Three African countries have agreed to accept the return of foreign offenders and people in the UK illegally after the Home Secretary warned they could face visa sanctions.
Namibia and Angola reached return agreements with the UK in December following threats from Shabana Mahmood, and cooperation has now also been secured from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“My message is clear: if foreign governments refuse to accept the return of their citizens, then they will face consequences,” Mahmood said after the latest agreement, as quoted by the BBC.
The UK government had previously warned it would restrict visas for citizens of Angola, Namibia and the DRC unless their governments improved cooperation on removals.
The Home Office said returns to the three countries had been repeatedly delayed, with paperwork left unprocessed or individuals required to sign their own documents, effectively giving them a veto. Officials described the situation as the result of “unacceptably poor and obstructive returns processes” and warned penalties would follow.
While outlining changes to the UK’s asylum system in November, Mahmood said visa penalties would be imposed on countries that failed to cooperate on returns. Measures include an “emergency brake” on visas for countries with high asylum claims until they agree to take back citizens who are in the UK illegally.
Following the deals, Mahmood said: “Illegal migrants and dangerous criminals will now be removed and deported back to Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.”
“I will do what it takes to secure our order and control to our borders,” she added.
The government estimates that more than 3,000 people from the three countries could now be eligible for removal or deportation.
In the year ending September 2025, there were 36,475 returns and deportations from the UK, an 11% increase on the previous 12 months. Around 5,000 of those removed were foreign national offenders, with 48% from EU countries and 52% from non-EU states.
The Home Secretary has said countries that refuse to cooperate on returns should not expect a normal visa relationship with the UK, and further action could follow. It is understood that India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Somalia and Gabon remain resistant to returns agreements, and the government may consider sanctions.
Ministers hope that increasing removals will deter people from attempting to reach the UK by crossing the English Channel in small boats. Last year, 41,472 migrants made the journey, a 13% rise on the year before.
At the end of last year, European countries including the UK agreed to negotiate a new approach to interpreting the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to make deportations easier. The Conservatives have said they would leave the treaty, with party leader Kemi Badenoch arguing it is necessary to “protect our borders”.
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