Samuel’s* story is one of unbelievable resilience. Even after being forced to flee his home twice and fearing for his life, he still found the strength to fight to be reunited with his family. 

Samuel’s case sheds light on the intricacies of the asylum system in the UK, and the importance of finding legal support. His case was complex, and without RLS lawyers, it would’ve been very difficult to be successful. Our Family Routes Project is essential for cases like Samuel’s, as it helps to reunite loved ones. 

*We’ve changed locations and names to protect Samuel’s identity, and the identity of his family. 

Life at home 

Samuel has fond memories of his life at home. He enjoyed studying at university, and he trained to become a lawyer. 

He met his wife through a family member, and they soon got married and had their first daughter. Samuel told us that this was his favourite memory of his life at home. He was so excited to be a father. 

However, his happiness was cut short when Samuel was imprisoned for his involvement in a political group that opposed the government. When he got out of prison, he feared for his life. He had to flee the country immediately. 

He didn’t want to put his family in danger, so he had to leave them behind. He couldn’t even say goodbye or tell them what had happened. 

Rebuilding their lives in France 

Samuel travelled to France and claimed asylum. Once he had found accommodation, he contacted his wife from a cybercafe. She was so relieved to hear from him. She had assumed that he was dead or in prison, as she knew that people who opposed the government were being severely punished. 

No family should have to worry about the safety of their loved ones, not knowing if they’re dead or alive. 

Samuel was granted asylum in 2012. Once his life was more stable, his wife and daughter came over to join him. It had been four long years since they’d last seen each other, and they were so happy to be reunited. 

Over the next few years, they started rebuilding their lives in their new home. They planned to stay in France forever. 

Samuel and his wife both got jobs, and their family grew. They had twin boys and another daughter. All the children were granted refugee status so they were able to stay in France and attend school. 

They had a very happy life in France, and lived together for 6 years. 

Forced to flee again  

At work, Samuel had a couple of colleagues who were from the same country as him. He got to know them and after a while, he felt safe enough to confide in them about why he was forced to flee. 

He had no idea they were actually looking for people who had been part of Samuel’s political movement. 

These colleagues started a campaign of harassment against Samuel. He was attacked several times. Despite speaking to the police about the abuse he was facing, the investigation was eventually closed with no action taken. 

This was devastating for Samuel. He had finally felt safe and happy, was making memories in a new home with his family, and now he feared for his life once again. 

Ultimately, Samuel made the decision to leave France and travel to the UK to ensure the safety of his family. The strength it takes to make such a painful decision for the second time is unimaginable. 

Samuel was afraid that his former colleagues would find out where he had gone and come looking for him. He even told his children that he was moving to Switzerland, as he was worried that his children would tell their friends at school and this would somehow get back to the people targeting him. 

Another new start 

Samuel arrived in the UK in December 2020. In 2022, he was granted refugee status. 

This was good news. But, Samuel’s family were still in France, and he desperately wanted to be reunited with them. 

He was referred to RLS by another organisation in 2024. RLS lawyer Ellie Doyle took on his case as part of our Family Routes Project (formerly known as Family Reunion from Europe). When talking about his experience working with Ellie, Samuel told us “from the bottom of my heart, I was extremely happy to work with Ellie.” 

Samuel’s family reunion case was complex. 

The family reunion rules state that to be eligible, you have to have formed the ‘pre-flight family unit’ before you flee. Essentially, this means you have to follow a strict timeline of getting married, having a child, facing persecution, and then fleeing your country.

The rules also state that if you’re unmarried, you need to have lived together for at least two years. 

Life isn’t always that straightforward.

Although Samuel and his wife got married at home, this was just a religious ceremony. They didn’t get round to officially registering the marriage as his wife was pregnant at the time. 

Also, Samuel and his wife hadn’t lived together for two years before he fled, but they had lived together for six years in France. 

We were concerned that the Home Office wouldn’t recognise their marriage or all the years that they lived together in their application, and that the children who were born in France wouldn’t be counted as part of the ‘pre-flight family unit’. 

This is an example of the intricacies and complexity of the asylum system. It has such specific rules that are confusing and hard to conform to. Without a lawyer, it can be very difficult to understand these rules.

During this time, Samuel was able to see his family occasionally. However, this is very different to watching them grow up every day. He longed to be reunited. 

A positive result 

After submitting several documents to prove his case, RLS lawyer Ellie found out that they had been successful in March 2025. She was delighted when she got the news, and called Samuel immediately. 

Samuel was very happy, and they added his wife into the call to share the good news with her. 

Samuel’s youngest daughter had been asking him every single day when they would be back together again. When he told them the news, they wanted to get on a train the next day to come to the UK. 

Looking to the future 

Samuel’s family will join him in the UK in the summer. 

He remains optimistic about the future. He’s looking forward to his whole family being together again, but he knows that you can never guess what surprises might pop up along the way.

His main concern is how his children will adapt to their new lives in the UK, and how the language barrier will affect them and their education. 

We’re working with Samuel to make a referral to another organisation to help with integration support once his family arrives in the UK, including services like housing and benefits support, registering with a GP and enrolling the children in school. It can be difficult to start a new life in a different country, especially after such a tumultuous couple of years, so it’s important to ensure they receive this support. 

Samuel’s case shows the importance of high quality legal support for people on the move. The asylum system is complex, and without support, it can be difficult to navigate. 

Reflecting on his case, Samuel said: 

“I thank Ellie for the time and energy she put in - she produced fabulous work, even though my case took so long. Nonetheless, it was fabulous. 

“I take my hat off to her and to RLS.”