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."
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.
Seven new Home Office country policy and information reports on Syria have been published, which are all accessible from here on GOV.UK.
The Home Office country policy and information note (CPIN) on the general security situation in the country concludes: "There are not substantial grounds for believing there is a real risk of serious harm in Syria because of a serious and individual threat to a civilian's life or person by reason of indiscriminate violence in a situation of international or internal armed conflict, as defined in paragraphs 339C and 339CA(iv) of the Immigration Rules. The onus is on the person to demonstrate otherwise."
With regard to the humanitarian situation, the Home Office acknowledges that Syria remains one of the world's most challenging humanitarian environments, but finds overall: "The general humanitarian situation in Syria is not so severe that there are substantial grounds for believing that there is a real risk of serious harm because conditions amount to torture or inhuman or degrading treatment as defined in paragraphs 339C and 339CA(iii) of the Immigration Rules/Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)."
The CPIN on returnees says: "As a result of the change in government, opponents of the former Al-Assad regime are unlikely to be at risk upon return to Syria solely on that basis. A person is also unlikely to be at risk simply by virtue of being a failed asylum seeker or returnee. The onus is on the person to demonstrate otherwise."
The Home Office does find that Alawites, which make up approximately 12% of Syria's population, and actual or perceived supporters of the Assad regime are at risk in Syria. The CPIN on Alawites and Assadists concludes: "In general, Alawites are likely to face a real risk of persecution or serious harm from the state due to their religion and/or an imputed political opinion." In addition, the Home Office finds: "Some persons (perceived to be) affiliated with the former Assad regime may face persecution or serious harm from the state by virtue of their actual or perceived political opinion." Both Alawites and Assadists are also at risk of persecution or serious harm from non-state actors.
On Kurds, however, the Home Office CPIN finds they are "unlikely to face a real risk of persecution or serious harm from the state, on the evidence that is currently available". The Home Office also finds in the CPIN on religious minorities that: "In general, Christians, Druze and Shia Muslims (Ismaili and Twelvers) are unlikely to face a real risk of persecution or serious harm from the state."
The CPIN on military service concludes that compulsory military service in Syria does not generally amount to persecution. Risks from military service, evasion, or desertion are not normally severe enough or linked to a Refugee Convention reason, especially given the new government's recent abolition of mandatory conscription and the announced amnesty for those previously conscripted to fight for the Assad regime.