My name is sultana and I’m from Afghanistan.
I’m very happy to have 2 brother 1 sister and both my parents, I lived a peaceful life back in my home country, I had a beautiful house, and my dad had a TV shop, we lived a good life. This was until my brother, dad and sisters life became in danger, and we had to evacuate Afghanistan because of the fear of the Taliban. With lots of pain, hopelessness, we left Afghanistan. With lots of stress, effort and pain we arrived to Iran, and then progressed to turkey, where we spent 6 nights on a boat stranded on sea until we reached Italy, every night of this journey we feared death, until we arrived. From Italy we travelled to France. From France we took a boat to the United Kingdom, and when we arrived, when we saw the kindness of the government and the people of the UK, we felt as if all the pain and stress we had finally came to an end. Afterwards, with support of RAMFEL, they helped us to get a home to live in and helped us a lot, we really required this support from them. As of now we live a very good, happy life. My dads only wish was that me, my brother and my sister could live in a peaceful country and complete our studies, and to have high standards and hopes for our future. Now we have a very good life in the UK, I go to school for 4 days a week, and I’m very busy with my studies. It’s a big favour on us that the UK government and RAMFEL has helped us. My future hope is that I become a paramedic to serve patients here in the UK. And finally, I would like to thank you RAMFEL and its colleagues for having a huge positive impact to changing our life for the better and helping us so much, and spreading their kindness to us.
As we approach the general election, RAMFEL calls for a crucial culture change in our approach to immigration. Current policies are unashamedly cruel, hindering people who have come to the UK from working, learning and ultimately reaching their potential. This is bad for the individuals directly affected, but also for wider society.
Our manifesto is a bold call for all political parties to realise that immigration is a positive thing that benefits the UK. We call for the abolition of discriminatory policies, the removal of barriers that exclude rough sleepers, and the implementation of compassionate measures that allow everyone to thrive. It’s time for a fair and humane approach that values every individual in our society. Pledge 1: Scrap the Rwanda Cash for Humans Deal and Repeal the Illegal Migration Act The outgoing government’s fixation on sending refugees to Rwanda, a country the UK Supreme Court ruled is unsafe, should be a source of national shame. Thankfully the UK public favour a welcoming, flexible and fair asylum system – everything this government has sought to undermine. The next government must scrap the Illegal Migration Act, which effectively banned people from seeking asylum in clear breach of the UK’s international laws, and scrap the inhumane Rwanda deal once and for all. They must then start processing asylum claims again and let these people safely rebuild their lives in the UK. Pledge 2: Fix the broken family reunion system Our recently released report, "Safe Routes to Nowhere," outlines several recommendations to fix the broken family reunion system. The government must simplify the application process by removing the requirement to attend Visa Application Centres in countries where none operate, similar to the approach taken for Ukrainians after Russia's invasion. This could be applied to conflict zones like Sudan, Gaza, and Afghanistan. The definition of "family member" should be expanded to better recognise the family dynamics for those separated by conflict. The government’s focus should shift from refusing to approving family reunion applications. Additionally, investing in Home Office decision-makers is crucial to ensure quicker processing, as existing delays force people to flee and take dangerous journeys. Finally, legal aid for all family reunion applications should be immediately restored, as legal representation is a prerequisite whilst existing rules remain in place. This will reduce the need for dangerous journeys. Ever more extreme and cruel deterrence measures do not. Pledge 3: Give Asylum Seekers Permission to Work whilst their claims are processed Granting asylum seekers, the right to work while awaiting decisions on their claims makes fiscal sense, is popular with the general public and is unquestionably the right thing to do. There is no rational basis for maintaining the ban on asylum seekers working. Allowing them to work reduces reliance on state support, fills labour shortages in key sectors, and helps maintain their dignity and purpose. Polling shows that 81% of the public support granting asylum seekers the right to work. As our Palestinian client Leila stated, "For someone like me, who was an active member of society and had a job and a professional life, it is unbearable to be forced into unemployment and isolation." Pledge 4: Introduce Fee Waivers for Indefinite Leave to Remain Applications Did you know an indefinite leave to remain application costs £2,885? This must be paid up front in-full, and if the person can’t afford it they will be priced out of secure and permanent immigration status even if they otherwise qualify. Those priced out include parents of British children, grieving widows and people who have lived in the UK for decades. Fee waivers