This petition was submitted during the 2019-2024 parliament
Petition Create a Sudanese Family Scheme visa for Sudanese people affected by war
Sudan, mainly the capital city Khartoum, has become a war zone where the army and militia are fighting to get power over the country. Civilians are trapped in Khartoum without access to water, electricity and access to food or medical care. The city is being bombarded and heavy fighting goes on.
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The Homes for Ukraine scheme has proven that it is possible to help people from war zones join their families and relatives in the UK. We want the Government to create Homes for Sudanese scheme to allow Sudanese who are affected by the war being joined with their families in the UK. The Government should aim to treat all people equally, a war is a war, and people affected by war should be treated and helped equally.
This petition is closed This petition ran for 6 months
Government responded
This response was given on 11 May 2023
There are no plans to introduce any new visa schemes for Sudanese people affected by the current conflict in Sudan.
The UK Government is monitoring the situation in Sudan closely to ensure that it is able to respond appropriately. At present there are no plans to create a new visa scheme for family members of British citizens and settled migrants affected by the unrest. We recognise that some people displaced by the fighting may wish to join family in the UK, and where those family members do not have a current UK visa, they can apply for one via one of our standard visa routes, which remain available, and applications can be submitted at the nearest Visa Application Centre (VAC). Applications can be made at any VAC and we will accept applications which would normally have to be made in the country where the person is living at any VAC, from someone who has been evacuated, or self-evacuated, from Sudan.
Those wishing to come to the UK for a short time to stay with family can apply for a visit visa which allows them to stay in the UK for up to six months. Further details about visiting the UK are available here: https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor. Immediate family members of British citizens, and those settled in the UK, who wish to come and live in the UK can apply under one of the existing family visa routes. Further details are available here: https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa.
The situation in Sudan is different to that of Ukraine and every crisis situation requires a unique tailored response. The UK Government responded immediately to the crisis in Sudan by arranging evacuation flights from the Wadi Saeedna airfield near Khartoum. These flights were available to British citizens and close family members of British citizens who had extant permission to enter or remain in the UK. The UK carried out by far the longest and largest evacuation of any Western country from Sudan, bringing 2,450 people to safety. As well as British nationals, the UK has also evacuated Sudanese clinicians who work in the NHS. The UK has also helped 1,087 people from other nations including the US, Ireland, Netherlands, Canada, Germany and Australia to evacuate.
In addition, those individuals who were evacuated from Sudan by other governments who would have met the criteria for evacuation by the UK Government will also be able to come to the UK.
Home Office