The result of that would be that the UK would receive absolutely no asylum seekers whatsoever
What safe and legal routes does the UK offer?
The UK offers the following safe and legal routes:
UK Resettlement Scheme
The global resettlement scheme is open to vulnerable refugees around the world. Individuals coming through this scheme are assessed and referred by the UNHCR according to their criteria, which is based on people’s needs and vulnerabilities.
People coming via this route only move to the UK once suitable accommodation is in place for them. Since its launch in 2021, the UK has taken refugees through this route from countries including Ethiopia, Iraq, Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen.
Since the first arrivals under the new UK Resettlement scheme in March 2021, 2,023 refugees have been resettled in the UK via the UKRS, as of December 2022.
Community Sponsorship
Community Sponsorship enables civil society - friends and neighbours, charities and faith groups - to directly support refugees resettled in the UK as they start their new lives in safety.
Since the scheme began in 2016, a total of 942 refugees have been resettled through Community Sponsorship, including 15 since the start of the ACRS, according to the latest published data (year ending December 2022).
Mandate Scheme
The Mandate Scheme, launched in 1995, is a global scheme that resettles refugees who have a close family member in the UK who is willing to accommodate them.
The publication of the data relating to the Mandate Resettlement scheme commenced in 2008. Since then, as of December 2022, 441 individuals have been resettled through this scheme.
Family Reunion
Our refugee family reunion policy provides a safe and legal route for families to be reunited. This allows immediate family members (partner and children under 18, and over 18 in exceptional circumstances) of those granted protection in the UK to join them here, if they formed part of a family unit before the sponsor left their country to seek protection.
There are separate provisions in the Immigration Rules to allow extended family members to sponsor children to come here where there are serious and compelling circumstances. In addition, refugees can sponsor adult dependent relatives living overseas to join them where, due to age, illness, or disability, that person requires long-term personal care that can only be provided by relatives in the UK.
There is also discretion to grant leave outside of the Immigration Rules which caters for extended family members in exceptional circumstances.
Our family reunion policy has reunited many refugees with their family members; more than 44,600 family reunion visas have been granted since 2015, with over half issued to children.
Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme
In January 2022, we announced the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), one of the most generous schemes in UK history. This response to the situation in Afghanistan will give up to 20,000 people at risk a new life in the UK, through a safe and legal route.
The ACRS prioritises those who have assisted the UK efforts in Afghanistan and stood up for values such as democracy, women’s rights and freedom of speech, or rule of law (for example, judges, women’s rights activists, academics, and journalists); and vulnerable people, including women and girls at risk, and members of minority groups at risk.
More than 7,600 eligible people have already been granted settled status through the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS).
Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP)
The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), launched on 1 April 2021, offers relocation to eligible Afghan citizens who worked for, or with, the UK Government locally in Afghanistan. The ARAP recognises the service of eligible Afghan citizens and the risks arising to them and their dependent family members due to their work.
Since April 2021, we have relocated more than 12,000 Afghans to the UK under the ARAP scheme.
As of December 2022, we have granted settlement to 6,235 individuals since April 2021, in addition to 1,400 former staff and families who were relocated between 2013 and March 2021 under the previous ex-gratia scheme for Afghan interpreters.
Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas)
On 31 January 2021, the UK Government launched the Hong Kong BN(O) Immigration route in response to China’s passing of the National Security Law which significantly impacts the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong.
Over 153,700 BN(O) Hong Kong visas have been granted as of the end of December 2022, of which 105,200 have arrived in the UK.
On 30 November 2022, the BN(O) route was expanded to enable adult children of BN(O) status holders who were born on or after 1 July 1997 to apply to the route independently of their parents. This will ensure this cohort who were not eligible for BN(O) status and who may not have been able to apply to the route previously, can now choose to make the UK their home.
The BN(O) route is not a refugee resettlement route, but is a safe and legal route to the UK for those eligible.
Ukraine schemes
In response to Putin’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine, we launched one of the fastest visa schemes in UK history. The UK government has devised three bespoke visa routes for the people of Ukraine, working in close communication with the Ukrainian Government.
167,600 Ukrainians have now arrived safely in the UK through our Ukraine visa schemes.
As of 21 March 2023, the UK Government has issued 223,000 visas under the Ukraine Schemes, of which 156,000 visas have been issued under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme. We have also extended permission to stay to 24,300 Ukrainians who were already present in the UK.
