People who have made a successful asylum claim are granted Refugee Status in the UK, this allows them to live in the country for up to 5 years, after which they could be eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain. Due to the nature of their circumstances, refugees may have had to leave family members behind when fleeing their country of origin.

Refugee Family Reunion is the process in which refugees in the UK can be reunited with their family members. Under the Family Reunion route, refugees and those with humanitarian protection can sponsor their partner or children so that they can join them in the UK. These family members can only join a refugee sponsor in the UK providing that they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country of origin.

If an application for Refugee Family Reunion is successful the family member will be granted leave to remain in the UK for the same duration of time that the sponsor has remaining, so that their leave to remain will expire at the same time as the sponsors. If the sponsor has Indefinite Leave to Remain then their qualifying family members will also be granted this status.

It’s worth noting that whilst Refugee Family Reunion will grant you leave to remain in the UK with your sponsor, you will not be granted refugee status or humanitarian protection, this status is only granted to those who make an asylum claim.