Home Office ends automatic settlement for refugees after 5 years

Home Office has announced that refugees will now have to take part in a “safe return review” five years after their refugee status is granted.The review will decide if refugees are able to stay in the UK or they can safely return to their home countries. This new policy is effective immediately for all refugee settlement applications, including those already living in the UK and was expecting to qualify automatically for settlement after 5 years.

Since 2005 refugees were granted an initial 5 years period of limited leave and were granted an automatic settlement once they had reached the end this period.