Refugee Move-On Guide

Congratulations!

You have been granted refugee status, humanitarian protection or discretionary leave to remain (Permission to Stay). You can now:

• work
• study
• claim social security benefits

It is your responsibility to make sure that you understand your entitlements and responsibilities while living in Northern Ireland/UK.

You must obey the law and abide by any requirements placed upon you by the agencies you engage with, such as the Jobs & Benefits Office or the NI Housing Executive. It is your responsibility to update them of changes to your circumstances.

NEW Changes to time granted after a positive decision

In March 2026 the Home Secretary announced that the govermment would grant shorter periods of leave (permission) to new refugees and that their status would be reviewed every 30 months to assess whether a person still requires protection.

• People who lodged their asylum claim before 2 March 2026 will still receive 5 years permission to stay if they are granted refugee status or humanitarian rotection.
• People who lodged their asylum claim on or after 2 March 2026 will receive 2.5 years (30 months) permission to stay if they are granted refugee status or humanitarian protection. This does not apply to unaccompanied young asylum claimants who will still receive 5 years permission to stay.

This is a new and developing policy. It is unlikely that we will fully understand the review process until reviews start in autumn 2028 and we will update our resources with when we know more. However, if you have questions about your status or about the future review process you should consult your legal representative.

When a positive decision has been made on your asylum claim:

You will receive an Asylum Decision Letter from the Home Office telling you that you have been granted permission to stay in the UK. You should read this letter and keep it safe as it contains a lot of useful information. Your letter will explain:

• • What your immigration status is
  • How long your status lasts for
  • What you can do e.g. work, claim benefits
  • How to access your eVisa

You will receive a “discontinuation of support” letter from Home Office and you will be told that your asylum support (money & accommodation) will stop on “X” date.

You will receive a letter from Mears, sometimes called a Notice To Quit or a Notice To Vacate, telling you that you must leave your accommodation by “X” date.

If Mears ask you to leave your accommodation before you have accessed your eVisa, you can contact the Home Office and ask them to reinstate your support until you are able to access your eVisa. See ‘End of Support‘ section.

You will receive a “discontinuation of support” letter advising you that your asylum support (Mears accommodation & Aspen payments) will stop, and a letter from Mears, sometimes called a Notice To Quit or a Notice To Vacate, telling you that you must leave your accommodation by “X” date.

This is called the ‘move-on’ period and it should be at least 42 days (6 weeks) from the date of your asylum decision letter.

In December 2024, the Home Office temporarily extended the length of time given to a newly granted refugee or person with humanitarian protection to leave their Mears accommodation. This ‘pilot’ gave everyone 56 days (instead of 28) from the date on the Asylum Decision Letter to move out of their asylum accommodation. The pilot ended on 8 March 2026 and was replaced by a new policy giving all newly granted refugees 42 days support before they have to leave their asylum accommodation.

Notice to Quit

When you receive your Notice To Quit (vacate) your Mears accommodation you should have at least 7 days’ notice as outlined in the Asylum Support Regulations 2000.

You should try to access your eVisa before you leave asylum accommodation.

If you receive a Notice to Quit but you have not been able to access your eVisa, or there are errors in your eVisa you should:

1. contact the Resolution Centre and/or report the eVisa error (see ‘Errors in the eVisa‘ section)
2. ask Home Office to reinstate your asylum support until the issue is resolved: reinstatements@homeoffice.gov.uk

Your responsibilities

Now you must urgently:

• find accommodation (see ‘Housing‘ section)
• secure an income (see ‘Social Security‘ and ‘Work‘ sections)
• open a bank account (see ‘Bank Account‘ section)

If you need support or advice with these processes you can contact Extern (if you are in Belfast) or Red Cross Refugee Support (if you are outside Belfast).

eVisa

(Check our eVisa Guide for more information).

An eVisa is an online record of your immigration status and the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK.

The Home Office stopped producing Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) on 31^st October 2024. This means that if you were granted refugee status, humanitarian protection or discretionary leave to remain from 1st November 2024, you will not receive a Biometric Residence Permit.

Instead, the Home Office will create a UKVI (eVisa) account for you. Your Asylum Decision Letter will explain that the Home Office will send you details on how to log in to your new UKVI account in order to access your eVisa.

