# Third Country Removals

Since leaving the EU, the UK is no longer party to the Dublin Regulation which enabled the UK to send people seeking asylum back to an EU member state to process their claim.

The UK government has since been looking for alternative means to avoid processing asylum claims in the UK and supporting people seeking sanctuary. Under [paragraphs 345A-B of the archived Immigration Rules](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-rules-archive-20-june-2022-to-27-june-2022) the government can declare asylum claims “inadmissible” (i.e. not considered) where someone could have made an asylum application in a safe third country and “exceptional circumstances” did not prevent them from doing so. The application of “inadmissibility” was broadened by the The Nationality and Borders Act 2022 which sets out that asylum claims made on or after 28 June 2022 can be deemed inadmissible on the basis that the person seeking asylum has a “connection” to a safe third country (where a “connection” includes having been present in that country on route to the UK). See [UK legislation on asylum and detention](/avid-handbook/immigration-detention-in-the-uk-essential-legislation-policy-and-guidance/essential-immigration-and-asylum-law-for-visitors/uk-legislation-on-asylum-and-detention.md) for more information on this.

However, for someone's claim for asylum to be processed elsewhere - after being declared inadmissible - there needs to be an agreement in place between the UK and a third country. In April 2022, this led to the UK government to announce its plans to send people to Rwanda. What followed was a series of stalled (and damaging) attempts at removal, legal challenges and the ruling from the Supreme Court that the policy is unlawful because people sent to Rwanda face a real risk of refoulement (being sent back to a country where they risk persecution). You can read more about the trajectory of these plans in our [news](https://www.aviddetention.org.uk/news) page on our website. 

Thankfully, the Labour government ended plans to deport people to Rwanda. 

However, in August 2025 they ratified an agreement with France in what has become known as the “one in, one out” scheme. Under this pilot scheme, a select number of people who arrive to the UK via unsafe routes from France can be returned to France. [The has caused extensive harm and AVID has joined other organisations in the sector to call for the end of this scheme.](https://www.aviddetention.org.uk/article/joint-statement-oon-harm-caused-by-the-uk-france-one-in-one-out-scheme)

The Labour government have not ruled out other third country agreements. Section 59 of the Illegal Migration Act (2023) sets out that people can be removed to other third countries designated as “safe” under [section 80AA of the 2002 Nationality, Immigration and Asylum act.](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/41/section/80AA)

{% hint style="success" %}
**Resource Tip**

Bail for Immigration Detainees (BiD) have produced a guide and template letters for people impacted by the UK-France scheme available [here](https://www.biduk.org/articles/new-guide-for-people-in-detention-facing-removal-to-france). The guide explains what the scheme means, what rights people who are impacted have and what steps they can take.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="danger" %}
**Future Watch**

The UK-France "one in, one out" pilot scheme [has been extended until the 1st October.](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/may/16/uk-and-france-extend-one-in-one-out-small-boats-pilot-scheme-until-october) 

Visitors should be prepared for the future of this scheme and other potential third-country agreements. 
{% endhint %}

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