Namibia has been listed among three African nations that could soon face stricter visa rules from the United Kingdom, following concerns raised by the British government over the repatriation of undocumented migrants.
The UK’s Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, announced that Namibia, Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have one month to improve cooperation with the deportation of nationals whose asylum applications were rejected. Failure to do so may result in the suspension of tourist and VIP visa categories for citizens of the affected countries.
British authorities claim that “thousands” of individuals from the three nations remain in the UK illegally after their asylum bids were turned down. Mahmood further noted that the same measures could be expanded to additional countries with similarly high numbers of unsuccessful asylum applicants.
The UK government is also considering requiring asylum seekers who possess financial assets to contribute toward their accommodation costs while their cases are being processed.
This development comes as the UK records nearly 40,000 irregular arrivals via small boats so far this year—exceeding the figures reported in 2024—prompting renewed pressure on the government to tighten migration policies.
