As a result of the invaluable contributions of our diverse stakeholders we have been able to identify some of the critical problems and potential solutions around RFR through an interdisciplinary lens. The findings of the report will help shape the development of impactful research and a new innovative interdisciplinary legal clinic, where King’s students can learn and provide much needed support to refugee families.
Shaila Pal, Director, Supervising Solicitor & Senior Lecturer at King's Legal Clinic
06 February 2025
New report highlights major barriers in UK Refugee Family Reunification process
Based on insights from a range of stakeholders, the report will shape future research at King’s, including the launch of a pilot legal clinic.
A new report sheds light on the major challenges facing refugee families trying to reunite in the UK. Based on insights from a wide range of stakeholders – including legal experts, humanitarian organisations, charities, forensic science and policy experts, as well as individuals with lived experience – the report will help guide future research at King’s, as well as the launch of a new interdisciplinary legal clinic.
Refugee Family Reunion (RFR) is the legal procedure which aims to bring together relatives separated by conflict or displacement, often after years apart. The current system is reported to be affected by persistent issues that slow down, complicate the process and can lead to unfair decision making.
The workshop, hosted at King’s, aimed to collaboratively identify these contemporary barriers in RFR processes, with the aim of shaping and supporting strategic development of King’s research in this area. The discussions focused on the fairness and reliability of using DNA and forensic evidence in reunification cases, identifying flaws in the legal and procedural framework, and addressing the impact on the welfare of both the families involved and the professionals handling the cases.
The workshop captured widespread frustration at the unfairness and lack of compassion in the system. Key challenges identified included the complexity and restrictive nature of UK immigration law, including the reliance on DNA testing, which adds financial and logistical burdens to applicants. Participants also noted inconsistencies in decision-making processes and raised concerns around the transparency, fairness and accuracy of assessments by the Home Office. This included the erroneous interpretation of DNA evidence inconsistent with the Home Office DNA Policy.
The workshop enabled stakeholders to develop more in depth knowledge on the use of DNA evidence and its interpretation. We look forward to having a positive impact on the lives of refugees and their families through improving Home Office policy and practice.
Lesley Nott, Forensic Client Relationship & Case Manager at DNA@King’s
Representatives from organisations including British Red Cross, Refugee Council, Safe Passage, UNHCR, IRAP, UNHCR, Pathways International, Open Society Foundations, BEDS (Bedford), Panjshir Aid, UK Home Office, University of Leicester, Refugee & Migrant Forum of Essex and London (RAMFEL), and Refugee Legal Support participated in the workshop alongside King’s students.
I was lucky to be invited to the King's workshop, having recently introduced a Private Member’s Bill to extend family reunion to enable child refugees to sponsor his parents and siblings to come to the UK. The workshop highlighted the importance of those giving practical support refugees seeing some issues through an academic lens. How cheering it is that students are involved in King's refugee ‘clinic’. It is not unusual to hear that the Home Office does not understand the evidence presented to it, or the cultural variations which mean that evidence does not neatly fit British preconceptions. The workshop’s introduction to the use of DNA was revealing – this layperson valued understanding how easily bias and presumption skew the process. The follow-on work will, I’m sure, add to the report’s clear advancement of the importance of safe and legal routes to the UK for refugees.
Baroness Hamwee, Member of the House of Lords
Next steps
The workshop formed part of the Refugee Family Reunion (RFR) Project, an interdisciplinary partnership led by King’s Legal Clinic (KLC) in partnership with King’s Forensics (DNA@King’s), Refugee Legal Support (RLS), and the King’s Sanctuary Programme, and supported by the One King’s Impact Fund.
The next phase of the RFR Project will see the team develop a new University interdisciplinary clinic which will provide pro bono legal assistance and DNA testing services to support refugee families seeking reunification, as well as producing research that contributes to policy reform that will promote fairer and more compassionate safe pathways to sanctuary. The insights gathered during the workshop will directly inform the clinic's development, ensuring it meets the real-world needs of families, as well as the forensic scientists and legal professionals working on RFR cases.
Read the full report here.
The RFR Project is supported by the One King’s Impact Fund, and supports the One King’s Impact Priority of Peace and justice in a turbulent world.
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