Over 7,000 Syrian asylum seekers are still awaiting decisions as the UK government halts processing claims. Charities demand case-by-case assessments and express concern over the indefinite limbo faced by these individuals.
Urgent Call to Lift Suspension on Syrian Asylum Claims Amid Rising Uncertainty
Urgent Call to Lift Suspension on Syrian Asylum Claims Amid Rising Uncertainty
Advocacy groups press UK officials to resume processing Syrian asylum applications, as thousands remain in limbo with no clear path to resolution.
Ministers in the UK are under increasing pressure to lift the suspension on processing Syrian asylum claims, with new figures revealing that over 7,000 applicants remain in uncertainty. This decision was initially made in December following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's regime, but nearly six months later, many Syrians living in the UK are still uncertain about the fate of their applications.
Charities, including the Refugee Council, have raised alarm over this situation, labeling it as "indefinite limbo" and advocating for a return to case-by-case evaluations. The government rationale for pausing these decisions was to assess the stability of the current situation in Syria. A Home Office representative stated that this pause is critical given the absence of reliable, objective information that could inform safe returns to Syria.
According to the latest data, as of March, there are 7,386 Syrians who are waiting for an initial decision on their asylum claims. This suspension came after a significant reduction in asylum claims, with the number dropping 81% in response to the halted assessments. Still, some 299 Syrians arrived in the UK via small boats in the first quarter of the year, representing 5% of all asylum seekers during that period.
Currently, those seeking asylum are barred from working while their applications are considered, relying instead on government accommodations and financial support. Chief policy analyst Jon Featonby from the Refugee Council highlighted the impact of this pause on public finances, noting that over 5,500 Syrians were housed in government-funded spaces, with a notable 2,130 residing in hotels—accommodations the government seeks to eliminate for asylum seekers.
Personal accounts reveal the struggles faced by these individuals while waiting for clarity on their legal status. Azadi, a Kurdish asylum seeker who arrived in June, expressed gratitude for governmental support but yearns for employment opportunities to relieve the monotony and stress of his current situation.
Despite recent political changes in Syria and a new government alliance with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, many individuals still harbor significant safety concerns. Some refugees, like Leen Albrmawi, who has been in the UK since 2019, have faced dire consequences from the paused processing. Denied access to educational loans, Leen's aspirations for higher education and long-term stability hang in the balance as she awaits her indefinite leave to remain application resolution.
The Refugee Council acknowledges that while the situation in Syria is evolving, it is unlikely to be fully resolved anytime soon. This raises the prospect that those seeking refuge based on reasons unrelated to the previous regime, such as persecution by emerging military factions, may require urgent prioritization for their claims. The continued stasis is causing not only significant personal distress but also systemic blockages within the asylum process in the UK.
