LONDON: Five Syrian refugees in the UK are threatening legal action against the British Home Office after their applications for permanent settlement were left in limbo after a government decision to halt all decisions on Syrian asylum and settlement cases.
The Home Office paused interviews and decisions on Syrian asylum claims on Dec. 9 last year, citing the need to “assess the current situation” in the wake of the collapse of Bashar Assad’s regime.
The freeze also applies to Syrians who have already been granted refugee status and are now seeking indefinite leave to remain, The Independent reported on Sunday.
According to government figures cited by the newspaper, at least 7,000 people have been affected by the wider pause on asylum decisions as of the end of March.
However, the number of Syrians awaiting a decision on permanent settlement is not known.
