Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what safe and legal routes exist for a Ugandan LGBT+ individual, who is under threat of imprisonment because of anti-homosexual laws in Uganda, and wishes to come to the UK to claim asylum as they have a family member living in the UK.

Between December 2015 and 2022, the Government’s family reunion policy has granted more than 44,659 family reunion visas, bringing many families together.

This safe and legal route allows immediate family members, as defined in the Immigration Rules, of those granted protection in the UK to join them here, if they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country. Where somebody has a link to the UK, they may be eligible for our other family routes and can find more information on how to apply on gov.uk here: Indefinite leave to remain (permission to stay as a refugee, humanitarian protection or Discretionary Leave): Family reunion - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

There is no provision within our Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge, in keeping with almost all countries around the world. Whilst we sympathise with people in many difficult situations around the world, we are not bound to consider asylum claims from the very large numbers of people overseas who might like to come here.

Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach – that is the fastest route to safety.