Law Centre responds to Family Reunion pause
Law Centre NI is deeply disappointed that the government has suspended Refugee Family Reunion and urges it to rethink this cruel action.
Refugee Family Reunion was one of the few “safe routes” available for people to come to the UK and is predominantly used by women and children [1].
Last week, Law Centre NI supported refugee clients from some of the most volatile and dangerous regions in the world to apply to reunite with their children and partners – places like Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, Iran and more. Children accounted for 73% of these applications.
We fear that by closing the door on a family safe route, the Government risks pushing families to take desperate action and into the hands of people smugglers.
The decision to suspend these applications is not only deeply unjust but it’s one of the most damaging in recent immigration policy. By shutting this door, governments know that children, women, and the most vulnerable will risk their lives on dangerous journeys to reunite with their families. This will inevitably lead to more human suffering, exploitation by traffickers, and preventable loss of life.
Liz Griffith
Head of Migration Justice
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.
We call on the Government to immediately reinstate Refugee Family Reunion while the review is ongoing.
Information note:
Applications closed for Refugee Family Reunion at 15:00 on 4 September 2025[2]. Applications submitted before this date will progress as normal. We have updated our Refugee Move-On Guide to reflect the new changes.
[1] Family reunion visa grants detailed datasets, year ending June 2025