Within 14 days of receiving your Asylum Decision Letter you should receive an email or a letter containing your UKVI customer number (e.g. KX12345678) and instructions on accessing your account. If you do not receive it, check with your legal representative. If it has not been received you should contact the eVisa Resolution Centre on 0300 790 6268 or +44 (0)203 875 4669. You can also use the eVisa Webchat service. Please note: Home Office does not provide an interpreting service.

Access your UKVI account

To access your UKVI account go to: https://www.gov.uk/update-uk-visas-immigration-account-details/update-your-ukvi-account.

You will be asked ‘what identity document did you use when you created your UKVI account?’. Select ‘Passport’ and on the next page, enter your UKVI customer number.

When you have accessed your UKVI account, you must then go to “View and Prove your immigration status” to access your eVisa.

Correct eVisa Errors

You should check that the details in your eVisa are correct. If there are errors or missing information (e.g. name misspelled, wrong date of birth, wrong nationality, wrong immigration status or no Share Code) you should report this error immediately here: https://www.gov.uk/report-error-evisa

For more information about UKVI accounts, eVisas you should read our eVisa Guide which can be auto translated in the website.

From 1st January 2025, you must use your eVisa to prove your entitlement to services such as social security, housing, healthcare, education and your right to work.

To prove your immigration status, you can access your eVisa using View and prove your immigration status: Get a share code. Log in with the credentials you used to access your UKVI account (eVisa).

To prove your immigration status to Universal Credit, NIHE, an employer, etc you must generate a Share Code and share it with the relevant agency. They will then use your code to check your rights and entitlements.

A Share Code is usually valid for 90 days and is made of 9 alphanumeric characters like 1AB-2CD-3E4.

When generating a Share Code, you will be asked why you need a Share Code:

• To prove my right to work
• To provide my right to rent in England (does not apply in Northern Ireland)
• To prove my immigration status for anything else

It is important to select the correct purpose or your Share Code may be rejected. You can generate different Share Codes for different purposes.

Social Housing – NIHE 

You are entitled to apply for homelessness assistance (short-term) from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) and can also apply for “social housing” (permanent). It is important that you contact the Housing Executive to discuss your housing options as soon as you receive a decision from the Home Office. Mears or Migrant Help can direct you to the Housing Executive or you can “drop in” to one of the NIHE offices. 

If you need support or advice with these processes you can contact Extern (Call: +44 (0)28 9027 8424 or email: info@extern.org ) if you are in Belfast, or Red Cross Refugee Support (Call: 02890 323055 WhatsApp: 07843 34460 or email: rsnorthernIreland@redcross.org.uk) if you are outside Belfast. 

Applying for homelessness assistance (short-term) 

A Housing Advisor from the Housing Executive will assess your application for homelessness assistance and may provide you with temporary accommodation. They will first need to speak to you to assess your individual circumstances -no-one is guaranteed to receive homelessness assistance from NIHE.  

If you are vulnerable or at risk of violence, this information is relevant to your assessment. You may be considered vulnerable if, for example, you have a physical disability or mental illness or have been the victim of a crime. You must provide evidence to support your application for homelessness assistance, this might include: medical reports, police reports or Home Office letters showing that you have been the victim of a crime, letters from support services you have engaged with, or statements from solicitors about your circumstances.  

You can read more about what the homelessness assessment involves, and examples of evidence you can provide here: Homelessness assessment | Housing Rights. 

Negative decision for homelessness assistance 

If you have been told by the NI Housing Executive that you are not eligible for homelessness assistance, you have the right to ask for a review of this decision. Housing Rights can help you to ask for a review of a negative homelessness decision, you should contact them as soon as you receive that decision.

Housing Rights is a charity that provides free, specialist support and advice on housing & debt issues. If you have a problem, you can phone their helpline at any time (028 9024 5640). You can also find useful information on their website. 

If you are facing imminent street homelessness you have the right to request that your asylum support is extended by emailing reinstatements@homeoffice.gov.uk and showing evidence that you have tried to find accommodation and support yourself. Extensions are not guaranteed and are assessed on a case-by-case basis. You can read more about the circumstances where the Home Office might issue and extension to asylum support in their guidance Ceasing section 95 support instruction.

