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Written Question
Immigration Controls
Monday 26th April 2021

Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by the Home Secretary on 24 March (HC Deb, cols 921–36), what are the (1) family reunion rights, (2) associated timescales, for asylum seekers who are granted asylum, and (3) the family reunion rights for illegal arrivals from a safe country.

Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)

The current family reunion policy allows a partner and children under 18 of those granted protection in the UK to join them here, if they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country. Over 29,000 visas have been issued under this route in the last 5 years.

Currently, a person is eligible to sponsor a family reunion application as soon as they have been granted refugee status or humanitarian protection. There is no limit or timescale when they stop becoming eligible, other than if they become naturalised and obtain British citizenship. Once someone overseas applies for a family reunion visa, our customer service standard is 60 UK working days for straightforward cases.

As set out in the New Plan for Immigration policy statement published on 24 March, we are committed to review the refugee family reunion routes available to refugees who have arrived through safe and legal routes. Subject to considering consultation responses, those who are granted the new temporary protection status are proposed to have limited family reunion rights.

We have initiated a comprehensive consultation and engagement process which is open now until 6 May. We will use this opportunity to listen to a wide range of views from stakeholders across the sector, as well as members of the public. All policy development will be undertaken in line with the law, including our equalities duties and international obligations.

Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 28 Jan 2021
EU-UK Joint Political Declaration on Asylum and Returns

"Does the Minister appreciate the growing evidence that some bogus asylum seekers are claiming to be the victims of trafficking and/or modern slavery in order to bolster their claims, whether they arrive from the EU or elsewhere? What measures does she propose to deal with this?..."
Baroness Neville-Rolfe - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 10 Dec 2020
Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Act 2020 (Consequential, Saving, Transitional and Transitory Provisions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020

"My Lords, I thank the Minister for her clear explanation, and I thank my noble friend Lord Horam for his fascinating historical perspective. I agree with all he said and all that was said by the noble Lord, Lord Green, the leading expert in this field.

The bad news is …..."
Baroness Neville-Rolfe - View Speech

View all Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Act 2020 (Consequential, Saving, Transitional and Transitory Provisions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020
Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 09 Nov 2020
Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill

"My Lords, I support the position taken by my noble friend the Minister in her Amendments 4C, 4D and 4E. As noble Lords will know, I am not entirely in favour of the Bill. I do not like the fact that it applies to migrants from the EU only and, …..."
Baroness Neville-Rolfe - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 21 Oct 2020
Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill

"My Lords, there are three strong arguments that support my noble friend the Minister’s position and the Government’s decision to seek to reverse the Lords amendment.

The first is the cost, which, as we heard on Report, might be more than £100 million. I know that £100 million seems like …..."
Baroness Neville-Rolfe - View Speech

View all Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 12 Oct 2020
Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill

"As the Member who was lucky enough to speak first on this Bill, both in Committee and on Report, I thank those involved with its passage through our House. Indeed, I have spoken on nearly all the Bills that have followed from our exit from the EU, in my position …..."
Baroness Neville-Rolfe - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 06 Oct 2020
Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill

"My Lords, I rise to express concern about Amendment 24 in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Bennett of Manor Castle. She has highlighted some hard cases in the cause of her apparently wide-ranging proposed new law. That is an approach that I always discourage. I think legislation of …..."
Baroness Neville-Rolfe - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 05 Oct 2020
Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill

"My Lords, I always enjoy the company of the noble Baroness, Lady Deech, and her own story is compelling. Those who tabled this amendment have put their case very well. I sit on the European Union Committee with the noble Lord, Lord Oates, and we quite often make similar-sounding points. …..."
Baroness Neville-Rolfe - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 05 Oct 2020
Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill

"My Lords, I will be brief as it is late. I agree with the noble Baronesses, Lady Prashar and Lady Garden of Frognal, and my noble friend Lady Fookes, who also put her name to the amendment, that we need to facilitate visits to the UK by schoolchildren to attend, …..."
Baroness Neville-Rolfe - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 05 Oct 2020
Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill

"My Lords, it is always a pleasure to follow my noble friend Lord Naseby, who is always full of inventiveness and good sense. I also support Amendment 25, although I would like it to be in a different form, and I thank the noble Earl, Lord Clancarty, for his energy …..."
Baroness Neville-Rolfe - View Speech

View all Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill