Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Home Office response to report on the re-inspection of family reunion applications published on 21 February 2023, what recent progress her Department has made towards (a) implementing the recommendations made by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration and (b) ensuring that family reunion applications are processed within the service standard of 12 weeks.

The Government’s refugee family reunion policy provides a safe and legal route to bring families together. The Secretary of State for the Home Department has fully accepted all the recommendations made in the report by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration regarding family reunion applications.

Following the recommendations made, the department has undertaken a review of its’ resourcing for consideration of Family Reunion visa applications and is increasing staffing levels. We have also reviewed processes and are developing our work in this area to enable us to provide a better service to our customers.

We prioritise all applications where the application has been made by an unaccompanied child, under the age of 18. We will also prioritise applications where there is an evidenced urgent or compelling reason.