Britain is preparing to resume the forced deportation of Syrian refugees, according to Home Office sources, raising concern among thousands of families waiting for decisions on their residency status and long-term future in the UK.
Officials told The New Arab that the Home Office is actively considering restarting enforced returns to Syria as part of a wider review of deportation policy. The move would mark a major shift after years in which the UK largely halted compulsory removals to Syria because of the civil war and security concerns.
Sources said the review includes several countries to which the UK has not carried out routine deportations in recent years, signalling a broader tightening of asylum and immigration enforcement.
Thousands Await Residency Decisions
Around 3,500 Syrian refugees are currently waiting for decisions on applications to renew their legal status, with semi-official estimates putting the total backlog at about 6,500 cases. The Home Office says applications are being processed in the order they were submitted, rather than prioritised by medical, humanitarian or family circumstances.
Families report growing anxiety that a sudden policy shift could lead to enforced removal after years of rebuilding their lives in Britain.
Personal Fears Among Syrian Families
A 32-year-old Syrian refugee from Daraa, speaking to The New Arab, said he has waited more than 13 months for a decision on his residency renewal. He and his wife, who are raising three children in the UK, fear a rapid decision could force them to return to an unstable region.
He said that even with financial assistance, returning would mean starting again in a country where housing, healthcare and employment remain fragile after years of conflict and political upheaval.
Policy Shift After Assad’s Fall
The Home Office suspended asylum interviews and decisions for Syrians in December 2024 following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, citing a lack of reliable information about conditions on the ground. That pause was lifted in July 2025 after updated security and humanitarian assessments allowed what officials described as “evidence-based decision-making”.
Since then, the UK has focused mainly on voluntary returns, though only a small number of Syrians are understood to have gone back in the first half of 2025.
European Coordination on Returns
British officials are working with several European states, including Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium and the Czech Republic, which have also begun facilitating voluntary returns to Syria. Coordination aims to align safety assessments and reintegration support for those who choose or are required to return.
Under current UK law, Syrians granted permanent resettlement or full refugee status under previous programmes would not be subject to forced removal. More than 22,000 Syrians were resettled in the UK between 2014 and 2021 under schemes launched during the height of the conflict.
However, those on temporary protection or awaiting renewal decisions could face enforced return if the Home Office concludes that parts of Syria are now safe enough, with officials saying security conditions would be assessed region by region at the time of any deportation.