As the nights draw in and the temperature drops, many of us here in Britain are looking forward to spending the festive period with our loved ones.  Heartbreakingly, for many refugees, this time of year only reminds them of the family they are without. We take it for granted that we’re able to live in safety with our loved ones, but for refugee families divided by war and persecution, the heartache of separation is a daily pain which is worsened by Britain’s unnecessarily harsh immigration policies.

Imagine you’re a Syrian father in Britain. Like many refugees arriving in Europe, you’ve risked everything to find safe haven. After an anxious wait you’ve been granted asylum and you’re now eligible to bring your wife and two youngest children to come and join you in safety here. To your relief, it’s confirmed by the Government that they will be issued visas to travel legally. But your relief is short lived. You have another child – a daughter who is 18. The current rules say because she’s classed as an adult, she’s not allowed to come with her mum and siblings. Under official Home Office guidelines, she doesn’t count as your family. This is clearly absurd. She’s your child. She needs you. Like many refugees you’re then faced with an impossible choice: should your daughter be left behind, all alone in a warzone, or should you try and borrow money to pay smugglers to bring her to Britain? Either option puts your daughter in serious danger. 

No families should be left to make impossible choices. No families should be unnecessarily, permanently divided and in danger. Call on the Government to change the rules to allow more refugees to be able to reunite with their loved ones in safety.

We have a chance to change things but we don't have much time. On the 1st of December MPs will be voting on making changes to the rules which would which would allow more refugee families to live together. Ask your MP to support the reunion of refugee families. Click here to email your MP now, and please ask your friends and family to do the same.