Positive decision for homelessness assistance  

The NI Housing Executive will try to find the most suitable type of temporary accommodation based on your household needs and this can be offered anywhere in Northern Ireland. The types of accommodation available could be a house, an apartment, a room within a house, a hostel or hotel type accommodation and this will be based on what is available on the day you leave your Mears accommodation. 

If you refuse an offer of temporary accommodation, the Housing Executive may not make you another offer. You should not take housing advice from people who are not qualified as you risk becoming homeless. 

The Housing Advisor from the Housing Executive will also assist you with an application for permanent social housing in Northern Ireland. It is important to understand that there are large numbers of people on the social housing waiting lists for certain areas in Northern Ireland and that you will be subject to the same rules and process as any other applicant. Your Housing Advisor will explain how the process works, how your needs will be assessed and help you choose areas in which you would like to live. 

If your family move to an area away from your child’s school, it is likely they will need to find a new school as free school transport is only available in limited circumstances. See ‘Children’s Education’ section. 

Challenging an unsuitable housing offer 

You might think that the accommodation the Housing Executive offers you does not meet your needs or is ‘unsuitable’. When deciding if accommodation is suitable, the Housing Executive should consider the accommodation’s: 

• size 
• safety 
• location 
• affordability 

The Housing Executive also considers how long you are likely to stay in the accommodation. 

Get advice before rejecting temporary accommodation. 

If you reject an offer of temporary accommodation for this reason, the Housing Executive is unlikely to offer you different accommodation. This means you may have nowhere to live. But if you accept the offer, you can: 

• tell the Housing Executive why the accommodation is unsuitable, and 
• ask them to provide different accommodation 

It is not a good idea to reject an offer of temporary accommodation. If you are not happy with the offer, contact Housing Rights. 

Housing Rights is a charity that provides free, specialist support and advice on housing & debt issues. If you have a problem, you can phone their helpline at any time (028 9024 5640). You can also find useful information on their website. 

Private Rental 

A person who rents a property from a private landlord or the Housing Executive is called a “tenant”. As a tenant you have certain rights and responsibilities. You can find out more about Landlord and Tenant obligations on nidirect  (remember – nidirect website can be translated using the blue square at the bottom of the page). You should also receive a copy of your signed tenancy agreement which tells you more about your rights and responsibilities. 

A lot of people in Northern Ireland rent accommodation from private landlords, or eventually buy their own home. You might wish to speak to friends about finding a property to rent together (see Simon Community Tenancy Deposit Service below). Depending on your employment situation, you could be entitled to claim Universal Credit Housing Costs which will help you to pay rent. Speak to your Universal Credit Work Coach about Housing Costs.  

You can find more information about renting privately from nidirect website (remember – nidirect website can be translated using the blue square at the bottom of the page). 

Other sources of help with housing 

Simon Community NI 

If you have been turned down for social housing, or you are homeless or at risk of homelessness, you can contact organisations like Simon Community NI who provide homelessness services and hostel accommodation, subject to availability. 

Contact their Homeless Support Line on 0800 171 2222, or complete the online form at this link: https://simoncommunity.org/services/get-help 

Simon Community Tenancy Deposit Service 

The Tenancy Deposit Service can support people aged 18+ who are homeless/at risk of homelessness and have low prospects of social housing, to access the private rental sector. The aim of the TDS is to make private rental a reality for individuals and families, by providing a grant to cover some of the deposit needed to secure a home. 

The Service can help with a range of issues, including: 

• advice on how to search for potential properties 
• liaising with landlord/letting agents 
• advice on applying for Housing Costs 
• applying for Discretionary Support 
• aignposting to other support services 

You can refer yourself to the Service using this online form. It is recommended that you do so as soon as possible, and before you find a private rental property. 

Refugees At Home – refugee hosting project 

Refugees at Home is a UK charity which connects those with a spare room in their home to refugees and people seeking asylum who are in need of somewhere to stay.  

You can apply to them directly if you have refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK. You will also need to have a good level of English, and a plan for where you will go once your hosting ends.  

Read their Guest Application Guide here: https://refugeesathome.org/help-and-information/self-referred-guests/ 

You are entitled to apply for social security benefits like Universal Credit (UC) – this is money from the government to support you while you look for work, or because you cannot work.

