After a pause lasting over seven months, the United Kingdom has officially restarted processing asylum and settlement claims lodged by Syrian nationals. This significant policy shift, announced by Asylum Minister Dame Angela Eagle, follows the dramatic fall of the Assad regime in Syria late last year. The Home Office stated that it now possesses sufficient, stable information to conduct “accurate and well-evidenced determinations” on these complex cases, enabling decisions and potentially leading to returns.
The decision brings an end to a period of considerable uncertainty for thousands of Syrians residing in the UK. The initial pause, enacted in December 2024, affected both new asylum interviews and existing applications, including those from Syrians who had already been granted temporary refugee status and were awaiting permanent settlement decisions. Many of the more than 7,000 individuals impacted during this limbo period have been living in government-funded accommodation, including hotels.
The Impact of the Pause on Syrian Asylum Seekers
The delay in processing had tangible negative effects on the lives of Syrian people in the UK. Campaigners highlighted that being stuck in a temporary status or facing an indefinite wait made it challenging for individuals to secure stable employment or find long-term housing. The uncertainty created immense stress. Fareed Fakhoury, an asylum seeker, described the waiting period as a constant source of anxiety that “gnaw[ed] at mental health,” making it difficult to plan for the future, feeling like “trying to build on quicksand.”
Afraa Hashem, a survivor of detention and the conflict in Aleppo, articulated how the ongoing instability in Syria continued to weigh heavily on her, even while physically safe in the UK. The Syrian British Consortium’s Chairman, Haytham Alhamwi, pointed out that behind every delayed application was a person or family “living in limbo,” prevented from moving forward despite many having begun building lives and contributing to UK communities. The Refugee Council charity acknowledged that the pause left people “trapped in further limbo,” fearing for their future.
New Guidance Shapes Decision-Making
The catalyst for resuming processing is the publication of updated guidance and country information by the government for Home Office officials. This new framework is designed to facilitate robust assessments of the risks individuals might face upon return to Syria, a crucial step required for decision-making under UK asylum law and international conventions.
At its core, the guidance reflects an updated assessment of the situation on the ground following the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad by the rebel offensive led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). HTS, which is designated a terrorist group by the UK, now exerts significant control, with its leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, serving as interim president.
The guidance reiterates fundamental principles of asylum claims based on the United Nations Refugee Convention, which requires a “well-founded fear of persecution.” However, it specifies that a general “breakdown in law and order or uncertain security situations do not in themselves give rise to a well-founded fear of persecution.” It also states there are not considered to be “substantial grounds” for believing individuals face a real risk of serious harm simply from indiscriminate violence due to the conflict.
Crucially, the guidance places the burden of proof squarely on the applicant, stating that “All cases must be considered on their individual facts, with the onus on the person to demonstrate they face persecution or serious harm.”
Assessing Risk for Specific Groups
The updated guidance offers detailed assessments for various demographics within Syria, outlining who is considered “unlikely” or “likely” to face risk upon return.
Former Regime Opponents: The guidance suggests that opponents of the former Assad regime are “unlikely to be at risk upon return to Syria solely on that basis,” reflecting the change in power dynamics.
Most Religious/Ethnic Minorities: For groups such as Kurds, Christians, Druze, and Shia Muslims, the guidance states they are generally “unlikely to face a real risk of persecution or serious harm from the state.” Again, the onus is on the individual to prove otherwise.
However, the guidance explicitly identifies specific groups facing potential risks:
Kurds in SNA Areas: Kurds residing in areas under the de facto control of the Syrian National Army (SNA), a coalition of Turkish-backed rebel groups, “are likely to face a real risk of persecution or serious harm” based on their ethnicity or perceived political opinions.
Alawites: Members of the Alawite minority, from which much of the former Assad regime’s political and military elite were drawn, are also assessed as “likely to face a real risk of persecution or serious harm from the state due to their religion and/or an imputed political opinion.” The guidance notes that HTS-affiliated groups were reportedly involved in attacks against Alawites in March that killed an estimated 800 people.
This nuanced approach signifies the Home Office’s attempt to differentiate risk based on the complex and fragmented control of territory and ongoing security dynamics within Syria.
Potential Outcomes: Decisions and Returns
With processing resuming, decisions can now be made on the thousands of pending applications. For those granted asylum, this could mean moving towards more secure status. For others, decisions could involve refusal of protection.
The resumption of processing directly opens the possibility of individuals being returned to Syria. While over 20 Syrian asylum seekers have already voluntarily returned this year, senior Home Office sources indicate that ministers are hopeful the first enforced returns could take place before the end of 2025, suggesting this prospect is “not a million miles away.” Thousands of other individuals could now be considered within the scope for potential returns based on their case assessments under the new guidance.
