UK restricts DR Congo visas over migrant return policy

After its government refused to accept steps that allow the return of illegal migrants and international national offenders, the United Kingdom intends to place visa restrictions against people arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ministers claim that under the toughening of the UK's asylum laws announced in November, the DRC has not made the necessary changes. When arriving in the United Kingdom, fast-track visa procedures will no longer be available to residents from the region, although the Home Office reported that VIPs and politicians will no more receive preferential treatment. In the meantime, the Home Office said that Angola and Namibia had agreed to step up their efforts to return their citizens after being threatened with sanctions alongside the DRC.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood would not hesitate to ban visas from other nations refusing to accept citizens back, according to a government source. According to the Home Office, Angola and Namibia's decision to upgrade their processes marked the "first delivery success from last month's asylum reforms. If their governments did not quickly improve coordination on removals, the government had warned that if they did not immediately increase co-operation on removal, visas would be stopped to people from Angola, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Thousands of people could be arrested and deported as a result of the deal, according to a Home Office source.

Refugee status will be provisional, provisional housing assistance for asylum seekers will be removed, and new capped safe and legal routes into the UK will be introduced as a result of the government's reforms to the UK's asylum system. Mahmood had warned visa fines would be levied against countries that refused to cooperate with the returns program, including a emergency brake on visas for countries with high asylum claims until they refuse to admit illegally. Returns from the DRC, Angola, and Namibia were being delayed, according to the Home Office, with paperwork not being processed or people being expected to sign their own papers being delayed - giving them an effective veto. It had warned that the three countries were facing fines for their

unacceptably poor and obstructive return procedures. While the DRC had some involvement, it said, but

if co-operation quickly improves,

further steps could be introduced, including the possibility of a complete visa ban on citizens of the country moving to the United Kingdom.

We want countries to play by the rules,

Home Secretary Mahmood said. If one of their citizens has no right to be here, they must have them removed from their premises.

I thank Angola and Namibia for their co-operation. Now is the time for the Democratic Republic of Congo to do the right thing. Return our citizens or forfeit the privilege of entering our country.