You can apply online (www.gov.uk/universal-credit/how-to-claim) or ask for an appointment at a Jobs and Benefits office if you need help. You are entitled to request an interpreter.

UC is managed by an online account. You should keep your account login details safe. If you have difficulty using your online account you should tell your Universal Credit “Work Coach”.

Your Work Coach will explain any conditions of your benefits payments and your responsibilities. Your Work Coach can also advise you on Housing Costs, Child Benefit etc. You must show your eVisa to prove your identity and entitlement to claim social security benefits. You should apply as soon as you receive your decision letter.

You will find a list of Jobs and Benefits Offices on nidrect: www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/jobs-and-benefits-offices

eVisa delays

Since 31^st October 2024, the Home Office are not producing BRPs and will provide newly granted refugees with login details for their UKVI account and access to their eVisa. The Home Office aim to provide these login details within 14 days of a positive asylum decision.

Don’t delay making your application for social security – you can open a Universal Credit account using your Home Office Asylum Decision Letter and your Application Registration Card (ARC) and you should do so as soon as possible. Bring both documents to your local Jobs & Benefits Office and ask for help to open an claim.

If you have not accessed your eVisa, you might also have difficulty opening a Bank Account. Without bank details it can be difficult to open a UC claim. You should visit your local Jobs & Benefits Office to ask if it is possible to open a UC account and provide your bank details at a later date, can they use substitute details, or if you can receive your payments through a voucher (Payment Exception Service) until you have opened a bank account.

Advance Payments

There is normally a 5-week wait for your first UC payment so you should apply as soon as possible to avoid being left with no income. Once you have made a UC application, and completed all of the “To Dos” on your account, you can apply for an Advance Payment. Advance Payments will be deducted from future payments – this means you will receive a reduced amount until you have repaid the debt. Your Work Coach can help you to apply for an Advance Payment.

Discretionary Support

You may also be entitled to apply for a one-off Universal Credit Discretionary Support Contingency Fund payment, or a Discretionary Support Loan for help with living expenses or household items. Speak to your Work Coach about this, or apply on nidirect. If you have difficulty applying online, contact Finance Support on 08005872750.

You can find more information on nidirect (remember – nidirect website can be translated using the blue square at the bottom of the page).

To arrange an urgent appointment at your local Jobs and Benefits Office telephone 0300 200 7822. If you require an interpreter at your appointment you should request it in advance.

Everybody needs a National Insurance Number (NINO) to start work or apply for social security benefits.

Your NINO might be displayed in your eVisa along with your personal details. If it is missing you should report it as an error: https://www.gov.uk/report-error-evisa

You will only be allocated one NINO and it remains the same for life.

Your National Insurance Number is unique to you and cannot be changed or transferred. You must not use someone else’s NINO, or allow anyone to use yours. You should keep your NINO safe and not share it with anyone who does not need to see it.

National Insurance is a type of tax – read more about it here. You pay National Insurance contributions to qualify for certain benefits and the State Pension.

If you start work you must report this “change of circumstances” online in your UC account, or by Telephoning the UC Telephone helpline if you have a phone claim for UC.

This section applies to people with refugee status only.

In April 2025, the government made a change to how Child Benefit claims can be backdated.

Before 7 April 2025:

If you were granted refugee status before 7 April 2025, you can apply for your Child Benefit to be backdated to the date you made your asylum claim.

If you have children you should request that HMRC backdates your Child Benefit claim. You must request this within 3 months of getting your refugee status, otherwise you will not get the back payment.

After 7th April 2025:

However, if you have been granted refugee status on or after 7th April 2025 your Child Benefit claim will only be backdated to the date you were recorded as a refugee, up to a maximum of 3 months.

Please contact the Law Centre’s Social Security team if this applies to you so we can advise further – 028 90 244401

More information:

CBTM10140 – Residence and immigration: immigration – exceptions to the general exclusion – HMRC internal manual – GOV.UK

You can contact HMRC here:

www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/child-benefit

If you claimed asylum before September 2017, you may also be able to claim Child Tax Credit. You must make a claim within 1 month of receiving refugee status. Seek social security advice if you think this applies to you.

To receive payments from an employer, or social security benefits, you must have a UK bank account. Some banks allow you to open an account online, then visit them to verify your identity. You should do this as soon as possible, otherwise, you cannot receive Universal Credit.

