The Home Office has lost a legal challenge brought by a Palestinian refugee who argued that officials had unlawfully refused to prioritize his request for his family in Gaza to apply for UK visas without giving their fingerprints. The man took the legal action after the authorities rejected his request on the grounds of the situation in the region. A UK court has agreed that the Home Office’s refusal was “disproportionate” and violated Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights which protects a person’s right to respect for their familial and private life.
The individual, who was granted asylum in the UK in 2023, sought family-reunion visas for his relatives in December. His request was denied after officials argued that it was difficult for his family to provide their fingerprints due to the lack of a proper visa centre in Gaza. The man argued that this essentially amounted to a refusal for his family to join him in the UK.
The refugee, who cannot be identified for security reasons, said in a statement to the court, “I want so badly to be with my wife to help her. I am scared, I am fearing for the lives of my family and my children, I am worried that they might die.” The situation has been made even more challenging since two of his children caught Hepatitis A, which has been spreading in Gaza, according to the World Health Organization.
When someone applies for a long-term UK visa abroad, they usually have to provide their biometrics, which includes fingerprints and a photograph, at a visa application centre to ensure the safety of citizens. As there is currently no viable visa centre in Gaza, legal advisors representing the family argued that the Home Office had failed to acknowledge the difficulties involved in applying for a UK visa in the current environment. The Home Office has stated that it has met the outcome of judicial review proceedings and offered no further comment on the case
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