for indefinite leave to remain applications must be introduced. Applications currently cost several times the actual processing cost, preventing people from securing permanent immigration status, which traps them in a cycle of renewing visas and unable to truly establish themselves in the UK. RAMFEL and the Public Interest Law Centre's landmark victory this year will allow bereaved partners the option of a fee waiver, preventing them from paying £3,000 to secure their status whilst grieving the loss of their loved one. This option should be extended to all applicants, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to secure permanent status regardless of their financial situation. Pledge 5: Allow People on the 10-Year Route to Settlement to Access Higher Education People on the 10-year route to settlement are currently prevented from attending university, as they are treated as international students, meaning they must pay international fees and cannot access student loans. This is despite the fact many have lived in the UK for decades and/or have clear family ties with British children and spouses. They are not international students, they are clearly British residents and this country is their home, yet they are denied the opportunity to achieve qualifications and improve their future prospects. No one benefits from this. Whilst the 10-year route remains in place, the next government should grant people on this-route access to student loans and consider them home students. Denying people on this route access to higher education limits their prospects, forcing them into jobs with low wages. Allowing access to student finance would enable them to greatly enhance their employment prospects and better support their families. Investing in education and training for these individuals benefits the UK by increasing the skilled labour force and promoting economic growth, which should always be a priority for any UK Government. Pledge 6: Reduce the 10-Year Route to 5 Years Those in the UK on the basis of their family/private life, such as parents of British children, currently must wait 10 years before securing indefinite leave to remain unless they meet stringent (often unrealistic) financial requirements. This is split into 4 separate visas, each 30 months in length, and every time the visa is renewed it costs close to £4,000.00. If a person applies even one day late, the 10-year clock may restart, trapping many people in what is effectively a never-ending cycle of visa renewals. Simplifying the path to settlement by reducing the 10-year period to 5 years would make a huge difference. This change would decrease the number of visa renewals required, freeing up resources at the Home Office as they would have far less applications to process. People would also secure indefinite leave to remain more swiftly, facilitating stability and aiding their ability to truly settle and thrive in the UK. Pledge 7: Scrap the Criminal Justice Bill RAMFEL has already successfully challenged government plans to refuse applications and revoke peoples’ leave to remain due to rough sleeping, yet it seems lessons have not been learned. The next government must abolish the Criminal Justice Bill, which criminalises rough sleeping and begging. This Bill, in its current form, discriminates based on appearance and subjective factors, pushing vulnerable individuals into more dangerous situations. It also particularly threatens refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants. The Bill will cause a panoply of offences linked to rough sleeping to be criminalised, meaning people who are already vulnerable could lose their immigration status or be denied the ability to regularise it, simply because they’ve been forced into rough sleeping. This is cruel and counterproductive as it will perpetuate the cycle of rough sleeping. Pledge 8: Remove Barriers That Prevent Rough Sleepers From Regularising Their Status Such as the 20-Year Threshold for Private Life / Long Residence Rules Rough sleepers are excluded from regularising and retaining their immigration status due to unaffordable fees, inaccessible procedures, and unreasonable documentation requirements. A lack of immigration status prevents access to employment and crucial services, driving many into destitution and increasing the risk of rough sleeping. Currently, undocumented foreign nationals must be in the UK for 20 years before they can regularise their status. This arbitrary timeframe keeps people in immigration limbo and heightens the risk of rough sleeping, whilst serving no purpose. If the next government is serious about ending rough sleeping, they must remove practical barriers that prevent foreign national rough sleepers from evidencing their status if they already hold status, or regularising their status if they are undocumented. For people in this position, there is often no prospect of them being removed from the UK, often due to logistical issues such as their country of origin being unwilling to issue the relevant documentation. Reducing the threshold from 20 to, for example, 10 years would allow more people to regularise their status, commence working, and avoid rough sleeping. This benefits everyone. This poem is written by Estelle, and is her contribution to this year’s theme ‘Our Home’. Estelle works as RAMFEL as an immigration caseworker, but also has her own personal lived experience of the immigration system.
