Campaign urges UK to bypass biometrics to reunite Gaza families

A coalition of groups in law, human rights and charitable work is petitioning the UK government to implement a visa scheme that would allow Palestinians trapped in Gaza to join their families in the UK, as the current scheme requiring biometric registration proves to be a major roadblock.

According to a report in the Guardian, the Home Office currently requires potential migrants to enroll their biometric data, including fingerprints. The letter to be delivered to the home secretary, jointly credited to the Gaza Families Reunited campaign and signed by more than 75 charitable, legal and activist organizations, says existing immigration routes are insufficient and not working.

“Palestinians eligible under existing routes cannot make an immigration application to be cleared for entry to the UK unless they have enrolled their biometrics,” says the letter. “The British Government is demanding that they register biometrics, but it is denying them a viable way of doing so.” The group points out that the option to defer biometrics comes with delays that have already seen two people killed while waiting for their application to be processed. Gaza has been under heavy bombardment by Israel’s military forces for nearly six months, and infrastructure in the north has been ravaged by IDF ground operations.

“It is in this context that Palestinian families in the UK have called for a Gaza Family Scheme alongside a permanent and immediate ceasefire.”

The proposed Gaza Family Scheme would be similar to what the UK has offered to Ukrainians looking for safe haven during the military aggression by Russia. “Palestinians arriving on this scheme, as with the Ukrainian Family Scheme, would be able to work, study, and access public funds in the UK while they are granted temporary sanctuary here,” says the letter. It also points out that the Ukrainian Family Scheme included provisions for safe evacuation and biometric waiver or deferral.

An online public petition linked to the letter calls on the UK government to “demonstrate its commitment to compassion, inclusivity, and supporting those who have endured the hardships of war” by offering “a lifeline for Palestinians seeking safety and a chance to rebuild their lives safely.” It has amassed more than 61,000 signatures; it requires 100,000 to be debated in Parliament. A formal response from the government posted to the petition says “there are no plans to introduce bespoke arrangements for people arriving from the region. Those wishing to come to the UK who currently have no visa can apply under one of the existing visa routes.”

The courts, however, may force the Home Office’s hand. The BBC reports on a recent decision ruling in favor of a man who took legal action after officials rejected a request that his wife and children be exempt from biometric registration when applying for refugee status, because of the scenario in Gaza. The Upper Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Court ruled that the Home Office “must allow the family to apply without biometrics.”

At present, there is no functioning visa center in Gaza at which applicants can register their biometrics.

The reported death toll in Gaza from the current Israeli military action sits at 32,900. According to UNICEF, more than 13,000 of those fatalities are children.

Article Topics

biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  immigration  |  Palestine  |  UK  |  visas