Influences on the Decision
Several factors likely influenced the timing of the UK’s decision to lift the pause. The government had paused decisions citing a lack of objective information immediately after the rapid regime change. Dame Angela Eagle stated the Home Office acted quickly once sufficient information was available.
The UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s recent visit to Syria, where he met with interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa, marked the first time a UK minister had visited the country since the uprising began 14 years ago. While Foreign Office sources reportedly believed at the time of Lammy’s visit that resuming asylum processing was still several months away, the Home Office proceeded sooner. This suggests a coordinated, but potentially accelerated, governmental process.
Moreover, the actions of other European countries played a role. Following Assad’s fall, many EU nations, including Germany, Austria, Belgium, Greece, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, also temporarily halted Syrian asylum processing to assess the changing situation. Some, like Austria, have already begun deporting individuals since the regime change. Senior figures within the UK Home Office were reportedly concerned that if the UK did not also begin processing claims and potentially returning people while other European nations were doing so, the UK might be perceived as a more attractive destination for Syrian asylum seekers, a point aligned with broader concerns about “pull factors” raised by figures like French President Emmanuel Macron. The UK has also been gradually lifting sanctions on Syria, indicating a broader recalibration of policy towards the country under its new leadership.
Some within the government have also suggested that certain Syrians who arrived in the UK before the fall of Assad, having initially fled his regime, might now genuinely wish to return given the altered political landscape.
Welcome but Concerns Remain
The decision to restart processing was largely welcomed by human rights organizations and charities like the Refugee Council, primarily because it ends the debilitating period of limbo for thousands. Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, welcomed the move but stressed that the situation in Syria remains inherently unstable. His organization urged the government to ensure that every asylum application is assessed meticulously on a case-by-case basis to guarantee the safety and protection of Syrians who could still face “extreme risk” if returned. Amnesty International similarly called for prompt, individual processing and a rejection of returns for anyone facing risk.
This policy shift occurs within a broader European context where the official stance of the European Union, aligning with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is that conditions in Syria are not yet suitable for “safe, voluntary, dignified returns.” Experts like Bram Frouws of the Mixed Migration Centre have described some European countries’ rapid move to suspend claims and consider returns as “premature” and potentially reflecting a determination to return Syrians regardless of the evolving circumstances, calling it a “certain hypocrisy.” Syrian activists, like Ahmad Helmi, have expressed disappointment, arguing that Europe’s focus should be on supporting a democratic transition and justice process in Syria rather than solely concentrating on migration control.
The resumption of processing in the UK marks a pivotal moment, moving from a pause driven by uncertainty to active decision-making based on updated, albeit still contested, assessments of risk in post-Assad Syria. The implementation of this policy, particularly regarding returns, will be closely watched by individuals affected and human rights observers alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the new UK guidance say about returning to Syria?
The updated Home Office guidance provides a framework for assessing the risks faced by individuals upon return to Syria after the fall of the Assad regime. While it states that general insecurity or being an opponent of the former regime are unlikely to pose a risk solely on that basis, it identifies specific groups deemed likely to face serious harm. These include Kurds in areas controlled by the Syrian National Army and Alawites due to their religion and/or imputed political opinions, especially considering recent attacks against Alawites. The guidance emphasizes that each case must be assessed individually, with the applicant needing to demonstrate their personal risk of persecution or serious harm.
How does the UK’s decision compare to other European countries?
Following the fall of the Assad regime, many European countries, including Germany, Austria, France, Denmark, and others, also paused processing Syrian asylum claims. The UK’s decision to restart processing aligns with a trend among some European nations to move towards making determinations. However, approaches vary; some countries like Austria have already begun deporting Syrians since the regime change, while others, like Germany, have a large backlog but have not announced deportation plans. The UK’s move comes partly from a concern about being seen as a more attractive destination if it did not follow the lead of countries resuming processing and returns.
What impact will resuming processing have on Syrians waiting for decisions in the UK?
The resumption of processing ends a period of uncertainty for over 7,000 Syrians who were in limbo, awaiting decisions on asylum claims or settlement applications. For many, this means their cases will finally be reviewed, potentially leading to them being granted protection and moving towards a more stable future, escaping the difficulties with work and housing associated with temporary status. However, it also means that individuals whose claims are not successful under the new guidance could face refusal and potentially enforced return to Syria. The process will now move forward, resolving the long-standing delays.