Our Home Our home is a little house, Not too tall, nor too small. It is not shy nor loud, It makes friends with the leaves and talks to the tree. Our people are our pride and joy, We are happy with what they have become. Our home is your home, a home filled with love and joy. A home with the same blood, A home with peace and love. A place where Mum is Queen and Dad is King, A place where everyone is heard and seen. Sharing laughter’s, smiles and hugs, While enjoying tasty cuisine and drinks. A home without heartrate nor discrimination, We have been through wars and thorns but now we rest and enjoy our lives. We are one family and gladly receiving praise through others testimony. A home where no one is rich nor poor, A home where no one is white nor black. A home where no one is strong nor weak, A home where equality leads. A home where everyone belongs, A home of refuge. This poem is written by Basir, and is his contribution to this Refugee Week's theme, Our Home.
Basir is a 23-year-old student currently on the verge of finishing CELTA Level 5, as well as Level 3 courses in IT and Interpreting. Our Home From Adama's sun and Dire Dewa’s skies, In Ethiopia's heart, my young spirit flies. Where Oromia’s whispers and mountains greet, A home of love, of warmth so sweet. My father's boutiques, our bustling streets, Mom’s soothing songs, and sibling feats. But shadows came, with boots of might, They shattered peace, turned day to night. In the UK’s embrace, my journey led, To dreams anew, and tears unshed. A year and nine months, in the hotel’s tight space, Government’s shelter, a resting place. With humour bright, I took each day, Though struggles came, I found my way. Homeless nights for forty more, Yet hope remained, and my spirit soared. Now, books in hand, I chase the light, Learning anew, my future is bright. Though walls may shift, and roofs may change, My heart knows home's a range. From Ethiopia’s sun to London’s rain, Through trials tough and joy from pain. In this new land, I plant my seed, A future rich, with love and deed. I dream of a home where laughter rings, Where warmth and peace, each day brings. With friends and family, love's embrace, A world united, one human race. For homes not walls, nor roofs alone, But where the heart is, love is grown. From Ethiopia’s heart to UK’s shores, My story’s woven, forever more.
Today, RAMFEL releases its report, Safe Routes to Nowhere: The UK’s Broken Promises on Family Reunion, exploring how the UK’s family reunion systematically fails to provide safe routes for refugees to bring their family members to the UK.
