Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her policy is on renewing the visa concession for Syrian internationals studying at UK higher education institutions.

The Government is deeply concerned about the conflict in Syria, and we are committed to helping people affected by the crisis.

Given the continuing violence and displacement in Syria, we have now renewed our immigration concession which helps Syrian nationals who are in the UK legally to extend their stay here more easily.

We have renewed the concession for a further 12 months, until 28 February 2016. I made a written ministerial statement to that effect on 26 February 2015. The Government first introduced the Syrian immigration concession in October 2012 in response to the crisis, and has previously renewed it in February 2013 and again in February 2014.

Under the renewed concession, Syrians in the UK with valid leave (or leave which has expired within the last 28 days) in specified visa categories will continue to be able to apply to extend their stay in that visa category, or switch into a different specified category from within the UK (with some restrictions) rather than being required to return home first. Those applying still need to meet the requirements of the relevant visa category, pay the appropriate fee, and adhere to the normal conditions of that category – no access to public funds, for example. If a required document is not accessible due to the civil unrest in Syria the Home Office may apply its discretion and the requirement to provide that document may be waived where appropriate.