To open an account, you must prove your identity (Application Registration Card (ARC) / Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) / eVisa Share Code) and your address (letter from Housing Executive, Home Office, Mears or Universal Credit).

Different Banks will have different accounts, and different ID requirements. Some online banks allow customers to open an account without a proof of address and may prove easier for new refugees to access.

When you open an account will receive an account number, a sort code, and a bank card that you can use in shops, online, and at ATMs. Most banks have Mobile Banking Apps where you can monitor your account, view your balance, or cancel your card if it is lost. You can find more information on nidirect.

You should avoid signing up for credit cards or loans unless you are certain you can avoid getting into bad debt. You should not sign up for loans for other people- this is fraud. Debt advice is available for free. You can find more information on nidirect (remember – nidirect website can be translated using the blue square at the bottom of the page).

Some new refugees have difficulty opening a bank account, perhaps because there are errors or delays with their eVisa, or they don’t have an acceptable proof of address. This can lead to problems starting a Universal Credit claim.

You can attend your local Jobs & Benefits office to ask for assistance, or you can follow the steps below if you are starting a claim online:

• during the new claim add 6 zeros (000000) for the sort code
• add 8 zeros (00000000) for the bank account number this will need to be done 4 times to progress the claim

Payment Exception Service

The Payment Exception Service provides payments to claimants who cannot open a bank account.

The claimant will receive one of the following:

• a payment card
• an email with a voucher code
• a text message with a voucher code
• PDF voucher (collected from the Jobcentre – this should be the absolute last resort)

This allows the claimant to collect their Universal Credit payment from any PayPoint or Post Office during opening hours and if sufficient funds are available in the outlet.

The Payment Exception Service vouchers are limited to a value of £100 each and are only redeemable if the outlet has sufficient funds available. Vouchers are valid for 90 days and any vouchers not redeemed within this period will expire and funds returned to Universal Credit.

Work Rights

You are allowed to work and you have full employment rights. You should learn about your rights as an employee. More information is available on nidirect (remember – nidirect website can be translated using the blue square at the bottom of the page)

Employers must provide you with at least:

• a minimum wage
• payslips
• written terms & conditions

Your employer is responsible for deducting tax from your payments, this will be detailed in a payslip which you should receive at least monthly.

You are also entitled to join a trade union.

If you are in receipt of Social Security (benefits) and you start work you must report this “change of circumstances” online in your UC account, or by Telephoning the UC Telephone helpline if you have a phone claim for UC.

You can contact our Employment Team for free, specialist support and advice on employment issues.

Minimum wage

Minimum wage is the minimum you should be paid per hour, and depends on your age and whether you are an apprentice. Employers are legally obliged to pay you at least minimum wage.

www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates

Finding Work

Your UC Work Coach can help you to find work or support you to register with courses to improve your skills and training. They may also be able to help get your previous qualifications recognised in the UK.

Nidirect has lots of information about how to find jobs in Northern Ireland (remember – nidirect website can be translated using the blue square at the bottom of the page)

Your local Council website also has information on employment opportunities in your area. For example, Belfast Employment Academies are run by Belfast City Council.

There are also many recruitment agencies in NI that can help you to find a job.

If you are in receipt of Universal Credit, you can get help to cover your dental treatment and optician services. Complete a HC1 application and you will receive a 12-month HC2 certificate. You should bring the HC2 certificate to your dentist/optician to prove that you are eligible for free treatment.

HC1 applications can be found at Jobs & Benefits Offices and some GP/Dental Practices. Your HC2 certificate is normally valid for 12 months, then you must apply again. This is your responsibility.

You can find more information on nidirect.

Children do not need a HC2 as their treatment is always free. If you are working, you will have to pay towards your dental treatment and optician services.

Adult Education

English is the key to unlocking your future independence. You should try to study and practice English as much as possible. In addition to formal classes, you can find many casual conversational classes in your area. ESOL teachers can help you find them.

You are still entitled to attend free ESOL classes. The ESOL website can be translated and has information on classes in your area, including those with childcare: https://esolwebapp.azurewebsites.net/

Further Education (F.E.)

You may wish to study a particular subject at an FE College like Belfast Met. FE Colleges provide a Careers Advice Service. You should contact your local College and book an appointment to discuss your options.

