Charlotte Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2016-04-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what provision exists for the Syrian spouses of British nationals to come to the UK to join their families.

James Brokenshire

There are several refugee schemes in operation under which a Syrian national may be able to qualify to come to the UK, including the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme and Mandate – which resettles those recognised as refugees and judged to be in need of resettlement by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and who have a close family member in the UK who is willing to support them.

In addition, a Syrian national can apply to join their British citizen spouse or partner in the UK under the Family Immigration Rules. If the requirements of the rules are not met, the entry clearance officer will consider whether there are exceptional or compassionate circumstances which may warrant a grant of entry clearance outside the rules.