Information on The Rwanda Bill

The British government has passed a law called the Safety of Rwanda Bill. This law means the Home office can attempt to remove some asylum seekers from the UK to Rwanda. The number of people which the Home Office can currently attempt to remove is much, much smaller than the number of asylum seekers. For most asylum seekers the Safety of Rwanda act will not initially affect you. The government is trying to make people feel afraid. How we fight this law is by supporting one another, standing in solidarity and making sure we are prepared to know who is at risk of removal to Rwanda and what you can do to prepare for this.

Who can be removed to Rwanda? 

People who claimed asylum on of after 01/01/2022
Asylum seekers whose claims the Home Office has decided are inadmissible. The Home Office may decide someone’s claim is inadmissible if they traveled to the UK in a way that could be described as dangerous and traveled through other safe countries to get here.
At the moment Home Office policy says that asylum seekers with children cannot be removed to Rwanda.

How do I know if my asylum claim is inadmissable? 

If the Home Office is considering making an asylum claim inadmissible then they will first give you a Notice of Intent of inadmissibility. This letter looks like this:

This does not mean your claim is inadmissible, just that the Home Office is considering making it so. Many thousands of people have received these letters – but only a very small number will face attempted removal to Rwanda. When you receive a letter like this you will be given time to present arguments to the Home Office about why your claim should not be inadmissible.

If the Home Office decides that your claim is inadmissible then you will be given a decision of inadmissibility.  These decisions can also be challenged. This letter looks like this:

If the Home Office is going to attempt to remove you to Rwanda you will also receive a removal decision or directions. These can also be challenged. These look like this:

What can we do to prepare? 

Know what letters to look out for from the Home Office to identify that you might be at risk. If you receive any inadmissibility letters and have a solicitor make sure you are in contact with your solicitor straight away to ask them what they will do to challenge this.

If you receive any inadmissibility letters dated after 01/03/24 contact Care4Calais via WhatsApp on: +447519773268. They can provide legal support and advice.

It is possible that the Home Office may detain individuals and then give them the inadmissibility paperwork so everyone should be thinking about how to be prepared in case of detention. People can be detained from asylum support accommodation or when they report to the Home Office.

When detained your phone may be taken away and you may not be able to take any documents with you. Make sure you know a phone number to contact in order to get legal advice if you are detained. There are law firms focussed on providing legal advice to asylum seekers who are detained due to attempts to remove them to Rwanda.  Either memorise the number or make sure you always have a piece of paper in your pocket with key numbers on it.

Duncan Lewis: 020 72752570

Care4Calais: 0800 0096268 

If you are detained you might not be able to take your documents with you, so make sure someone you trust has a copy of all the documents you receive from the Home Office. This should be someone that a solicitor can contact to get access to these if you are detained.

You may also be able to prepare evidence in advance of reasons why you would be at greater risk than others if removed to Rwanda. For example:

• poor health and/or mental health,
• likely to protest against Rwandan government,
• high profile case – e.g. your name is in the media
• LGBTQ+
• pregnant
• history of trafficking or torture

Please remember, this will only affect a small number of people. This information is for people who want to feel prepared.

With Solidarity, the BRR Team