Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to her Department’s press release entitled Visa brake imposed on 4 countries after widespread visa abuse, published on 4 March 2026, how many illegal migrants have been deported to the Democratic Republic of Congo since 2025, and how many remain in the UK.

Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Namibia are not in scope for the visa brake. These governments were threatened with the imposition of visa penalties last year specifically in order to improve co-operation in the return of individuals with no right to be in the UK, as provided for by sections 70-74 of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. This is distinct from the visa brake.

Since these threats, returns co-operation with all three governments has rapidly and significantly improved and returns that previously would not have been possible are now taking place. Each government now complies with the UK’s standard. Statistics on returns will be published on gov.uk as usual.

The Home Office keeps the returns cooperation of all its international partners under close and regular review and will not hesitate to take further action where needed.