UK Considers Suspending Visas to Countries Without Migrant Return Policies
The UK government is considering suspending or restricting visas for nationals of countries that refuse to accept the return of their citizens who have no legal right to remain in Britain, as part of a tougher stance on immigration enforcement announced in September 2025.
The United Kingdom is poised to implement a significant shift in its immigration policy by suspending or restricting visas for countries that do not cooperate in accepting the return of their nationals who have been denied the right to stay in Britain. The announcement was made by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood during a high-profile meeting of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance in London on September 8-9, 2025. This move comes amid a surge in irregular migration, with over 30,000 arrivals across the English Channel so far this year—a 37% increase compared to the previous year.
Mahmood, addressing both domestic and international audiences, stated, "I have one top priority and that is to secure our borders." She emphasized that the UK expects countries to "play by the rules" and accept back their citizens who have no legal right to remain in the UK. While Mahmood did not name specific countries, previous government reports and migration experts have identified nations such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Nigeria, Iraq, Iran, and The Gambia as having low return rates of refused asylum seekers but high demand for UK visas.
The policy is designed to target only those countries that are uncooperative, leaving visa routes for students, skilled workers, and their dependents from compliant nations unaffected. The government argues that this approach is necessary to restore public confidence in the immigration system, reduce abuse, and ensure that the burden of supporting individuals with no right to remain does not fall on UK taxpayers.
The Five Eyes meeting, attended by senior officials from the US, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, also discussed broader issues of border security, migrant-smuggling gangs, and transnational crime. Mahmood indicated that the UK is seeking more coordinated action among these allies, potentially including joint visa restrictions or other diplomatic measures against non-cooperative countries.
Migration experts, such as Dr. Madeleine Sumption of Oxford's Migration Observatory, note that the effectiveness of such visa restrictions will depend on how much affected countries value access to UK visas for their citizens. The diplomatic dynamics are complex, as some countries may resist accepting large numbers of returnees due to documentation issues, political reluctance, or broader diplomatic disputes.
Critics of the policy, including opposition politicians, have called for even tougher measures, such as cutting foreign aid to non-cooperative countries. However, the government maintains that its approach is firm but targeted, aiming to balance enforcement with fairness and international cooperation.
The announcement marks a continuation and intensification of previous UK government efforts to link visa access to cooperation on migrant returns. It signals a clear message to countries with high numbers of nationals overstaying or being refused asylum in the UK: future visa access may be at risk unless they fulfill their obligations to take back their citizens.