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The United Kingdom plans to enforce visa restrictions on individuals arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) due to the Congolese government’s refusal to cooperate on arrangements for the return of illegal migrants and foreign national offenders. This decision follows the UK government’s efforts to tighten asylum regulations, first announced in November, which require countries to improve their collaboration in repatriating their citizens from the UK.
According to officials, the DRC has not made the necessary adjustments to comply with the UK’s revised asylum framework. As a result, expedited visa processing will no longer be available to applicants from the country. In addition, the Home Office will remove privileges previously granted to VIPs and politicians from the DRC when traveling to the UK. Conversely, Angola and Namibia have committed to intensifying their efforts to repatriate their nationals after facing potential sanctions alongside the DRC.
A government source emphasized that Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is prepared to extend visa bans to other nations that fail to cooperate in accepting their citizens back from the UK. The Home Office described Angola and Namibia’s agreement to strengthen their return procedures as “the first delivery success from last month’s asylum reforms.” The government had previously warned that unless these countries, including the DRC, improved their collaboration quickly, visa restrictions would be imposed.
The UK’s updated asylum system introduces significant changes, such as making refugee status temporary, ending guaranteed housing support for asylum seekers, and establishing capped “safe and legal routes” for entering the country. Mahmood had announced that countries that obstruct the return of their nationals could face swift visa penalties, including an “emergency brake” on visas for those with high asylum claim rates until they comply. The Home Office pointed out that returns from the DRC, Angola, and Namibia have been hampered by bureaucratic delays and requirements for returnees to sign their own paperwork, effectively giving those countries veto power over removals. Mahmood asserted, “We expect countries to play by the rules. If one of their citizens has no right to be here, they must take them back,” commending Angola and Namibia for their cooperation and urging the DRC to follow suit or “lose the privilege of entering our country.
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