UK expands ‘deport now, appeal later’ initiative- Guyana among new countries listed
The United Kingdom has expanded its “deport now, appeal later” policy and now includes Guyana in its list of 15 new countries whose nationals can be deported before their legal appeals are heard. With the new additions such as Canada, India, and Australia, the list of eligible countries now stands at 23.
The policy was first implemented to speed up the removal of convicted foreigners and allows the British Home Office to deport offenders and have their appeal hearings heard via video link.
As of June 2025, there are 10,772 foreign offenders in English and Welsh prisons, making up about 12% of the total inmate population. Of those, 774 are from the newly added countries. In this regard, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper noted that the expansion of the initiative is aimed at preventing foreign criminals from exploiting” the UK’s immigration system and also reducing prison overcrowding.
English and Welsh prisons are almost at full capacity, as the government argues that faster deportations will free up space and save taxpayers money. Under separate proposals awaiting parliamentary approval, offenders could also be deported immediately after sentencing and barred from returning to the UK.
