Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the review of the eligibility of adult children, who were part of the family unit when they were forced to flee, to automatically join their family in the UK under part 11 of UK immigration rules, will be completed.

The Government provides a safe and legal route to bring families together through its family reunion policy. This 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.

Our policy makes clear that there is discretion to grant visas outside the Immigration Rules, which caters for extended family members in exceptional circumstances – including young adult sons or daughters who are dependent on family here and living in dangerous situations.

Refugees can also 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.

The Government believes the best interests of children is reflected in staying with their families, claiming asylum in the first safe country they reach – that is the fastest route to safety – and relying on safe and legal routes under the Immigration Rules or through resettlement schemes.

Nonetheless, the Government is listening to calls to extend our current family reunion policy and has been following closely the passage of the two Private Members’ Bills. We will continue our productive discussions with key partners on this complex and sensitive issue.