Angola agrees closer co-operation with UK after visa penalties threat

The UK Home Secretary threatened Eritrea with a visa ban unless the country agreed to take back its nationals who have no right to be in the UK. Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo received similar threats and have since agreed to improve co-operation on taking back their nationals.

Key facts

• Who is affected: Angola, Namibia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Eritrea
• What was threatened: visa penalties, including a possible visa ban, unless countries accept the return of their nationals
• What has changed so far: Angola, Namibia and the DR Congo have agreed to improve co-operation; Eritrea has not
• Action already taken: Eritrean officials have lost access to fast-track visa processing

What has happened?

The Home Secretary warned Eritrea that it faces visa restrictions unless it accepts the return of its nationals who have no right to remain in the UK. The threat was announced in the week before 20 October 2026. Eritrean officials have already been removed from fast-track visa processing.

Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo were given similar warnings over the return of their nationals. All three countries have since agreed to improve co-operation. No specific measures taken against these three countries are described.

How has Eritrea responded?

Eritrea's embassy rejected the warning as a "perfunctory political gimmick". The newsletter also notes that most asylum seekers from Eritrea are not removable, because 84% of their asylum claims succeed at the initial stage and more are expected to succeed on appeal. Amnesty said the Home Secretary should focus instead on the fall in asylum grants.

Does this change visa rules for travellers?

No new visa requirements, fees or entry rules for Angolan, Namibian or Congolese travellers to the UK are announced. The source reports an agreement to improve co-operation on returns, not the imposition of visa restrictions on those three countries. Any changes would depend on further decisions by the Home Secretary, for which no dates have been given.

What this means for travellers

Angolan nationals should follow announcements from the UK government in case visa penalties are introduced. No start date, fee or application change has been announced for Angola, Namibia or the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

No deadline has been set for Eritrea to respond, and the source gives no date for any further visa decision.