Refugees in the UK will henceforth be able to apply for residency only after 20 years of living in the country. The right to refugee status will be reviewed every 30 months.
The United Kingdom is significantly tightening its immigration policy. Refugees will only be able to apply for residency after 20 years of living in the country, said the UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood in an interview with The Sunday Times published on Sunday, November 16.
It is specified that after the relevant law is passed, the new rules will apply to migrants who arrive in the UK illegally, for example, by boats or in trucks, and then request asylum, as well as to those who apply for asylum after their visa has expired.
Thus, the UK will become the European country with the longest waiting period for the opportunity to apply for residency. Currently, Denmark holds this record, where one must wait eight years for such an opportunity. For asylum seekers who arrive in the UK legally, the period of residence in the country before they can apply for residency will be 10 years.
Cancellation of Benefits for Those Unwilling to Work and Who Break the Law
Shabana Mahmood also intends to abolish the legal obligation of the British state to provide material support to asylum seekers. Those who are able to support themselves but do not will be deprived of social housing and benefits. Support will also be withdrawn from those who commit an offense.
The refugee status will be reviewed every 30 months, and individuals from countries deemed safe will be returned to their homeland, Mahmood indicated. According to her observations, "many of those who received asylum ultimately remained in Britain for life."
Under current laws enacted by the Labour government in 2005, refugees have the right to apply for indefinite residency after five years of living in the UK. This document grants them access to benefits and social assistance and paves the way for subsequent citizenship.
