• UK imposes visa restrictions on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) over non-cooperation in migrant returns.
• Angola and Namibia have agreed to accept the return of their citizens following UK's migrant return policy reforms.
• Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood warns of further visa penalties against the DRC if cooperation does not improve.
• New asylum policies include temporary refugee status and increased deportation efforts.

The United Kingdom has imposed visa restrictions on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) due to the government’s failure to cooperate with the UK's new policies for returning undocumented migrants and foreign criminals. The Home Office stripped the DRC of fast-track visa services and preferential treatment for VIPs after its government did not meet the requirements set by the UK. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated that further measures could escalate to a complete visa ban for the DRC if cooperation does not improve quickly, emphasizing, “We expect countries to play by the rules. If one of their citizens has no right to be here, they must take them back,” according to BBC and Reuters.

Alongside the visa restrictions for the DRC, the UK has successfully secured agreements with Angola and Namibia, which will allow the return of their respective citizens. These agreements are viewed as the UK’s first success under the recent reforms to its asylum system announced last month, which aim to facilitate faster deportations and make refugee status temporary. The government cites a significant increase in removals, having taken out over 50,000 individuals with no right to remain since July of the previous year as part of a broader crackdown on illegal migration, as reported by Al Jazeera and Africanews.

The new policies are part of an extensive overhaul aimed at controlling the rising number of illegal migrants entering the UK, which reached record highs in the past year. Currently, asylum status will now be temporary, requiring reviews every 30 months, and applicants must wait 20 years rather than five to seek permanent residency. Critics have condemned these measures as a retreat from the UK's historical commitment to protecting refugees, labeling the reforms as "draconian" and a way to appease far-right sentiments, according to Al Jazeera and BBC.