The first deportation flights of migrants under the United Kingdom’s new returns agreement with France are expected to begin next week, the BBC reported, as the government moves to implement a ‘one in, one out’ pilot announced during French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit in July.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said those detained in connection with the scheme are expected to be returned to France “imminently”, and officials have issued formal removal directions to some asylum seekers indicating they will be deported within five days. Dozens of migrants were detained in Dover last month under the terms of the agreement.
Under the pilot, the UK will send to France adults and accompanied children who reached the UK by small boat once any asylum claim is withdrawn or declared inadmissible under the treaty published on 4 August. In return, the UK agreed to accept an equal number of asylum seekers from France who have not attempted irregular crossings and who pass security and eligibility checks. The two governments have agreed to work towards completing transfers within three months of small-boat arrivals entering the UK.
The agreement was described by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at the time as the “product of months of grown-up diplomacy” that would “deliver real results.” Labour and government officials say the pilot will test operational arrangements for removals and admissions under the treaty. Former home secretary Yvette Cooper said the launch should be treated as a trial.
Details published by the Home Office set out how people in France may apply to come to the UK under the deal: applicants must apply online and provide proof that they are applying from within France. Successful applicants will be granted the right to come to the UK for an initial three-month period during which they can seek to regularise their stay. The government also confirmed it will meet transportation costs for migrants returned to France and for those it accepts from France in return.
The arrangement has drawn criticism from opposition figures, including some Conservatives, who have argued the policy could be unworkable and vulnerable to abuse. The timing of the first returns is likely to be scrutinised in Parliament: MPs are expected to question Home Secretary Mahmood on the deal during Home Office questions on Monday.
Channel crossings have risen this year, intensifying political pressure to act. As of 8 September, 30,164 people had crossed the Channel in small boats in 2025, up from 22,440 for the same period in 2024, according to government figures cited by the BBC. The issue has been a focal point of migration policy debates for more than a decade, with governments on both sides of the Channel seeking mechanisms to deter irregular crossings and manage asylum flows.
Legal and operational hurdles remain. The treaty allows France to accept returns once asylum applications are withdrawn or deemed inadmissible, but implementing transfers involves multiple checks, timing constraints and coordination between UK and French authorities. The pilot will be watched closely by rights groups, legal advisers and politicians to assess whether it delivers the intended reductions in small-boat arrivals and whether safeguards for asylum seekers are maintained.
Ministers said the initial flights will be limited and closely monitored as part of the trial phase. If the pilot proceeds as planned, officials expect reciprocal admissions from France to begin alongside returns, subject to security and eligibility clearances.