In brief
The United Kingdom has implemented visa restrictions against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after the DRC government failed to comply with measures intended to expedite the return of illegal migrants and foreign offenders. As part of reforms to the asylum system announced in November, fast-tracked visa processes will no longer be available for DRC nationals, while cooperation agreements with Angola and Namibia signal a tougher stance from the UK government, which may extend to other nations if compliance does not improve.
The UK is to impose visa restrictions against people arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo after its government failed to agree to measures allowing the return of illegal migrants and foreign national offenders.
Ministers say the DRC has not made changes required under the toughening up of the UK's asylum rules announced in November.
Fast-track visa processes will no longer apply to people from the country, while the Home Office said VIPs and politicians would no longer get preferential treatment when coming to the UK.
Meanwhile, the Home Office said Angola and Namibia had agreed to step up efforts to take back their citizens, having been threatened with sanctions alongside the DRC.
A government source said Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood would not hesitate to ban visas for other countries refusing to take citizens back.
The Home Office said Angola and Namibia agreeing to improve their processes marked the first delivery success from last month's asylum reforms.
The government had warned it would stop granting visas to people from Angola, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo if their governments did not rapidly improve cooperation on removals.
A Home Office source mentioned that the agreements could see thousands of people removed and deported.
Under the government's changes to the UK's asylum system, refugee status will become temporary, guaranteed housing support for asylum seekers will end, and new capped safe and legal routes into the UK will be created.
Home Secretary Mahmood warned that visa penalties would be applied to countries that failed to cooperate with returns policies, including an emergency brake on visas for countries with high asylum claims until they take back citizens in the UK illegally.
It had been noted that returns from the DRC, Angola, and Namibia were being frustrated - with paperwork not being processed or people required to sign their own documents - giving them an effective veto.
The Home Office had warned that the three countries faced penalties for their unacceptably poor and obstructive returns processes.
Home Secretary Mahmood stated: 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 cooperation. 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.
