UK Slams Door Shut: Visa Bans Imposed on Countries Refusing to Accept Deported Citizens

London: In a major escalation of the UK’s effort to curb illegal migration, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced sweeping reforms on Monday, including the imposition of visa bans on nations that fail to cooperate by taking back their deported criminals and illegal immigrants.

The first countries to face these new “Trump-style” sanctions are Angola, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Nationals from these three countries will no longer be granted UK visas unless their respective governments demonstrate a rapid improvement in cooperating with the removals process.

Non-Cooperation and Penalties

The Home Office accused the targeted nations of “unacceptably low co-operation and obstructive returns processes,” noting that thousands of illegal migrants and foreign criminals from these countries are currently in the UK. Non-cooperation often involves embassies failing to process necessary removals paperwork in a timely manner, sometimes even requiring individuals to sign their own documentation—a loophole allowing them to obstruct their own deportation.

The new policy serves as a direct warning, with Home Secretary Mahmood stating, “My message to foreign governments today is clear: accept the return of your nationals or you will lose the privilege of being able to enter our country.”

India Under Scrutiny

The Times (UK) reported that India is considered one of several other countries highly resistant to taking back illegal migrants and could be added to the sanctions list in the coming year if cooperation does not improve.

Official data shows that in the year ending June 2025:

• A total of 5,475 Indian nationals claimed asylum in the UK, making them the sixth-largest nationality.
• Only 20 Indians were granted asylum, while 2,691 had their claims refused, highlighting the scale of potential deportations that require cooperation.

Human Rights Laws Overhaul to Fast-Track Removals

In parallel with the visa ban threat, the UK government plans to introduce new legislation to overhaul the application of human rights laws to prevent migrants from “gaming the system” and delaying deportation:

• Article 8 Reform (Right to Family Life): The government will legislate to redefine how Article 8 is interpreted, restricting the definition of a family connection to immediate family (such as a parent or child) to block people from using “dubious connections” to stay in the UK.
• Article 3 Scrutiny (Inhuman or Degrading Treatment): The UK will work with the Council of Europe to address the “over-expansive application” of Article 3, which prohibits torture and inhuman treatment, often used by migrants to block their removal.
• Streamlined Appeals: Migrants will be restricted to arguing all legal grounds within a single appeal, and if they lose, they will face mandatory removal.

The Home Secretary’s reforms are touted as the most significant overhaul of the UK’s migration system in modern times, including the creation of new, capped work and study routes for genuine refugees, in part to end the reliance on costly asylum hotels.