Closure of Appendix Family Reunion (Sponsors with Protection)
The recent closure of the UK’s refugee family reunion route, Appendix Family Reunion (Sponsors with Protection), marks a significant shift in immigration policy. As of 04/09/ 2025, refugees who wish to bring family members to the UK must now apply under much stricter and less tailored immigration routes, particularly Appendix FM.
Many refugees are unable to meet the financial requirements, but it is still possible to make a successful application if there are exceptional circumstances. However, this sets a high bar. The Home Office will assess whether refusing the application would be disproportionate under Article 8, specifically, whether it would lead to unjustifiably harsh consequences for the applicant or their family.
With regards to children, on the same day that new applications under Appendix Family Reunion were suspended, Appendix FM was amended to allow them to apply to join a parent with protection status in the UK. This means that children may now apply under Appendix FM either alongside a parent who is also applying under that route, or independently to join a refugee parent who is already residing in the UK.
Refugees can also bring other child relatives to the UK through Appendix Child Relative. Close relative is defined as a grandparent, brother, sister, stepparent, uncle (brother or half-brother of a child’s parent) or aunt (sister or half-sister of a child’s parent). For adult relatives, the route is Appendix Adult Dependent Relative, which applies to parents, grandparents, children, or siblings aged 18 or over.
If these routes do not apply, it may still be possible to apply for leave outside the rules, although this is complex and less certain. All these applications involve fees, however, fee waivers are available for out-of-country human rights applications.
A notable consequence of recent changes is the shift of refugee family reunion cases from asylum work to immigration work, affecting legal advisers’ accreditation. Many who previously oversaw these cases may now be unable to do so immediately, causing an advice gap and potentially prolonging family separation.
This change signals a tightening of the UK’s stance on refugee protection. The closure of Appendix Family Reunion is unlikely to be reversed in its current form. Future policy changes are expected to further tighten criteria around “exceptional circumstances” and introduce waiting periods before refugees can apply to reunite with family, which will result in longer family separations.
By : Hanna Barzinji