Newly appointed Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced on Monday that the UK had reached an agreement with the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand aimed at strengthening cooperation on removing people with no legal basis to remain in any of the partner countries.
The five countries, collectively known as the Five Eyes, said they had adopted a set of shared principles to improve the return of individuals to their countries of origin, particularly in cases where governments are reluctant to accept them back. In a joint communiqué, the countries stressed they will pursue “legal, safe, and orderly removal in accordance with our national laws and international obligations,” and framed the agreement as essential to protecting vulnerable people while maintaining public confidence in immigration systems.
A ‘common principles of return’ statement was published yesterday and sets out the agreed position of the five countries. It is described as an informal international framework for returns and is not legally binding.
The statement cites the growing pressures created by both regular and irregular migration, which it said “places a strain on the capacities and integrity of immigration systems around the globe.” While reaffirming commitments to provide protection for those eligible under domestic and international law, the Five Eyes partners argued that the “orderly removal” of people without legal status was vital to safeguarding immigration and asylum systems.
As highlighted in the Home Office coverage of the agreement, visa numbers could be cut for countries that fail to promptly accept the return of their nationals.
The ‘common principles of return’ statement says: “States have an obligation to recognise their citizens and issue travel and other identity documents where required, without undue delay. Where responsiveness and cooperation of receiving states is lacking, consequences may include appropriate adjustments to visa issuance to reflect this change to immigration risk, and other appropriate and measured action may be taken to preserve the integrity of our migration systems.”
The Five Eyes countries pledged to share best practice on removals, coordinate their approaches towards uncooperative states, and work with international organisations to establish clearer standards for returns.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood commented: “This announcement sends a clear message to anyone seeking to undermine our border security. If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, we will deport you. If countries refuse to take their citizens back, we will take action.”
A copy of the full ‘common principles of return’ statement is reproduced below:
‘Common principles of return’ statement
Published 9 September 2025
The rise in regular and illegal and irregular migration poses a complex set of challenges for origin, transit, and destination countries, and places a strain on the capacities and integrity of immigration systems around the globe. The Five Countries remain committed to providing protection consistent with their domestic and international legal obligations. They also recognise, that to ensure the continued integrity and security of our immigration systems, including the solvency of our protection systems, effectuating the legal, safe and orderly removal of individuals with no legal basis to remain in our countries is crucial.
The Five Countries recognise the following principles as cornerstones to efficient and effective removals:
- A fundamental principle of the global migration system is that States have a sovereign right to determine which foreign nationals may enter and which may remain within their respective borders.
- Individuals with no legal basis to remain may avail themselves of the opportunity to voluntarily depart, where they are eligible to do so under the applicable national law, or where a determination has not been made for enforced removal. A country also has the right to effect removal through enforced means. This should be done with adherence to its domestic laws and respecting its international obligations.
- States have an obligation to recognise their citizens and issue travel and other identity documents where required, without undue delay. Where responsiveness and cooperation of receiving states is lacking, consequences may include appropriate adjustments to visa issuance to reflect this change to immigration risk, and other appropriate and measured action may be taken to preserve the integrity of our migration systems.
- Removing and receiving States should endeavour to adopt clear and consistent processes and methods that supports the timely, safe and legal removal/reception of individuals.
The Five Countries are committed to the ongoing sharing of best practice and lessons learned in respect of removals. We will also continue exploring new and emerging opportunities for cooperation – including mutually reinforcing and coordinated activity with regard to uncooperative removals countries.
International organisations and standards should assist States to address and reflect the challenges and realities of today in returning nationals to their home countries. To that end, we will engage with organisations, on the standards of returns, including expectations on the expeditious issuance of travel documents and acceptance of their nationals who have no lawful basis to remain in another country.
We encourage our international partners to support these principles, sending a clear message on expectations on removals, for States and for individuals without a legal basis to remain.
Disclaimer: This statement is not intended to be legally binding, but rather provide an informal international framework for returns.