The UK Government suspended new applications under the Refugee Family Reunion route from 4 September 2025, leaving recognised refugees and humanitarian protection holders to apply under Appendix FM until a replacement framework takes effect in spring 2026.

The change shuts Appendix Family Reunion (Protection). People with Refugee Status or Humanitarian Protection in the UK who want to reunite with spouses and children under 18 can no longer file under that route. The Home Office stopped accepting new entries from 3pm on 4 September 2025.

UNHCR's UK office flagged the shift on its public information pages. The agency wrote: "We highly recommend seeking legal advice from a qualified legal professional if you wish to make an application under Appendix FM."

Which applications remain in the system?

Applications lodged with the Home Office before 3pm on 4 September 2025 fall outside the suspension. Those cases keep a 240-day window from submission to collect supporting evidence and enrol relatives' biometrics. After that window closes, the standard evidence and enrolment rules resume.

What changes for new applicants?

New sponsors must file under Appendix FM instead of Appendix Family Reunion (Protection). The two routes carry different eligibility criteria and evidence requirements. The Home Office has not published a streamlined bridging arrangement for protection holders during the suspension.

UNHCR repeated its warning: "We highly recommend seeking legal advice from a qualified legal professional if you wish to make an application under Appendix FM." The agency steered users to its Access to Legal Assistance in the UK guide.

When will a replacement take effect?

The Government has confirmed that new rules for refugees and humanitarian protection holders will arrive in spring 2026. Officials have not yet disclosed:

• Income thresholds for sponsors
• English-language requirements
• Age ceilings for dependent children
• Exemptions for particularly vulnerable cases

Until those details surface, families have two practical paths: meet Appendix FM's standards, or hold for the 2026 framework.

Who does this affect?

The suspension reaches every sponsor who would normally have used Appendix Family Reunion (Protection):

• Recognised refugees in the UK
• Humanitarian Protection holders
• Their spouses or partners
• Their children under 18

That older route let core family members join a relative already granted protection. The pause removes that option. Families with applications submitted before the cutoff stay in the old system.

What steps should applicants take now?

UNHCR's UK office drew a clear line on its role: "UNHCR in the UK is not involved in receiving or reviewing visa applications and is unable to provide advice to individuals on making an application." Applicants must work through qualified advisers or directly with the Home Office.

The British Red Cross publishes guidance on family reunion through its website. GOV.UK remains the only official channel for application forms and decisions.

What's next?

The Home Office's spring 2026 publication is the next checkpoint. Until then, the suspension governs every new file submitted under Appendix Family Reunion (Protection). Watch for the secondary legislation or statement of changes that will implement the new framework.