As you may have seen, the UK government has announced that it’s suspending applications for refugee family reunion.
Inevitably, this is causing a lot of anguish among the people we work with.
We are one of the few organisations specialising in family reunion cases. Over the past 48 hours, our team has worked tirelessly to protect our clients rights and successfully submitted 19 applications before the deadline.
This suspension risks shutting the door on some of the most vulnerable people at the very moment they most need safety and stability. At a time when refugees in the UK are already facing delays, uncertainty and hostility, cutting off one of the few safe and legal routes available is a huge step backwards.
The government has indicated that it wants to bring refugee family reunion in line with the general visa routes available for family members of migrants
But this ignores a fundamental difference in the reality that refugees and migrants face: migrants may move for work, study, or other reasons, but can usually return home and reunite with their families if they choose. For refugees facing persecution, returning home is not an option without serious risks, which means separation from their families can be indefinite. For someone granted refugee status in the UK, the UK is the only place they can rebuild their life safely and reunite with their loved ones.
The reasons given to justify this change are nonsense
One of the key reasons given for this change is that 20,000 family reunion visas were granted in 2024. On the face of it, this seems like a large number. However:
- The number is temporarily inflated for technical reasons. For the most part, this is due to a huge backlog of asylum applications that is finally being cleared. This is to be celebrated, but one of the consequences is a temporary spike in family reunion cases.
- 20,000 sounds like a big number, but it isn’t in the context. When compared to immigration figures, this is a drop in the ocean. Refugee family reunion makes up less than 4% of all migrant visas issued in the UK.
The existing family reunion rules are already extremely restrictive
Much of the coverage makes family reunion seem like an easy route, open to anyone who wants it.
It is in fact a long, technical and stressful process, with no guarantees of a good outcome. It can take years and requires specialist legal advice and support, but there aren’t enough lawyers doing the work to meet demand.
These problems are already causing a great deal of suffering as people are kept from their loved ones, whose lives are often at risk. The problems with the current system need to be addressed, rather than applying further restrictions.
The immediate suspension of FR applications for a period of around 6 months is unnecessary and appears to be a performative ‘stunt’
Family reunion is one of the very few safe and legal routes available for refugees – and it overwhelmingly supports women and children, who make up 92% of those granted visas. Closing the route for six months is unnecessary and harmful: rule changes can be made without shutting down applications altogether. Instead, the pause has created panic, forced people into rushed applications, and will add pressure to an already over-stretched system.
