the British government about possible visa penalties for countries that fail to cooperate, the Home Office said.
At the same time, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has lost access to fast-track visa services and preferential treatment for VIPs and senior officials after failing to meet the UK’s requirements for improved cooperation on migrant returns.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said Britain could further escalate measures, including a complete suspension of visas for the DRC, unless cooperation “rapidly improves.”
“We expect countries to play by the rules. If one of their citizens has no right to be here, they must take them back,” Mahmood said.
The agreements represent the first major shift under reforms announced last month aimed at making refugee status temporary and accelerating the deportation of people who enter the UK illegally.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the UK has removed more than 50,000 people with no legal right to remain since July last year—an increase of 23% compared with the previous period—and has instructed diplomats to prioritise return agreements.
