Pause on Syrian asylum interviews and decisions announced in December 2024 ends today
The Government announced today that it has resumed processing and deciding asylum claims for Syrian nationals following a temporary pause that began in December 2024.
Dame Angela Eagle, the Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum, said in a short written statement to the House of Commons:
"Following the fall of the Assad regime, the Home Office paused all Syrian asylum interviews and decisions as announced to Parliament on 11 December 2024. This pause extended to settlement protection applications from Syrian nationals including those who were brought to the UK under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme and have completed their five years of refugee status. During this period, we continued to register all Syrian applications.
"This was a necessary step while there was no stable, objective information available to make robust assessments of risk on return to Syria. The Home Office has worked to lift the pause as soon as there was sufficient information to make accurate and well-evidenced determinations.
"Today the government will publish updated country information which will enable decision making to resume. With this, protection claims can be processed and safe return reviews conducted in line with published policy for any Syrian nationals applying for settlement protection."
Seven new Home Office country policy and information reports have been published, which are all accessible from here on GOV.UK.
The resumption of decision making was welcomed by the Refugee Council. Enver Solomon, the Council’s Chief Executive, said the prolonged pause had left many Syrian asylum seekers trapped in limbo, unable to work or move forward with their lives, and living in fear for their future.
Solomon stressed that the situation in Syria remains highly unstable, and urged the Government to take a cautious and compassionate approach. He called for each asylum claim to be considered individually, with a focus on protecting those who could face serious danger if forced to return.