The result of nearly 2.5 years of work, this report draws on RAMFEL’s casework experience and government data, which they have either made available or which has been obtained through Freedom of Information requests. This evidences a system where:
This is evidenced by our own experiences working with those in Sudan. When last year’s conflict started we were working with 14 people there, 13 of whom were children, seeking to apply for family reunion in the UK. One year on, only 2 have been given UK visas, with many either stranded in Sudan or having attempted dangerous journeys and suffered serious abuse en route. Our report makes 5 recommendations to improve the family reunion system, ensuring people can safely and swiftly make applications, greatly reducing the need for them to take dangerous journeys. The report can be viewed here. Nick Beales, RAMFEL’s Head of Campaigning, stated: “The UK’s family reunion system is not fit for purpose and needs overhauling. In fact, for the vast majority of people in places such as Sudan and Gaza who qualify for family reunion, submitting an application is not even impossible due to the lack of visa application centre. The lack of a functioning family reunion system leaves those in conflict zones with no choice but to take dangerous journeys. If the next government is serious about preventing such journeys, then creating a workable application process that allows those with UK family ties to swiftly and safely secure family reunion visas should be a priority on day 1.” For further information, please contact Nick Beales at [email protected]. PRESS RELEASE: RAMFEL and Ms Adjei win Landmark ruling against the Home Office: Home Secretary acting unlawfully by failing to provide document to 1000s of migrants with valid immigration status![]()
The High Court has ruled that the Secretary of State for the Home Department’s (SSHD) failure to provide people on ‘3C leave’ with the means to prove their immigration status is unlawful. Echoing the problems encountered by members of the Windrush generation, people on ‘3C leave’ – an automatic form of immigration status when a person applies in-time to extend their visa – are given no proof of their status, even though they are “entitled to remain here on exactly the same terms, as regards benefits or entitlements, as they had enjoyed during their previous period of […] leave”. This leaves potentially hundreds of thousands of people wrongly classified as lacking immigration status and trapped by the government’s ‘hostile environment’ policies.
Evidence from Ms Adjei, RAMFEL and others showed that this lack of proof of status led to serious hardships for a significant number of people – including loss of job offers and suspensions from employment, problems with renting and accessing higher education – was accepted by the court: “the evidence clearly establishes that a substantial number of those on section 3C leave suffer real hardship through being unable to provide immediate documentary proof of their immigration status and attendant rights”. [paragraph 197] Further,“[w]here these problems bite, the consequences are very severe indeed.”[200] The court ruled that despite the SSHD’s broad discretion in how to administer the immigration system, the failure to provide digital proof of status to those on 3C leave was irrational and therefore unlawful. The decision frustrated the purpose of 3C leave and indeed the aim of the hostile environment itself: “The underlying purpose of the legislative framework is that there should be a hostile and unwelcoming environment for those who are unlawfully present and so who are undocumented. The corollary of this is that those who are lawfully here should not face the hostile environment. That can only happen if they are documented.” [204] In a further indictment of the SSHD’s failures, the Court held he had breached his duties to safeguard and promote the welfare and best interests of children impacted by 3C leave. This speaks to the failure to identify and acknowledge the serious harm caused to thousands of families due to this counter-productive and failed policy and the SSHD’s refusal to take simple and reasonable steps to protect people with valid immigration status, including British citizen children. The Judge accepted that the SSHD had long been on notice of these problems [91]. In September 2022, RAMFEL published a report estimating that 40,000 people a year could be wrongly suspended from or denied access to employment whilst on 3C leave. Despite this, the SSHD took no steps to address the problem. Ms Adjei, a former RAMFEL client who had been suspended from work as she had no document to show her employer, and RAMFEL issued judicial review proceedings to challenge this failure and compel the SSHD to take action. The court agreed with them, concluding that: “this is a case in which the SSHD can take a straightforward step to avoid hardship for a substantial number of people, with no negative consequences for the Home Office or for the immigration regime.” [211] The “ultimate consequence” of the order given by the court is that the SSHD is now compelled to take positive steps to “provide all those on Section 3C leave with a means of proving their status” [191] You can read the judgment here. Ms Adjei said this of the court’s decision: “What I went through while waiting for my visa to be extended by the Home Office was really stressful. I was unable to prove that I had the right to work so was suspended from my employment as a healthcare support worker twice, without any notice. I have two children and have to budget very carefully so we suffered real hardship when my wages suddenly stopped. I had to borrow money and visit a food bank just to get by. It was humiliating and scary as