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UK asylum seekers face 20-year wait for permanent residency under new plan
Asylum seekers granted refuge in the UK will have to wait two decades before applying for permanent settlement, under sweeping reforms to be unveiled Monday by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. The overhaul aims to curb small boat crossings and reduce asylum claims by tightening temporary protections and extending the path to residency.
Key changes to asylum rules
Currently, refugees receive five-year status before becoming eligible for indefinite leave to remain. Under the new system, initial refugee status will shrink to just two and a half years, subject to periodic reviews. Those whose home countries are later deemed safe will be required to return.
Critically, the waiting period for permanent residency will jump from five years to 20-a measure Mahmood argues will deter illegal migration. "Do not come to this country as an illegal migrant, do not get on a boat," she told The Sunday Times, framing the policy as essential to "unite our country."
Political reactions and comparisons to Denmark
The proposal mirrors Denmark's strict asylum model, where refugees receive temporary two-year permits and must reapply upon expiration. While some Labour MPs may resist the plan, Liberal Democrat spokesperson Max Wilkinson acknowledged the need for reform but cautioned against viewing it as a "quick fix."
"Labour shouldn't kid itself that these measures are an alternative to processing claims quickly so we can remove those with no right to be here."
Max Wilkinson, Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson
Criticism from refugee advocates
Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, warned the 20-year limit would "leave people in limbo and in tense anxiety for many, many years." He urged a fairer system focused on timely decisions and community integration, arguing that prolonged uncertainty undermines both refugees and public trust.
"We need a system that is controlled and is fair, and the way you do that is you make decisions fairly, in a timely fashion."
Enver Solomon, Refugee Council
Rising asylum claims and small boat arrivals
Government data shows 109,343 asylum applications in the year to March-a 17% annual increase. Meanwhile, over 39,000 migrants have arrived by small boats in 2025, surpassing totals for 2024 and 2023 but remaining below 2022 levels. Solomon linked public concern to perceptions that "the government has forgotten about their communities."
Next steps
Mahmood's announcement on Monday will detail implementation, though opposition within Labour and from advocacy groups signals potential hurdles. The Home Office reported 1,069 migrant arrivals in the past week alone.
