LONDON: The British government has unveiled sweeping reforms to its asylum system, effectively ending the provision of permanent residency for migrants.
Under the newly introduced policy, refugees and asylum seekers will now be granted only temporary protection, which will remain in place until it is officially considered safe for them to return to their home countries.
According to AFP, the UK Home Office has also stated that individuals who are granted asylum will be required to wait 20 years before they can apply for long-term residency, a dramatic increase from the current five-year period, making it four times longer than the previous standard.
In addition, the duration of asylum status has been reduced to 30 months, significantly shortening the period of legal recognition and associated benefits for refugees.
British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood emphasized the gravity of these changes in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter), stating that the UK’s so-called “golden ticket” for asylum seekers is being abolished.
The reforms are part of a broader government initiative aimed at strengthening border control, limiting irregular migration, and reducing the long-term settlement of refugees in the UK. Officials have described the policy as a step toward restoring order to the country’s immigration system while ensuring that humanitarian protection is provided only on a temporary and conditional basis.
Humanitarian groups and refugee organizations have criticized the measures, warning that the changes could make it harder for vulnerable people to rebuild their lives in the UK.
Nevertheless, the government maintains that the policy aligns with international standards for temporary asylum and mirrors approaches adopted by countries such as Denmark, where refugee protection is conditional and time-limited.
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