I didn’t have any way to prove to my employer that I still had the correct immigration status and the right to work. I am very happy that the court has made this ruling. It means that people like me who have to apply to extend their visas over and over, and who often have to wait a long time for an answer, will now be able to prove that we have the rights we say we have.” Nick Beales, Head of Campaigning at RAMFEL, stated: “Time and again, the government’s hostile environment traps and targets people with every right to be in the UK. They assured us they had learned from the Windrush scandal, but these words were clearly hollow. People on 3C leave have had their lives disrupted for years because they have been unable to prove their immigration status. The government knew this, and in the court’s view could easily fix it. That they refused to do so demonstrates that not only have they learned nothing from Windrush but have prioritised appearing tough over managing a fair and functional immigration system. Whatever the outcome in the general election, the next government must end the hostile environment, as this framework is what continues to cause scandals such as this.” Janet Farrell, partner at Bhatt Murphy solicitors who represented the Claimants said: “This is a significant victory for my clients and all those who, through no fault of their own, are left undocumented in an environment which demands proof of immigration status in order to access work, housing and healthcare or hold a driving licence or bank account. Without the means to prove their legal entitlements under section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971, the Home Office left them vulnerable to the vagaries of the hostile environment, a system which, by design, is intended to make life as difficult as possible for those without proof of lawful status. My clients urge the Home Secretary to take the urgent steps necessary to remedy this and to provide those with legal rights under section 3C the means to prove them.” NOTE TO EDITORS: RAMFEL is a legal charity that supports vulnerable migrants living, providing casework support, on a range of legal issues, including immigration and asylum, destitution support, and crisis intervention services. Ms Adjei is an individual who was adversely impacted by the SSHD’s failure to issue her with any means to prove her legal immigration status and right to work whilst she was on 3C leave, suffering periods of suspension from employment which caused real hardship to her and her two children. RAMFEL and Ms Adjei were represented by Janet Farrell and Christina Bodenes of Bhatt Murphy solicitors, instructing Stephanie Harrison KC of Garden Court Chambers and Shu Shin Luh of Doughty Street Chambers. For more information contact Nicholas Beales, Head of Campaigns at RAMFEL on [email protected]. Dear party leaders, We are Freedom at 10, a group of 37 migrants who are reaching out, as you prepare your manifestos for the upcoming July 2024 general election. We are all on the 10-year route to settlement, like 170,000 other people, and are hopeful that you will consider our suggestions to reduce the 10-year family route to settlement under the current UK immigration system and protect our children’s interests. The majority of us have lived in the UK for over 15 years and some for as long as 24 years. We have worked, contributed to the economy, performed our civic duties in our communities, yet we and our children remain marginalised and discriminated against in comparison to other routes to settlement. We are our children’s primary carers, and we remain helpless and look on as our children suffer emotionally as they are unable to access their rights or live the quality of life they deserve. This is despite being born in the UK, living all their lives here and having British passports. When you are an immigrant on the 10-year route, your children still live systematically in abject poverty. As parents on the 10-year route to settlement, we are not only contributing to the UK economy through our national insurance and taxes but also to the NHS as a whole. Additionally, we pay again for the NHS surcharge every 2.5 years when we renew our visa. We pay over £13,000 per person in the course of a 10-year period before we can get indefinite leave to remain. The huge financial burden and psychological pressure this places on families is catastrophic. It deprives parents of their ability to care properly for their children, massively harming their future prospects. In fact, the 10 years route is institutional child abuse as it deprives our children of financial and also emotional support. Adversely, this route serves as a catalyst that further exposes our children to the risk of child grooming or exploitation in the UK. Children are groomed for something as small as a box of chicken and chips. Whilst you may not care about us, we hope you do care about our children, who are the future of the UK; and who are suffering every day due to being stuck within the 10-year route. It does not have to be this way. So, we are recommending that, the next government scrap the 10-year route and reduce it to 5 years. This has been done with other routes, such as Calais leave, which was initially introduced as a 10-year route in 2016 but this year was halved to 5 years. Children rely primarily on their parents, but if a child is British and their parents are not, then the child still suffers the same fate as their parents for the 10 years it takes for them to become settled. Children should not be made to suffer and reducing the 10-year route to 5 years would positively impact their lives by greatly reducing the family's psychological and financial pressure. |
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