Preface Muhammed and Amal are from Daraa in Syria. We see families undertaking dangerous journeys to Muhammed arrived in the UK in March 2014 and embassies across the world because their sponsor – was granted refugee status in December 2014. the person safe in the UK – cannot apply on their behalf. He immediately began the process of applying for family reunion – the process through which those Refugee family reunion is a safe and legal way granted refugee status and humanitarian protection in for refugee families to be reunited. It has the the UK can bring close family members to join them. potential to prevent dangerous journeys across seas into Europe and onwards to the UK, UK rules allow refugee parents, who have instead offering visas that allow people successfully claimed asylum here, to be to travel to the UK safely and legally. reunited with their children. But not if their children are aged 18 or over. Most importantly, it is a tool to keep loved ones together, a precious right to see your mum, dad, son Muhammed left Syria to protect his family. Yet or daughter once again. Yet it could work so much because of restrictive family reunion rules, the better than it does now. More refugee families could former lawyer, his wife and their younger children rebuild their lives together, more young people alone are separated from the older children because in dangerous situations could be protected, and their son and daughter are over 18. fewer people would have to face the difficult decision “We are a very close family; our bonds are very of boarding a leaky boat they have paid large special,” Muhammed told us. “My little kids ask me amounts of money to risk everything for. every day: ‘Baba, what happened with Kusai and The British Red Cross Torn Apart campaign seeks Athar? When will they join us? When will we see to realise the potential of family reunion for more them and talk to them?’ I truly have no idea and refugees, starting with adult children who only don’t know what to tell them.” recently turned 18. This document explores how Tragically, Muhammed’s story is not unique. We changes to family reunion could help more people know of many families divided because some of their at this time of crisis. children have just turned 18. We know of brothers and sisters with no other family divided by continents because refugee family reunion doesn’t help them. We see families struggling with a complex process and, since refugee family reunion was taken out 1 of legal aid scope in April 2013 , denied legal assistance. 1. Refugee family reunion was taken out of legal aid scope in April 2013 in England and Wales. It remains in scope in Scotland. 4