A month after the Home Secretary threatened visa penalties,
Namibia and Angola agreed to cooperate on returns. The Home
Secretary has now secured cooperation
from the Democratic Republic of Congo
(DRC) just weeks after she stripped VIPs and decision
makers of preferential visa treatment, as
well as revoking fast-track visa processing services for all
nationals.
Within 3 months, cooperation has been secured, and flights
are already off the ground, showcasing the
effectiveness of threatening visa penalties. These
results show successful delivery of reforms set out by the Home
Secretary in November, marking a major step forward in restoring
order and control to the immigration system.
While Angola, Namibia and DRC are now cooperating on returns,
other countries are still frustrating the returns process and not
taking back their nationals who have no right to remain in the
UK.
The Home Secretary has been clear that those who refuse to work
with the UK on returns cannot expect a normal visa relationship,
with further threats expected where countries are not
cooperating.
The new approach follows the Prime Minister urging departments to
pull every lever possible to restore order and control to the
immigration system, and adopting a more transactional approach
with countries depending on their cooperation on returns.
Removals of illegal migrants with no right to be in the UK are at
an all-time high, with 58,500 people removed or deported since
this government came into power, and now over 3,000 nationals
from these 3 countries could be eligible due to the cooperation
received.
The move forms part of sweeping reforms being delivered by the
Home Secretary to rip away the incentives that draw illegal
migrants to Britain and ramp up removals of those with no right
to be in the country.
Home Secretary MP said:
My message is clear, if foreign governments refuse to accept the
return of their citizens, then they will face consequences.
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
restore order and control to our
borders.