Most jobs will require at least a basic level of English – speaking English will improve your opportunities. You should learn & try to practice every day.

Education – Child

If you have children, they may need to change schools depending on where your new accommodation is. The Education Authority (EANI) can provide advice and support relating to schools. You can translate their website by clicking this symbol at the top of the page.

The Intercultural Education Service (IES) at EANI supports refugee children. They have produced a number of translated “Education in Northern Ireland Videos” which can be found on their website.

www.eani.org.uk/school-management/intercultural-education-service-ies/education-in-northern-ireland-videos

• School Meals & Uniforms
• School Transport Assistance
• Intercultural Awareness
• Responses to Bullying
• The Education Journey

Schools can use interpreting facilities and it is your right to request an interpreter to discuss your child’s education.

You can find more information about the Asylum Seeker and Refugee (ASR) Support Team here.

If you wish to log a query or a request for support for a child or young person from an asylum or refugee background, you can do so via the IES Helpdesk.

A Refugee Integration Loan is a small interest-free loan from the government. It may only be used for things which are essential to help you settle into UK society. This includes:

• a housing deposit, rent payment or moving costs
• essential items for your home
• training or education
• basic living costs (such as food or household bills)
• work clothing and equipment

When applying you must provide details of exactly how you will spend the money, and agree a repayment plan. It takes at least 4 weeks to receive your loan.

You must be over 18 to be eligible to apply and be one of the following:

• a refugee
• a person with humanitarian protection
• a dependant of a refugee or someone with humanitarian protection

You will find more information on the Refugee Integration Loan here.

Permission to stay (leave to remain)

You have permission to stay in the UK – also known as Leave to Remain. Your eVisa will show a start date and a ‘valid until’ date. The ‘valid until’ date marks the end of your permission to stay in the UK.

If youpreviously held a BRP it will have expired on 31/12/2024 because the government have moved proof of immigration status to an online eVisa online – you should create your eVisa as soon as possible. See our eVisa Guide for more information. Your Home Office decision letter also tells you how long your permission to stay is valid for.

Indefinite Leave to Remain (settlement)

The government are currently considering huge changes to the process for Indefinite Leave to Remain. We will update this page when we know more.

If you wish to stay in the UK after your initial grant of leave – you must speak to a solicitor before it expires and apply for further permission to stay. Applications for refugee and humanitarian protection holders are free, and can only be made within the final 28 days of your grant of leave.

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) allows you to live permanently (settle) in the UK. After this you may be eligible to apply for British citizenship if you wish. See ‘British citizenship’ section.

Criminal convictions can have long-term implications for you and your family members. A serious offence, including a driving offence or domestic abuse, may be held against you in any future immigration application, including for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

You can read more about Indefinite Leave to Remain (settlement) on the Right To Remain Toolkit. The Toolkit can be translated into multiple languages.

UK (domestic travel)

You are free to travel within the United Kingdom (UK) using your eVisa. The UK consists of Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England. If you wish to travel outside of the UK (including to the Republic of Ireland) you must check the visa requirements of that country and ensure you have the correct travel documents.

Abroad (international travel)

Depending on your immigration status, absences from the UK, or returning to your country of origin may impact your future option in the UK. For more information see: https://www.lawcentreni.org/news/how-do-absences-from-the-uk-affect-your-immigration-status/

If you have refugee status or humanitarian protection there are restrictions on where you can travel – see below – Travel Documents.

To travel internationally you should check your destination country’s immigration website for information on:

1. whether your Travel Document is accepted by that country; and
2. if there are any visa requirements for you to travel there

As a refugee or person with Humanitarian Protection, you maintain your own nationality – using a UK Travel Document does not mean you are treated as British when travelling abroad.

You must ensure that you have access to your eVisa before travelling outside the UK. In future people must link their Travel Document/Passport to their eVisa account. Currently, it is not possible to link a Refugee Travel Document to an eVisa account. Therefore, if you are a refugee, you should continue to travel using your Travel Document, but it is also advisable to generate a Share Code and have access to your eVisa while abroad so that you can demonstrate your immigration status if necessary.

Travel Documents

Refugees

Refugee status is granted to people who have demonstrated that it is not safe for them to return to their home country.

