Government removes the transit without visa exemption in respect of Syrian citizens in order to deter asylum seekers fleeing war zone
The Home Office has today released a new Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules (HC 1116), which you can read here.
It is notably short at just 8 pages and has the single purpose of "removing the transit without visa exemption in respect of Syrian citizens and nationals possessing a B1 or B2 category visa for entry to the United States of America."
The Statement explains that the reason for the change is that "[e]vidence suggests such individuals are using this exemption from the requirement to hold a transit visa to travel to the UK in order to claim asylum, rather than to pass through the United Kingdom en route to another country or territory."
The Home Office says that it considers it is necessary to introduce the change with the minimum of notice "in order to prevent the potential for a significant influx of citizens and nationals of Syria travelling to the UK to claim asylum."
Image credit: © O.Laban-Mattei, UNHCRThe Statement of Changes comes just days after UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie Pitt called the international response to the Syrian conflict "deeply alarming".
Jolie Pitt said in a statement: "It is deeply alarming that the international response so clearly falls short of what is needed to end the conflict in Syria. People are entitled to feel bewildered and angry that the UN Security Council seems unable to respond to the worst crisis of the 21st century."
"It is shameful that even the basic demand for full humanitarian access has not been met. Meanwhile, neighbouring countries and international humanitarian agencies are being stretched beyond their limits."
Jolie Pitt continued: "And I appeal for urgent steps to demonstrate that the international community is serious about accountability in Syria: to show that we will not turn a blind eye to war crimes, and that we will not fail refugees, the displaced, and the survivors."
Last month, Amnesty International UK called on the Government to do more for Syrian refugees, noting that just 143 had been resettled in the UK in the year since the Government announced that they would offer a lifeline to 'some' refugees.