Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on December 27, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
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UK reaches migrant return deals with Angola and Namibia; DRC faces visa restrictions due to non-cooperation.
Dec 27 (Reuters) - Angola and Namibia have agreed to accept the return of illegal migrants and criminals after the British government threatened visa penalties for countries refusing to cooperate, the UK Home Office said late on Saturday.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has been stripped of fast-track visa services and preferential treatment for VIPs and decision-makers after failing to meet Britain's requirements to improve cooperation, the Home Office said.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said Britain could escalate measures to a complete halting of visas for the DRC unless "co-operation 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," the Home Secretary added.
The agreements mark the first major change under reforms announced last month to make refugee status temporary and speed up the deportation of those who arrive illegally in Britain.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the UK has "removed more than 50,000 people with no right to remain" since July last year, a 23% increase on the previous period, and instructed diplomats to make returns a top priority.
(Reporting by Rajveer Singh Pardesi in Bengaluru; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Matthew Lewis)
Illegal migration refers to the movement of people into a country in violation of its immigration laws. This can include overstaying visas or entering without proper documentation.
Visa penalties are restrictions or sanctions imposed on a country or individual for failing to comply with immigration laws, which can include the denial of visa applications or revocation of existing visas.
Refugee status is a legal designation for individuals who have fled their home country due to persecution, war, or violence, allowing them to seek asylum and protection in another country.
Temporary refugee status is a provisional designation granted to individuals seeking asylum, allowing them to stay in a host country while their application for permanent status is processed.
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