Brexit has closed off vital routes for refugees trapped in Greece who face significant challenges to reunite with their family members in the UK.

In December, Refugee Legal Support has made urgent applications for family reunification while this was still possible.

Now after Brexit, our asylum lawyers continue to provide legal support to families in the UK and Greece who are trying to be reunited, and to create new legal routes so that close relatives torn apart by no fault of their own can live together again.

It is critical that affected refugees have access to expert legal assistance to navigate the legal environment post-Brexit.

What is at stake?

The Brexit transition period has ended on 31 December 2020. From 1 January 2021 there are almost no safe, legal routes for refugee family members to be reunited in the UK.

Hope is fading for those in the UK who have close relatives in Greece, who they may not have seen for many years. They are worried about the health and safety of their loved ones, even more so during this pandemic. Conditions for refugees in Greece are grim and even now children, young adults and the elderly may live for months, sometimes years, on the streets, in unsanitary camps or unsafe accommodation, waiting for the wheels of justice to turn.

We are already working urgently to develop new legal routes for these divided families in 2021 and beyond.

Your donation to this appeal will enable us to:

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• develop legal routes under UK law that allow for separated families to be reunified after Brexit. This will include overcoming technical difficulties and delays in Greece and the UK;
• provide information to refugee groups in Athens and on the Greek island of Lesvos about their legal rights post-Brexit.

How much are we raising?

We aim to raise £20,000 by the end of January 2021. If you are eligible please complete a Gift Aid form so we can claim an extra 25% on your donation at no extra cost to you.

How can I get involved?

Please give what you can, share this appeal with your friends and family, and/or organise a fundraising event for Refugee Legal Support to help refugees and migrants be reunited with close family members.

Thank you so much for your support and solidarity.