The UK's "one in, one out" pilot with France expired on 1 October 2026 after the government declined to renew the arrangement, Free Movement's Weekly Immigration Newsletter #139 reported last week. The closure ends a bilateral migration-exchange pilot between the two governments.

What was the "one in, one out" deal?

It was a bilateral arrangement between the UK and France named for its core exchange mechanism: one applicant moved "in," and one moved "out." The "in" channel of the deal operated under the formal name UK/European Applicant Transfer Scheme. The "out" channel involved removal flights, as referenced in the newsletter.

When did the pilot expire?

The pilot expired on 1 October 2026. The Home Office did not renew it. The non-renewal was announced in the week preceding the newsletter's publication, which framed the closure as a deliberate termination rather than an administrative lapse.

What changes for applicants?

The "in" half of the deal — the UK/European Applicant Transfer Scheme — is now closed to new applications. Anyone who had not submitted before 1 October 2026 cannot apply under this route from the date of expiry onward. Applicants who had already lodged applications before expiry should refer to the Home Office for the handling of in-flight cases.

Who is affected?

The change directly affects prospective applicants who would have used the UK/European Applicant Transfer Scheme as a route into the UK system. It also bears on advisers, caseworkers, and policy researchers who monitor UK-France migration cooperation. The closure does not, on its face, alter the wider UK asylum framework, which continues to operate under its existing legal rules.

What about removal flights?

The newsletter's visible text mentions removal flights as part of the deal. The remainder of that paragraph was truncated in the version available for review, so the precise operational status of the "out" channel after the pilot's expiry cannot be confirmed from the source.

What is the official source for this change?

The UK Home Office is the issuing authority for the UK/European Applicant Transfer Scheme. Official confirmation of the closure, any transition provisions, and successor arrangements will appear in Home Office guidance, not in third-party newsletters.

What should readers do next?

• Consult the UK Home Office's published guidance on the UK/European Applicant Transfer Scheme for the official closure notice and any transitional provisions.
• Track subsequent Free Movement newsletters for fuller coverage of the deal's "out" half and any emerging successor arrangements.
• Seek advice from a regulated immigration adviser for individual case questions, as scheme rules can change quickly and case-specific advice cannot be substituted by news reporting.

This is a developing story. The newsletter's truncated treatment means the full mechanics of the wind-down, particularly on the "out" half, remain to be reported in subsequent issues.