Between Hope and Uncertainty: Syrian Families Awaiting ILR Decisions
Between Hope and Uncertainty:
An Assessment of Syrian Families Awaiting ILR Decisions
Following the political changes in Syria and the subsequent pause on asylum and resettlement applications, thousands of Syrian refugees in the UK continue to face uncertainty about their future. Many have lived in the UK for over seven years but remain without stable legal recognition, a situation that has limited their access to work, housing, education, and essential services, while causing growing psychological and social distress.
In response, Syrian Refugee families across the UK came together to document their experiences and highlight the impact of these delays.
Their collective effort, supported by the Syrian British Consortium (SBC), resulted in a new report that reflects their daily struggles, resilience, and aspirations to live with dignity and stability in the UK.
The report calls on the UK Government and the Home Office to take urgent and transparent action to:
- Lift the ILR Processing Freeze Immediately: resume timely and fair processing of all pending ILR applications, restore stability, dignity, and legal certainty to affected families.
- Provide Transparent Communication: Publish and share a clear timeline and regular updates on case progress so applicants are informed and able to plan their lives with confidence.
- Engage Directly with Affected Communities: Establish dialogue channels with Syrian-led organisations and community representatives to shape more fair, humane and informed policies.
- Protect Rights and livelihood: Issue official documentation confirming applicants’ rights to work, study, rent housing, and access essential services while their ILR cases remain under review.
- Safeguarding the Future of Youth: Urgently address delays in processing applications to protect the future of Syrian youth in the UK.
- Uphold the Best Interests of the Child as a Guiding Principle: Make child-focused and timely immigration decisions to ensure safety, stability, and integration.
Read Full Report:Assessment_of_Syrian_families_awaiting_processing_of_ILR_applications
