Two nations have agreed to enhance their efforts in repatriating their citizens who were deported from the UK following a threat of visa restrictions by the Home Secretary.
In a recent statement, Shabana Mahmood warned of potential visa limitations for foreign nationals from specific countries unless those governments cooperated on repatriation agreements. The countries mentioned at the time were Angola, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The Home Office has cited the three countries for their inadequate and obstructive returns processes. Following the ultimatum, Angola and Namibia have agreed to take back migrants to avoid facing 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, as the DRC failed to meet the required changes.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood emphasized the importance of countries abiding by regulations, stating that nations must accept the return of their citizens if they have no legal basis to remain in the UK. She commended Angola and Namibia for their cooperation and urged the DRC to follow suit to avoid losing privileges of entry into the UK.
These initiatives are part of a broader strategy by Mahmood to bolster border security and increase the removal of individuals without lawful status in the country.
The affected countries accounted for a small fraction of the over 800,000 visas issued for various purposes in the past year. Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary, highlighted the government’s commitment to removing individuals without the right to stay in the UK and stressed the importance of cooperation from foreign governments in this effort.