If you have refugee status and return to your home country, you risk losing your refugee status. This is because the UK is entitled to decide that you no longer require protection.

So, if you decide to return to your country, even for a short trip, or to reestablish your life, there is a risk that your refugee status will be revoked (cancelled) on your return to the UK. There is also a risk that you will not be admitted back into the UK.

Remember that if you have refugee status, you should not travel with your own passport. You should instead apply for a Refugee Travel Document. Your Refugee Travel Document will tell you if you are not permitted to travel to your home country.

Humanitarian Protection

If you have Humanitarian Protection, your situation is more complicated.

Whether you can return to your home country without jeopardising your immigration status depends on the reason you were granted Humanitarian Protection.  If you were granted Humanitarian Protection because the Home Office accept that you have a fear of your national authorities, you should not travel to your home country and should not use your own national passport (see above, refugee status).

However, some people with Humanitarian Protection can continue to travel with their own national passport.

If you have Humanitarian Protection, you may be eligible to apply for a UK-issued Certificate of Travel if you have been unreasonably refused a passport by your national authorities, or if it is officially accepted that you have a fear of your national authorities (your decision letter will explain if this is that case). If you have Discretionary Leave to Remain you may also be eligible to apply for a UK Certificate of Travel. Seek advice.

You can find more information on all Travel Documents here: www.gov.uk/apply-home-office-travel-document

The UK Government “paused” (this means stopped) accepting applications for Refugee Famiy Reunion at 3pm on 4th September 2025.

The Government states that it has implemented a ‘temporary pause’ to Refugee Family Reunion while it undertakes a full review and reform of the current family rules.  

According to gov.uk:

“Your partner or child cannot apply to join you in the UK through family reunion. Applications are no longer being accepted.

They may be able to apply for a family visa instead.

If they applied before 3pm on 4 September 2025:

• Their application will still be processed.
• They should get a decision within 12 months.”

You can read more about options to reunite with your family, and reqyest help, on the Red Cross website.

The below infomation is now PAUSED

Both Refugees and those with Humanitarian Protection are entitled to apply for Family Reunion on the same basis. If you qualify for Family Reunion, your family members may be able to get visas to join you in the UK. This applies only to:

• a family that existed before you left your home country
• a spouse or partner
• children under 18

Your solicitor can help you to make an application. There is no fee for a Family Reunion Visa, and you can claim Legal Aid to cover the legal costs. If your family member does not meet the criteria, a solicitor will tell you if you can make an application “outside the rules”. Family Reunion can sometimes be a long process.

You should financially prepare for Family Reunion. It is likely that if visas are granted you will be responsible for covering the full cost of your family’s travel to the UK.

If your family are granted Family Reunion visas you should contact the Red Cross as soon as possible to ask what support they can offer to help you prepare for your family’s arrival.

You may apply for British Citizenship when you have completed:

• at least 5 years Leave to Remain; and
• 1 year Indefinite Leave to Remain

You must also:

• be over 18
• prove your knowledge of English
• have passed the Life in the UK Test
• intend to continue living in the UK
• be of good character (this means not having a criminal record or NEW entering the UK illegally – see below)

Criminal convictions can have long-term implications for you and your family members. A serious offence, including a driving offence or domestic abuse, could risk your future immigration status in the UK.

You should read the Citizenship guidance carefully, including sections of eligibility, fees and time spent outside of the UK.

www.gov.uk/apply-citizenship-indefinite-leave-to-remain

Children may “register” as British citizens after they have lived in the UK for 5 years and completed one year of Indefinite Leave to Remain. Children are not required to complete the above tests. A fee waiver is available for those who cannot afford the children’s registration fee.

Citizenship & “illegal entry”

On 10 February 2025, Home Office guidance was amended. Any person who applies for citizenship who ‘previously entered the UK illegally’ will now ‘normally be refused’. It does not matter how long ago the unlawful entry happened. This change applies to adults mostly, there are exemptions for children.

Most people who enter the UK as asylum seekers are deemed to have entered the UK unlawfully. This is largely because there are no safe and legal routes for people to seek sanctuary in the UK.  As a result, this change potentially affects the majority of refugees living in Northern Ireland.

Read more here: Refugees blocked from British citizenship | Law Centre Northern Ireland