HC Deb 18 January 1995 vol 252 c529W
Mr. Gerrard

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have at present applied for family reunion; and how many of these applications are from people who(a) have applied for asylum, (b) have been given exceptional leave to remain and (c) have been given refugee status.

Mr. Nicholas Baker

Information on the number of applications for family reunion from persons seeking asylum, persons recognised as refugees and persons refused asylum but granted exceptional leave to remain is not available.

Mr. Gerrard

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the criteria for granting family reunion for people on exceptional leave to remain and be given refugee status; what is the average wait for an application for family reunification; and how many applications are currently outstanding.

Mr. Nicholas Baker

Persons who have been recognised as refugees in the United Kingdom are eligible to be joined immediately by their spouses and minor children under the family reunion concession. Applications are considered under the immigration rules, but maintenance and accommodation requirements which are applied to other immigration cases, are waived for refugees.

Applications for family reunion from the spouse and minor children of a person on exceptional leave will usually be granted after four years, subject to the general requirements of the immigration rules on the admission of spouses and dependants, including those relating to maintenance and accommodation. An application for family reunion may be granted earlier if there are compelling compassionate circumstances. Information on the average wait for an application for family reunification and the number of applications outstanding is not available.