First migrants arrive in Britain under Labour's 'one in, one out' deal with France

London — The Home Office confirmed the first migrants have arrived in Britain from France under Labour's 'one in, one out' deal. A family of three, including a small child, arrived after successfully completing the online application process, officials said. Government aides declined to disclose the migrants' nationalities. Four migrants have already been sent back to France under the deal. Since the treaty came into force on August 6, 6,752 small-boat crossings have brought people to Britain. The government frames the arrangement as a way to deter traffickers by reducing the appeal of crossing the Channel while providing a legal route for eligible entrants.

The first arrivals arrive as ministers push the plan as a disruption to people-smuggling networks and a test of Britain’s ability to channel asylum seekers through a controlled mechanism. A Home Office spokesman said: 'The UK-France deal is a historic agreement, and these are critical first steps.' He noted that migrants disembarking from a Border Force vessel at Dover on September 19, a day which saw 1,072 arrivals across the Channel in total, underscored the scale of recent crossings. 'This is a clear message to people-smuggling gangs that illegal entry into the UK will not be tolerated. We will continue to detain and remove those who arrive by small boat. And we will work with France to operate a legal route for an equal number of eligible migrants to come to the UK subject to security checks.'

When the deal was launched, ministers said it could see around 50 people a week returned to France, but the scheme has faced legal and operational hurdles. The policy's rollout has been punctuated by court actions that have blocked or delayed removals, casting uncertainty over how many people will be processed under the new route. The policy's first major test occurred last week when the High Court blocked the Home Office from deporting an Eritrean small-boat migrant who argued he would be destitute if sent back, potentially breaching his human rights. The 25-year-old had arrived in Britain five weeks earlier and claimed exploitation during his journey through Libya to reach the UK. A judge accepted that the claim could be valid long enough to reconsider the detention and removal decisions. A Home Office attempt to overturn that ruling was thrown out by the Court of Appeal yesterday, a development that has drawn attention to the policy's legal contours and the potential for further challenges.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has framed the UK-France deal as a practical, legal-channel alternative to ad hoc crossings, contrasting it with the previous government’s Rwanda plan. Starmer has argued the arrangement would 'smash the gangs' by showing would-be migrants that the Channel crossing does not guarantee entry, while allowing eligible individuals to pursue asylum through a formal process. The government says the deal includes safeguards that France will not share personal data about applicants, a provision designed to protect privacy while enabling security checks on those selected for the scheme. Yet the treaty does not require France to disclose past criminal records, a point that has prompted questions about what information will be available for UK decision-makers as visa-like authorisations are issued.

Migrant admissions under the scheme are limited to those who can demonstrate identity, a current presence in France, and a credible basis for eligibility such as ongoing conflict or upheaval in their home country. Applicants must also satisfy security or public-order criteria and have not been previously removed from the United Kingdom. The Home Office stresses that individuals selected for the scheme will be flown to Britain at public expense and granted a three-month visa, after which they may apply to regularise their stay, including lodging a full asylum claim. The treaty also outlines a cap on transfers that is intended to be mirrored in the reciprocal flow from France, although the exact mechanics of selection remain tightly held by ministers.

Analysts caution that the policy’s success will depend on steady legal administration and robust security checks, given the recent court rulings and ongoing litigation surrounding removals. Officials say the deal’s ultimate aim is to provide a lawful, predictable pathway that undercuts people-smuggling operations, while ensuring protection for those with legitimate asylum claims. As the process unfolds, the government says it will continue to work with France to expand the lawful route to a broader pool of eligible migrants, subject to security checks and EU- or bilateral arrangements, and to refine the criteria that determine priority for admission. The policy’s future, including its compatibility with other asylum programs and international obligations, will continue to be tested in courts and in talks with Paris as the two countries implement the framework designed to reshape irregular crossings.