Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to collect biometric data from Palestinians seeking to reunite with family members in the UK in the absence of a functioning visa application centre in Gaza.

In most circumstances, foreign nationals who are required to apply for entry clearance to come to the UK are required to enrol their biometrics in the form of a facial image and fingerprints as part of the application process.

The Visa Application Centre in Gaza has been closed since 7 October 2023 due to the conflict in the region and to ensure the safety of staff and customers. UKVI will continue to monitor the situation and work closely with the supplier, VFS, to re-open the centre when it becomes safe to do so.

In the interim, those who wish to make a UK visa application are required to enrol their biometrics at an alternative Visa Application Centre. For those in OPT this includes Ramallah or Jerusalem. Customers can visit Welcome to VFS Global | vfsglobal for an up to date list of Visa Application Centres in the region.

The Government is working with the Israeli, Jordanian and Egyptian authorities to identify alternative safe routes for British nationals and other eligible people to leave Gaza. Ultimately, it is at the discretion of the Israeli authorities as to who can leave Gaza.