Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2025 to Question 71117 on Immigration: Syria, whether a delay of 30 months to ILR applications for a Syrian national is considered to be within the acceptable level of service for UKVI.

On 11 December 2024, we paused all Syrian asylum interviews and decisions whilst we assessed the country situation. This pause extended to Settlement Protection applications from Syrian nationals

The pause was a necessary step while there was no stable, objective information available to make robust assessments of risk on return to Syria.

On 14 July 2025, we published updated country information which enabled decision making to resume. We are currently processing the large backlog of outstanding applications in line with published policy. For those that were granted refugee status having lodged an asylum claim in the UK, where the basis of the grant of status is affected by the change in circumstances, or where it is unclear, we are writing out to applicants where necessary to gather further evidence to assess these applications, and may interview applicants where necessary to determine if there is an ongoing need for protection.

Those who made an in-time application will continue to have their conditions maintained under Section 3C of the Immigration Rules.

Settlement is a privilege, not an automatic right, and provides permission to stay in the UK permanently and freedom from immigration control for those who still require protection. All settlement applications are carefully considered on their individual merits, and this includes assessing whether there have been significant changes in country conditions or personal circumstances, which means that an individual no longer needs our protection.

In line with our international obligations, we will not remove anyone to their own or any other country where they have a well-founded fear of persecution or are at risk of serious harm.