Namibia and Angola agree to repatriate criminals and illegal immigrants.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s VIPs and decision-makers will now have to apply for visas like everyone else after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood threatened to impose visa penalties on the country if it failed to cooperate.
After the home secretary warned to revoke their visas if they did not return illegal migrants and criminals, Angola and Namibia agreed to do so. Shabana Mahmood also issued a warning in November that if the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) did not cooperate, the government would apply visa bans.
The Home Office stated that whereas Namibia and Angola “had reached the gold standard by committing to enhance their processes, the DRC has failed to do so.”
According to the report, fast-track visa processing services have been discontinued for all citizens of the African nation, and VIPs and decision-makers will now have to apply for visas like everyone else.
There has been “some engagement” by the DRC, according to the Home Office, but the Home Secretary cautioned that “additional measures” “up to a complete freeze on visas” will be implemented unless cooperation increases.
“We anticipate that nations will follow the regulations. They have to remove any citizens who do not have a right to be here,” Ms. Mahmood stated.
“I appreciate Namibia’s and Angola’s cooperation. The Democratic Republic of the Congo needs to act morally now. Return your citizens or forfeit the right to enter our nation.
“This is just the beginning of the measures I am taking to secure our border and ratchet up the removal of individuals who have no right to be here.”
The actions are a component of the government’s initiatives to increase the number of illegal immigrants being removed and deported. According to the Home Office, since July 2024, the government has deported around 50,000 undocumented immigrants, a 23% increase. Over 7,000 foreign national criminals have been sent back from the UK throughout that time.
