Two nations conform to take again deported migrants after UK visa ban menace

On Dec 28, 2025

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood warned she could stop issuing visas to foreign nationals from certain countries if those governments did not ‘play ball’ on returns deals

08:20, 28 Dec 2025

Two countries have agreed to step up efforts to take back their citizens deported from the UK after the Home Secretary threatened a visa ban.

Last month Shabana Mahmood said she could stop issuing visas to foreign nationals from certain countries if those governments did not “play ball” on returns deals. She identified three African countries – Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – at the time of the announcement.

The Home Office said the three countries “faced penalties for their unacceptably poor and obstructive returns processes”. Last night the department announced Angola and Namibia are to accept the return of migrants after facing the threat of penalties.

But the UK has revoked fast-track visa processing and halted preferential visa treatment for diplomats and VIPs from the DRC as a warning after it failed to make changes.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “We expect countries to play by the rules. If one of their citizens has no right to be here, they must take them back.

“I thank Angola and Namibia and welcome their co-operation. Now is the time for the Democratic Republic of Congo to do the right thing. Take your citizens back or lose the privilege of entering our country.

“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.”

The three countries threatened accounted for a tiny proportion of the more than 800,000 visas granted for employment, study, family or humanitarian reasons in the year to June – 299 to those from the Democratic Republic of Congo, 273 for nationals from Angola and 140 for those from Namibia.

And they made up only a handful of the illegal migrants recorded as having entered the UK through so-called “irregular” routes in that timeframe, with only 11 coming from the DRC, three from Angola and none from Namibia.

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Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary, added: “Since coming into government, we have removed more than 50,000 people with no right to be here, an increase of almost a quarter on the same period before the election, and we are determined to keep up that momentum.

“I have instructed our diplomatic network around the world to make returns a top priority, and today’s announcement shows that when countries work with us, we can achieve more rapid results.

“People who come to the UK illegally, overstay their visas, or commit crimes in our country should expect to be returned, and we will continue to demand the cooperation of their governments in that process.”