UK and Vietnam sign strongest migration pact to swiftly remove illegal migrants, strengthen borders, and dismantle trafficking networks.
Vietnamese nationals residing unlawfully in the United Kingdom will now face a rapid removal process under a sweeping new migration accord between London and Hanoi. This landmark arrangement, hailed as the most robust pact ever forged by the Vietnamese government with another nation, intensifies the joint effort to combat illegal migration while dramatically accelerating deportations. Central to the deal is an enhanced returns mechanism, underpinned by biometric data sharing and simplified documentation, designed to cut bureaucratic delays and ensure that individuals with no legal right to remain are swiftly returned home.
The agreement is expected to make the process of verifying and processing migrant documents up to 75% faster—and eventually nearly 90%—by eliminating procedural obstacles that have long hampered removals. This efficiency drive not only promises to save British taxpayers significant sums but also fulfills the Prime Minister’s pledge to curb irregular migration and fortify national borders.
Vietnamese migrants represented the largest single nationality among small boat arrivals in early 2024, and the fourth largest across the year, underscoring the need for urgent action.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer characterized the new accord as a decisive moment in Britain’s global migration strategy. He emphasized that illegal migration is a shared international challenge, one that demands coordinated action rather than isolation. “This landmark agreement with Vietnam sends a clear message: if you come to the UK illegally, you will be swiftly returned,” he declared, adding that the UK is dismantling the networks that exploit vulnerable people while delivering on its promise to safeguard borders. He noted that illegal arrivals from Vietnam have already been reduced by half, signaling that cooperation—rather than confrontation—can produce tangible results.
Under the Enhanced Migration Partnership Plan (2025), both nations will expedite returns through closer intelligence sharing and real-time data exchange, enabling authorities to target criminal organizations responsible for human trafficking and to deter potential migrants before journeys even begin. The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, signed the agreement alongside her Vietnamese counterpart, reaffirming the government’s determination to enforce border security. “For too long, this country has been unable to remove those with no right to be here,” she said. “This important deal will help us ramp up removals of illegal migrants—and I will do whatever it takes to secure our borders.”
The agreement forms part of a broader web of international partnerships the UK has developed to counter irregular migration, including groundbreaking deals with France, Iraq, and nations across the Western Balkans. The UK-France Treaty of August 2025, for instance, enables Britain to detain and swiftly remove illegal entrants while introducing a balanced, lawful migration route subject to stringent checks. Such initiatives are already bearing fruit: between January and June 2025, the number of Vietnamese arrivals by small boat fell to just over a thousand—less than half the total during the same period in 2024.
In the government’s first year in office, 35,000 individuals without lawful status were removed, including 5,200 foreign national offenders—a 14% increase over the previous year. Alongside the migration accord, the UK and Vietnam have also agreed to a new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, deepening collaboration across defence, security, trade, climate action, and economic growth. The accord marks a decisive step in reshaping Britain’s migration framework and reaffirms its commitment to working hand-in-hand with global partners to uphold the integrity of its borders and deliver for working people at home and abroad.
Source: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street, Home Office, The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP and The Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood MP
Published on 29 October 2025
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